“PEOPLE aren’t going to like this” laughs Mark Lawn at the start of our interview.

City’s former joint-chairman – and now honorary vice-president – never beats around the bush.

And Lawn is keen to nail the conspiracy theories that have sprung up during the recent poor run.

“It’s scaremongering,” he said. “You are creating problems that aren’t there.

“It’s obviously a problem when you’re not winning games - but you’re looking for scapegoats that aren’t there.

“Someone says something on social media and it’s taken as gospel.

“Whether it’s interference from above or Ryan Sparks being too young, because someone has said it, people take it as the truth.

“What you get on the internet is what you used to get in pubs – only if someone came out with something stupid there, they’d get a slap in the face.

“Now people can come out and say exactly what they want. It’s nonsense.

“If anyone wants to question what goes on in football, get in touch and I’ll tell them. I won’t pull any punches.”

Derek Adams last week had to clarify his cryptic criticism after the Crawley game which some fans took as a swipe at the Valley Parade hierarchy.

Lawn views that as typical of how stories can be skewered by other opinions once they hit Twitter and Facebook.

He added: “You take a manager on and you buy into his way. But he’s got a problem that I’ve got because he’s blunt.

“Fans say they want people to be honest but they really don’t.

“They want to live in the clouds and hear you say that everything’s wonderful. I never did that.

“I told them what’s what and things they probably didn't like to hear – and it’s a bit like that with Derek.

“The perfect example was when he talked about problems at this club. Everyone straight away said it’s got to be at the top end with the owner.

“I think he’s upset with the players that are already here. That’s who he is having a go at.

“But it’s Chinese whispers and because people see it in writing they think it’s true when it’s not.

“Can we put one thing to bed that fans think goes on that doesn’t? The chairman, owner, chief executive don’t get involved and tell the manager who they can or can’t have.

“I’ve only ever in the 10 years I was there put my foot down twice over Kyel Reid and Nahki Wells. Managers will not put up with that.

“I don’t know Derek but I can tell you now that there’s no way he would come to Bradford City if he didn’t have a say on every single player that signed for the club.

“If fans don’t think that, they are naïve beyond belief.

“Look how strong he is and what he’s saying. Do you honestly think he would put up with that?”

Lawn has also jumped to the defence of Sparks, the youngest chief executive in the EFL, amid the flak he has taken during his first year in charge at City.

“I think he’s doing well. It took me five years before I could start moving the wheel.

“But we’ve got a better benefactor now in Stefan Rupp.

“Ryan is new to the job but he’s learning as he’s going. I would have made those decisions and got rid of Stuart (McCall) and (Mark) Trueman.

“Football is a business like no other. You can’t run it like a normal one.

“Driver Hire was turning over something in the region of £76 million a year when I sold it and had 110 franchises.

“I thought coming to a football club would be a doddle. It was 20 times harder.

“We’re paying rent which is 10 times more than any other club in this league.

“When you take that out the budget – which you’ve got to – it is hard. It’s nearly half a million pounds and that’s without the rates and utilities.

“Before we were kicking a ball, you’ve had to put in around £1 million.”

Lawn is confident that City have the right man at the helm in Adams to revive their fortunes. But he warned that it could take time.

“It will be brilliant if we get promotion this year. But if we don’t, we’ll be a stronger side next year.

“Look at how many injuries we’ve had to key players. They aren’t substitutes we’ve been missing.

“Any team at this level would struggle when you take four to six players out. That’s common sense.

“I’m a fan and I’m upset when results aren’t good but it doesn’t just work like, ‘let’s get rid of him, him and him’.

"You just can’t do that because people have got contracts. I think this manager will evolve things but it won’t happen overnight.”