Gordon Strachan was a figure of disillusionment as he talked of his players and staff being at a crossroads in their careers after last night’s 5-1 debacle at Tranmere Rovers in the Worthington Cup.

After witnessing his weakened team take the lead and then concede five second half goals Strachan spent half an hour in the dug out in earnest discussion with his coaching staff.

He emerged to say:

"Sometimes in a football career whether you are a manager, or a player, a coach or anything, there comes a point that changes your career.

"Now I think we have to decide from our actions whether we let this affect us and it becomes a stigma which is too much to bear.

"We either panic and it does become too much or we get stronger and do something about it.

"It was an embarrassment and that is not taking anything away from Tranmere. It was a humiliating experience for this club – a stigma. The only way you can wash away a stigma is by playing well. We deserve to be remembered as the team that got beaten 5-1 at Tranmere.

"Ultimately the responsibility comes to me, but the blame should not go to one person. Everyone at the club should look at himself and ask where he is going to go in football.

"This is the lowest point. I was angry after we lost at Luton in the cup, but this time I feel numb."

Strachan said he would be considering taking action within the club against David Burrows, who was sent off for the second time in five weeks. It was his first appearance after his three-match ban for the previous sending off at Leicester City.
  

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