CLARETS skipper Graham Branch has fired an icy blast at the Burnley boo boys.

Branch declared himself a "jinx" after his split-second error allowed Stoke striker Adi Akinbiki to seal a miserable Christmas.

But Branch could not contain his anger after hearing some fans turn on Stan Ternent's team following a fourth straight defeat.

Branch moaned: "Every mistake I've made this season, teams go and score and I honestly feel I'm a jinx.

"It's very hard at the moment and the fans are slowly starting to turn, and there's a lot of booing going on.

"But the lads need picking up - they don't need people booing. I know they are entitled to their opinion because they pay their money, but with the size of squad we have, we need a pick-up and we are not getting it from the fans.

"The lads are making a couple of mistakes and getting booed and that's no good at all."

Branch, whose mistake in the Boxing Day game at Crewe also led to Alex sealing the game with a crucial second goal, added; "Some lads don't react very well to booing. I certainly don't and I've noticed I'm starting to get a bit of stick.

"That's fair enough because it was my mistake and that's something I have to sort out and learn from it.

"But if the supporters want players to continually keep plugging away then they have to get off the lads' backs.

"That might be a bit harsh, but I don't care.

"We go out there and try our best. We're not going out there to lose, but sometimes I think the fans think we are.

"The fans we take away from home are very good, but the home fans get restless very easily and it's not right.

"They have to start getting behind the lads and showing their support again."