PAUL Ince WILL still be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Wigan Athletic – with Danny Simpson insisting the time has come for a united show of faith in the under-fire boss.

The Rovers manager will remain at the helm for the weekend’s trip to Wigan Athletic, despite a winless run of 10 Premier League games, with his status merely confirmed at a scheduled board meeting yesterday.

Contrary to some media reports claiming yesterday’s board meeting was crisis talks over Ince, the Lancashire Telegraph can reveal Rovers’ hierarchy were never expecting to wield the axe despite growing pressure.

The meeting had been planned as long ago as October and, while Ince’s future was obviously a topic for debate, the Guv’nor will get the chance to start a turn around in fortunes at the JJB Stadium on Saturday.

All members of the board are growing increasingly concerned at Rovers’ perilous position though, knowing relegation is an unthinkable prospect, and remain united in their aim to ease the current crisis.

Ince was present at yesterday’s talks and, together with the board, expressed his determination to shield his playing squad from the mounting pressure.

Saturday’s trip to Wigan, followed by games against fellow strugglers Stoke City and Sunderland, will prove key for the under-fire boss with the club knowing a firm decision needs to be made before the opening of the January transfer window.

Ince also retains the backing from his players, despite rumours of rifts and bust-ups, with full back Simpson urging the entire town to unite in a show of support for the manager ahead of the weekend’s vital Lancashire derby.

He said: “Everyone is still keeping each other together inside the club, we have to stick together.

“You can’t ask for any more. We are all playing for ourselves, the fans and the gaffer. We still believe in him and we need the fans around the town to have belief in him.

“The performances have been decent but it is just not going for us at the moment. I am sure and the lads are sure once we get a win, we will go on an unbeaten run for a long time.

“We just need that win to get the confidence going.”

Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness were touted as potential successors in pre-match speculation on Saturday, but Simpson insists the rumours are all laughed off.

Veteran midfielder Tugay was even linked with a managerial partnership with Souness in one national newspaper, something Rovers’ Manchester United loanee admitted was picked up by the players.

Simpson said: “All the stuff that has been written in the papers we need to put it out of our heads. We are the ones on the pitch not the gaffer.

“We saw Tugay and said ‘you alright gaffer?’ It is the only way you can deal with it, by making a joke of it.

“The papers have to go over your head. You expect it but as professional footballers we have to ignore it.

“We can’t believe everything we read and nor should the fans. Come Saturday afternoon we need to be performing, not just for ourselves and for the club but for the gaffer.

“They are all huge games now. From now on every game is a cup final.

"We can’t look at three games or 10 games, it is the next game. We have to go and win it.”