Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell has given under-fire manager Lee Bradbury an overwhelming vote of confidence.

Bradbury has come in for some fierce criticism from supporters after presiding over a dismal run of five consecutive League One defeats.

Calls for his head intensified after Cherries had shipped three goals in the opening 10 minutes during Saturday’s 3-0 reverse at Sheffield Wednesday.

A poll of supporters last night, conducted by the Daily Echo, saw more than 70 per cent vote in favour of Bradbury being shown the door.

Appointed by Mitchell following Eddie Howe’s departure to Burnley 14 months ago, Bradbury was handed a new three-and-a-half-year contract in January.

The 36-year-old, who hung up his boots to concentrate on management, spent heavily on players during the transfer window after the squad he inherited had been decimated by sales.

Bradbury has also been allowed to assemble the biggest backroom staff in the club’s history and has received unprecedented financial support from the board.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mitchell said: “As far as I’m concerned, Lee is the manager. He is doing his job and so are the players and, at this moment in time, nothing needs changing.

“We are all aiming towards the same thing and that is to win games of football and I believe we will start winning.”

Asked whether he was concerned by the current sequence of results, Mitchell replied: “We are mid-table. We would rather be at the top but we are not at the bottom. We have to believe in the people that we have got in and around the club and I believe in them.”

Mitchell confirmed he had spoken to Bradbury since the defeat at Hillsborough but said their discussions had been about “the situation in general” and not “about any particular subject”.

Mitchell admitted he had been “disappointed” after Cherries had lost against strugglers Chesterfield and Rochdale recently but added: “Other than that, the run we have had over the past three or four games speaks volumes because we have played ex-Championship or Premier League clubs. I have said from day one that we have got a lot of work to do and these are the boys we have got to be competing against.

“We have got a young team and I think it’s the second youngest jointly in our division. I have analysed where we are but we are playing tough clubs and have got some players who hadn’t before played in an atmosphere like Saturday. But you can bet your bottom dollar that next time we play in an atmosphere like that, we will be ready for it. We have got great lads and I am a believer in people. I am not one for knee-jerk reactions.”

Asked whether Bradbury’s position would be re-evaluated should the poor run of results continue, Mitchell replied: “The world is a changing picture and you can’t guarantee what is going to happen. As it is at the moment, I am happy with Lee and his situation and happy with the players and theirs. We have just got to knuckle down and get some better results.”