Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell has attempted to reduce the heat on under fire boss Paul Groves by announcing: “We’re not sacking anybody.”

Groves came in for a barrage of stick from travelling supporters as Cherries crashed to a resounding 4-0 defeat at Swindon on Saturday.

The 46-year-old was subjected to taunts of “we want Groves out” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as Cherries capitulated at the County Ground .

Groves, appointed permanently in May, has come under increasing pressure from disgruntled fans after presiding over just one league win in nine games this season.

Co-owner Mitchell revealed he met yesterday with Groves and assistant Shaun Brooks after discussing Cherries’ predicament with business partner Maxim Demin.

Mitchell told the Daily Echo: “I spent an hour-and-a-half with them and we know things aren’t working the way we wanted. We have got to find a way of changing to make things work. We have got to examine their roles and the way we are approaching everything to find a solution which will make things better for everybody.

“Instantly changing the manager would not automatically mean we would start winning games. We have no intention of sacking anybody. That is not what this club is going to be about while I am here.

“We have to treat everybody with the respect they deserve. While I have got hard working people at the club and while I believe things can improve then I don’t see that sacking somebody would result in a turnaround.

“Sometimes, it works well to change personnel and, sometimes, it doesn’t make any difference. There is good work being done at this club and I want that to continue. I have brought major investment into this club and want to look after that investment. We have got to find a way to change our approach because it is not working.”

Mitchell, who confirmed he had left before the final whistle at Swindon due to feeling some discomfort in his knee following a recent operation, said he had been in dialogue with Demin during the game.

“He doesn’t want to lose 4-0 and neither do I,” said Mitchell. “I haven’t spoken to Max about sacking anybody. We have looked at various options for the way forward.

“We both expressed our displeasure at losing 4-0 and expressed our opinion on the way we have been playing. We both want to get it right and we will.”

Responding to the calls for Groves’s head, Mitchell said: “The chants were not acceptable during the game and did nothing to improve the playing situation. I fully understand that the players were not performing as well as they could have but the chants did not help. Everybody has a part to play, particularly the supporters.”