CHERRIES boss Kevin Bond says he was both shocked and appalled at the treatment handed out to Steve McClaren during England's troubled Euro 2008 qualifiers.

The under-fire England coach received a torrent of abuse from supporters during Wednesday's 3-0 win over Andorra and was then vilified in the national media.

England's unconvincing victoryin Barcelona came hot on the heels of their disappointing 0-0 draw against Israel and leaves them facing an uphill battle to qualify.

But Bond said: "The treatment Steve McClaren received from the press and the supporters was extremely disappointing.

"It is almost as if they have been after him ever since he was appointed. A lot of them maybe didn't want him installed in the first place and were always going to get on his back as soon as they could.

"He's been slaughtered in the press over the past week and I've really felt for him because nobody deserves that sort of treatment.

"We all know England didn't play well and underachieved and everybody is accountable. But there's a time and a place to deal with these things and I don't think that is right in the middle of two hugely important games."

Bond added: "The furore in the press has whipped up the supporters into wanting Steve McClaren out.

"It reached the point on Wednesday where I was wondering and questioning whether they actually wanted us to win or whether they wanted us to lose so they could get McClaren out.

"It's a really sad part of the game nowadays because these people believe that if there are enough of them, they can have enough power to bring managers down and I don't think that's the right way to go about things.

"I realise supporters pay their money and will feel they have every right to vent their frustrations. But if they were real England supporters and England weren't performing well then surely they would give the players their full support for 90 minutes.

"We've all been booed off after a bad performance and there's a time and a place for it. I don't know whether these people are actually supporters because the moment any England player looks like making a mistake they are on their backs and that for me must be counter-productive."