Blackburn caretaker manager Eric Black is eager to have the Ewood Park faithful back on side for the visit of Wolves this weekend.
Following consecutive draws on the road at Charlton and Nottingham Forest, Black leads Rovers at home for the first time since the resignation of much-maligned boss Steve Kean.
Openly-hostile demonstrations against Kean became a regular feature of the Scot's troubled reign long before supporters called for his head one last time during the lacklustre 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough a fortnight ago that ultimately sealed his fate.
Attendances have plummeted this season following Rovers' relegation from the Premier League and, amid widespread expectation that stay-away fans will return on Saturday to usher in the post-Kean era, Black wants them back for good.
"We need them every week," said the former Birmingham and Sunderland coach. "I've been in football long enough to know that the supporters are the lifeblood of the club.
"Without supporters, things don't function. So we need them back on side, we need them to roar the boys on and we need them to intimidate the opponents.
"We need all those things. The sooner we get that, the better."
A host of high-profile names, from Blackburn's Premier League-winning captain Tim Sherwood to former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, have been linked with the vacant post.
Despite receiving warm words of encouragement from the club's outspoken global advisor Shebby Singh, the man in possession insists he has not entertained thoughts of making the job his own.
"It's about Saturday and as far as I know that's all I'm doing," Black said.
"I'm getting about it tomorrow morning again and we'll be ready to go.
"I really haven't thought about that (getting the job full-time). I just want to focus on getting a result.
"I'm not daft enough to think that, if we lose on Saturday, two points out of a possible nine is as good for me as five points out of a possible nine.
"However, I've got to purely just focus on the team at the moment. That's all I've got to focus on because that's the short-term impact I can have."
