'The line was crossed': Barratt speaks out on post-match confrontation with supporters

Midfielder Sam Barratt took to social media on Sunday to address the comments he made to disgruntled supporters after Maidenhead United’s woeful 2-0 defeat to Leamington in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Barratt is keen to cauterise the wound that appears to be opening between supporters and the squad after a series of abject displays in the league and cups.

United have gone six matches in the league without victory - losing five of them - while they’ve fallen at the first hurdle in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy this season.

Saturday’s display against struggling Leamington represented a new low for the campaign, with goals from Ewan Williams and Tim Berridge consigning the Magpies to a deserved defeat in Warwickshire.

Leamington had only managed two goals in their previous seven matches, but they managed to double that tally against their lacklustre visitors, and fans who’d travelled to the midlands chanted and voiced their dissatisfaction after the final whistle.

Manager Alan Devonshire and Barratt both feel that criticism was over the top and ‘personal’, and both have stressed it won’t help the player turn around the team’s fortunes.

Posting on X, Barratt said: “I don't want the events from yesterday to fester in the time before our next home game, so I felt I needed to address the situation and say something.

“I’m feeling very low today. In all the years I’ve been at this club, I haven’t seen anything like this before.

“I approached the fans with the intention of thanking them for travelling and to apologise for our very poor performances but some of the chants and remarks really got to me. It all boiled over and some of us lost our tempers for which I apologise.

“I respect and appreciate our fans hugely, but when things got personal to certain individuals, I felt the line was crossed.

“We are a community club, where players and fans mix and chat regularly – something I love about this club. If the atmosphere gets like that then I fear we will lose that special community spirit.

“I completely understand your frustrations after a miserable six weeks, but my remaining opinion is how are these chants and remarks going to help anyone?

“I think it’s clear to see that the confidence is low on the pitch, so we need your support more than ever to push and fight to get out of this rut.

“Again, I apologise if I overstepped the mark with any words, but it’s because I am as frustrated as you and care and love this club.”

Maidenhead have fallen to 14th in the National League South off the back of their poor run of form and now stand seven points outside of the play-off places. They will look to end a run of seven matches without victory when they travel to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.

The Daggers progressed through the second round of the FA Trophy with a 2-0 home win over Tilbury on Saturday, but, like the Magpies, they’ve struggled to find form and consistency in the National League South after both clubs were relegated last season. They sit 16th, two points worse off than the Magpies having played a game more, so Maidenhead’s issues this season have been replicated at other clubs who’d expect to be much higher in the league table.