SUPPORTERS quizzed Worcester City boss John Barton at a fans' forum at St George's Lane last night.

The manager pulled no pun-ches with a frank assessment of City's fortunes in the 18 months since he took over.

He conceded inconsistency had let the club down over the season and said better players were needed to remedy the situation, but he had high hopes of recent Bath City midfield signing Jon Holloway.

"I don't think we have got strong leadership qualities all over the pitch and hopefully Jon Holloway will do that from midfield," he said.

The City manager also said the club had made great strides after revealing a poor dressing room spirit when he first arrived at the club.

"I think we need more players that have shown the attitude and application that this dressing room has shown this year.

"The dressing room I inherited at St George's lane 18 months ago was the worst one I have come into in my life."

Barton revealed further fresh signings were in the pipeline, possibly a centre-forward to accompany Mark Owen and Mark Shepherd and a goalscoring midfielder.

"You look at our goals situation and we are 20 goals short of what we need, which ever way you look at it," he said.

"Now whether that 20 comes from another striker or from other areas of the field we are not bothered but we are 20 goals short.

"Defensively, after a poor start, we were not too bad and had something like 16 or 17 clean sheets.

"It was disappointing to think we spent two or three months in third, fourth and fifth position but I think eighth is where our performances deserved," he added.