Michael Standing has leapt to the defence of Lewes manager Kevin Keehan.

Midfielder Standing, who is Keehan’s nephew, believes some of the criticism his manager has been subjected to is unfair.

The Rooks suffered a 12th successive Blue Square premier defeat when they went down 3-0 at home to Histon on Saturday.

Calls for the head of Keehan were louder than at any stage of the season despite an attendance of just 345 at the Dripping Pan.

Standing has no problems with fans calling for the manager to quit but insists chants that Keehan has ruined the club are unfair. He believes supporters need to know the full extent of the club’s problems which have left them on the brink of administration.

Standing said: “I understand why the Lewes fans are so frustrated and upset. They get up to the highest level of non-league football, which with all due respect is the pinnacle of what they can achieve, and the manager and side that got them there are taken away.

“Now, when they are coming along, they find it totally unacceptable and they want to sing ‘Keehan out’.

“They have paid their money and are entitled to do that but to sing ‘You have killed our club’ is nonsense.

“I have never played under circumstances like this before. Half the squad is getting paid nothing and they are performing against teams like Wrexham and Oxford who I know have a £2million budget.

“Our budget is a third of last season. We haven’t been training properly because the club can’t pay to hire anything and we can’t get on the pitch, which we understan d, because so many teams play on it.

“We have got a third of a pitch to train on which we share with an under-10s side and a Sunday League team. We pay £30 for that which for the last two weeks I have paid out of my own pocket.”

Standing was one of Keehan’s major signings after he replaced Steven King last summer.

The 27-year-old began his career at Aston Villa and subsequently played in the League for Bradford, Walsall and Bournemouth.

He believes his uncle cannot be held accountable for the problems the club are now experiencing.

Standing said: “The reason this club has shot up through the leagues is one man’s wealth and generosity (managing director Martin Elliott). He couldn’t carry on doing that and then it is not sustainable.

“We wouldn’t be in this position if we didn’t have to pay for things from before Kevin arrived so don’t say he has killed the football club. The club has been living beyond its means for too long.

“I know I am biased because he is my uncle but I have worked under John Gregory, Graham Taylor, Brian Little, Bryan Robson, Jim Smith and Paul Merson and I am sure they couldn’t have done any better under the circumstances. It is an impossible task.

“I do feel for the fans. If I was a supporter and the team and the manager had been ripped out I would be devastated but the reason the club is in this financial position isn’t anything to do with Kevin.”

Keehan holds the triple position of manager, general manager and commercial manager and Standing denies he has underachieved in the commercial role, leading to their financial problems.

He said: “All the Friends of Lewes money, the dogs night, the golf day, the main sponsor and other sponsorship is money Kevin has brought in. We are holding another golf day in March which will make up to £10,000.

“If the club had carried on the way it was without the drastic wage cuts and the money Kevin has brought in, it would have gone into administration a long time ago.”