PORTLAND United boss Simon Browne believes recent online criticism of his tenure at the Blues means “absolutely nothing”.

Following on from Gary Bailey’s title-winning campaign, the former manager’s subsequent departure sparked an exodus of players including Ed Bastick, Ross Carmichael, Chris Clarke and Max Buckler.

Browne’s men currently sit 11th in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division having lost just seven games in 24 this term.

But the Blues’ boss has attracted scathing reviews online, with some fans calling for him to step aside with Portland winless in their past six games.

Responding to his detractors, Browne said he was “quite sure” the online trolls “won’t approach me” to deliver their views in person.

He told Echosport: “People are entitled to their opinion. I would much prefer it if they came and spoke to me face-to-face and told me.

“It’s always people who find it much easier to be nasty behind a computer. I’m quite sure that those people won’t approach me and tell me I need to go. It means absolutely nothing.

“One of them was listed as K Browne, which is my wife’s name. Somebody obviously thought that that was a really funny thing to do.”

He added: “You’re actually looking at two people at most, maybe three, which would suggest the majority of people think there’s not much wrong with what you’re doing.

“We get 160, 180 people going to watch Portland every week, of those some people say that I’m the wrong person for the job. If we were at

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a percentage that’s two or three per cent.

“They are entitled to their opinion as long as it doesn’t get too personal.”

Browne insisted he would “not get concerned” about fans lacking the “courage” to voice their opinions away from the computer.

He said: “I’m big and ugly enough to deal with the slings and arrows that come my way. I’m not going to worry because someone has managed to find a computer.

“I just care about what’s going on at the football club. I’ll carry on and do the job to the best of my ability and not get concerned about the people who haven’t got the courage or the good manners to put their name to something.

“A few months ago there were comments, then we went on a run and there were none. If we win the next game I doubt there will be comments. In terms of me getting concerned about it? No.”