DEFIANT Colin Walker told York City’s boo-boys no one was more committed to the club than him.

The Minstermen manager was targeted by some fans chanting against him during Tuesday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat at Mansfield and, while saying those who paid their money were “entitled to chant what they want”, he refuses to be cowed.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Blue Square Premier trip to Oxford, Walker reiterated his belief in his methods and his players, and reckons York will not be “far away” come the end of the campaign in April.

Harangued by a section of City’s travelling support at Field Mill, Walker revealed his son was sitting among the York fans when the chants started.

Stressing he did not have to “jump up in the technical areas and shout and scream” to get his point across, Walker has targeted a top six return from his team come Christmas.

“We are tenth in the league,” he said. “We are five points off the play-offs. I am getting up to being in charge for a year. I don’t think my record is that bad – it is more in positive territory than negative.

“I think the fans pay their money and they are entitled to chant what they want. I have confidence in myself and I have confidence in my players. Come the end of the season, I don’t think we will be far away.”

Walker has also come under fire from contributors to this website, and on supporters’ message boards following their 1-0 exit in Nottinghamshire.

But he said: “I haven’t read them. I think it is difficult to do that.

“My family support me to the hilt. They know it is in the industry. They read what is said about other managers. They just have to bear up to it.

“My son was sat among it on Tuesday night. He had to listen to it. We had a good chuckle at the end.

“People question my enthusiasm, my beliefs. No one is as committed as me. I don’t have to jump up in the technical areas and shout and scream. I am not sure that does any good.

“I think the players are responding to what we want to do. We are just lacking that key element in the final third. I know that and I am working my socks off to change it.”

Walker, pictured, continued: “We are handily placed. If you look at the nine teams above us, we have played eight of them. We’ve played one of them twice.

“We’ve not played anyone in the bottom 11 apart from one or two.

“We have had a tough opening programme. I think we’ve done well. We’ve lost three, which isn’t bad.

“We have had too many draws – I know that – but hopefully we can kick on from now to Christmas, be in the top six or seven, and then who knows where we will be.”