As protesters gathered outside Tannadice last night long-serving midfielder John Rankin sympathised with their anger and admitted that Dundee United supporters had been let down this season.

The main focus of their ire following their 3-1 home defeat to Hamilton Accies, was the handling of the club by chairman Steven Thomson with repeated chants demanding his departure, but Rankin suggested the players had to take the bulk of the blame.

“I feel for those fans,” said the 32-year-old.

“They’re obviously devastated to see the club in this position. We can hear them from the dressing room. Obviously you hear what they’re shouting. It’s not nice, especially as most of it is caused by our performance.”

Along with fellow senior players Sean Dillon and on-field captain Paul Paton, who handed his shirt to a supporter, Rankin lingered longest on the field following what may be United’s last home performance before relegation is confirmed and, clearly emotional as he departed, said he felt it was the least they could do.

“I think the fans deserve much more than that,” he said.

“One punter called me over and told me he’d just come off a 12-hour night shift to watch that. To be honest, I sympathise with him, because if you put in performances like that, you deserve to be in the Championship.

“Let’s not kid anyone on, we were terrible and it’s not good enough.

“I feel for him, feel for all the punters, because they pay their hard-earned cash to come and watch us. Our performances all season have not been up to scratch.

“I don’t even know how many home games we’ve won, two if we’re lucky, and it’s not acceptable. I feel for them, I really do, and I stayed at the end to applaud the fans. A few of us did because that’s the least they deserve.”

He insisted they would fight to the end and in particular at Dens Park next week when they could face the prospect of being officially relegated on their neighbours home ground.

“I don’t dread any game. I mean, it’s one of those. In football, you never know when your last game is going to be,” said Rankin.

“It’s a massive, massive game now, going across the road. It’s one that most players look forward to, a game you want to stamp your authority on.

“It’s going to be very difficult, going over to Dens and it’s another must-win.

“We’re needing a football miracle, we really are. I can’t explain how devastated we are and it’s hard to take because we can’t even argue that we deserved anything from the game.”