Blues boss Paul Lambert didn’t mince his words after Town’s embarrassing 1-0 FA Cup defeat at League One Accrington, stating that the “club should never be in the state it’s in”, that it “needs to be rebuilt” and that “players are not good enough and without a doubt some will go”. Billy Kee’s 76th minute goal saw Stanley into round four which Town last reached back in 2010.
"Sometimes you've got to play football with desire," he said. "We never had that. I thought we turned up and thought we were going to be [the better team].
"There was nothing really in the game. We give too many fouls away, freekicks, and balls come into our box and, as I've said before, we're not the biggest of teams. We've got to defend it better. But we give so many crazy fouls away, it just puts pressure on everybody.
"The second half was mostly us, we had most of the game and should have scored a few chances, but you can't keep making the errors and think it's good enough."
Reflecting on Town's current situation - bottom of the table by 10 points and dumped out of both cups by lower division sides - more widely, he added: "This club needs to be rebuilt. Players are not good enough and without a doubt some will go. You have to hit that level.
"I didn't say we were outfought, it was the desire, but I never said we were outfought because we had a go in the second half, but they dealt with the crossed balls better than we did.
"You have to be clinical in both boxes and that’s what they did, it's part of the game. I know exactly what will happen here."
Asked whether he learnt anything from the match, he responded: "Not overly, I know exactly who lets us down and who doesn't but that's the reality of the game. The game won’t wait for anybody, you have to step up to the plate and hopefully one or two guys will come in and help us."
Lambert reiterated that he doesn't take cup competitions lightly and aims to win every match he is involved in.
"Anybody that knows me knows I was really successful as a footballer and I know what it takes to win things, to play in big level games and any competition you go and try to win.
"It's not right, we had unbelievable support today and to go out again, nine years is the last time the club was through to [round four].
"This club should never be in the state it’s in. It should never be in the mess it's in."
He added: "It’s an absolute disgrace what’s happened here. It should never have happened, it's too big a club. But it does happen to clubs if you take your eye off the ball.
"I’m not going to stand here and say it's a bed of roses because we have to get the club out of the position it’s in, that's the reality of it.
"All the niceties sometimes go out the window. I'll certainly not put up with that.
"I certainly won't put up with some of the things [I saw today]. It’s not good enough for this club and that’s the reality of it. I’m not going to hide behind any rocks or smoking jackets. It's not good enough. That’s the bottom line.
"We have to be stronger as a football club and get more nasty with it as well.
"It’s my job to get players in here that can help us. We can't do an influx because of the way it's happened but we'll try and get one or two in that actually know what this [level of] football is all about."
Were there a few home truths in the dressing room afterwards? "I’ll always tell them the truth in the dressing room. I protect them to an extent with [the media] but I'll tell them the truth in the dressing room."
Regarding the seven changes he made to his team: "We had one or two injuries. Trevoh [Chalobah] hasn't recovered from the knock against Millwall and Luke [Chambers] has had a bit of a calf problem, had been carrying it and decided I think [he needed a rest].
"Bart [Bialkowski], I was always going to play. Myles [Kenlock] has done great for us but I had to have a look at Callum [Elder], who I thought did well.
"I think Will Keane is going to be a really good player for us. I thought Andre [Dozzell] did well in the centre of the pitch. The team is mine, I pick it, no problem. Where we let ourselves down is in both boxes."
Lambert confirmed that Flynn Downes was subbed at the break as he was concerned that the midfielder might get sent off having been booked in the first half for a clash with Accrington's Sam Finley.
"I think if you raise your hands you give the referee a decision to make," he said. "I had to watch that situation so he didn’t get red-carded.”
Why did he wait until the 80th minute to add a second striker to his attack when Ellis Harrison was introduced? "We did it at the end but then it becomes this long ball game at certain times and I don’t want to be that type of team.
"But we had chances to score not just with two up top, we had chances in the second half without a two. We just never defended the box.”
Lambert says more new additions could arrive early in the week to come with Cardiff winger Anthony Pilkington believed to be among the players currently in discussions.
"We’re trying to do a couple and hopefully they will come at the start of the week. We’ll see,” he added.
"If I need to, I’ll get half a dozen players that know what this club needs to succeed in Championship football.”
Accringtn manager John Coleman was delighted with his side's winning goal and is now eyeing a trip to Anfield in the next round.
"Billy took his chance, it's something we have worked on in training and I am delighted for the lads," he said.
"The finances from a cup run, and a good draw, can change this club not only for this season but next season too.
"It means we can strengthen for this season if we do get a plum draw in the next round.
"As a Liverpool fan, Liverpool away would suit me but I would also like anyone at home. Realistically we are never going to win the cup, although fairytales do happen."