This article is part of Football League World's 'Regular Punter' series, where we gather original opinions from select, passionate fans of the clubs concerned on matters surrounding their team and share them with a wider audience...

Football League World's Derby County fan pundit Lisa Howard has called on fans to back manager Phillip Cocu following recent events surrounding the club.

Pressure on the Dutchman increased in midweek after two of his players were charged with drink driving with passenger Richard Keogh also suffering a season-ending knee injury.

But Howard believes that, now more than ever, stability is needed at the club.

"If I was Cocu I would be appalled by the behaviour of some of his players, they have shown a total lack of respect for him," the regular punter told Football League World.

"I don’t think his start has been too bad, we have only lost two league games, but drawn too many.

"We have only missed out by fine margins. It was always going to be hard for Cocu coming in and inheriting some very average players and it will take several transfer windows to get his own team.

"Cocu needs time and he will get things right, we need stability during these difficult times."

The club have promised that the players involved will be investigated by the club and punished in due course.

Derby have won just one match since the start of the campaign and none since that opening day victory against Huddersfield Town.

This weekend sees them come up against Birmingham City at Pride Park although it is unlikely that either Mason Bennett or Tom Lawrence, who were both charged, will be involved on the day, with Keogh also beginning his long stint on the sidelines.

The incident comes just days after the club had picked up a confidence-boosting 1-1 draw away to Leeds United on Saturday, with Cocu now facing a real test to invigorate his squad again.