JAAP STAM is feeling heartache at Reading FC's barren run of results – but stressed he has no desire to walk away from the club.

More pressure mounted on the 45-year-old last Saturday following Royals' fourth successive home Championship defeat against Millwall.

Champions League winner Stam admitted the toxic atmosphere at Madejski Stadium has become so bad his players feel more comfortable playing away from home.

But he stressed he will not let pressure from supporters phase him and urged fans to ease off with their criticism towards his players.

"I don't pay any notice to the fans," asserted Stam.

"Even when we were doing well last season they were negative.

"Nobody is happy with the situation. The fans need to understand if the players feel more comfortable playing away rather than at home then maybe the supporters are giving the wrong signal.

"They can be negative to me, but they need to support the players. It's not a problem if they want to be negative against me."

Royals' form sees them sit just six points above the Championship drop-zone.

Reading have not won a league game at home since beating Barnsley back in November and have picked up more points on the road than at Madejski Stadium this season.

And Stam said the results have been tough for him to accept.

He continued: "It's difficult for me to take defeat. I'm not hurt by how people react towards me.

"I take pride in what I'm doing and I want to win every game. I want to have results in everything I do.

"By not having the results I feel very disappointed. And I'm not saying I'm just disappointed in the players.

"I'm the first one to look at myself and how I'm doing. I ask whether I bring enough and whether the team understand what I want from them."

The Dutchman was linked with a move away from Berkshire earlier in the week following Thomas Christiansen's sacking from Leeds United.

Stam revealed The Whites approached for his services last year, but said he opted to continue his work at Madejski Stadium following a fine start to his managerial career.

But his fortunes have turned upside down and Royals now sit within a relegation battle, prompting groups of supporters to call for the former Manchester United defender to quit his post.

And while Stam admitted he is pained by Royals' lacklustre form, he insisted he will not walk away.

Speaking about the rumours, he replied: "I knew Leeds were very interested in getting me in last season, but I made the decision to stay here.

"I still felt I had a lot of nice things to do over here with the new owners coming in.

"After this season I have another season to work over here. I can't tell you whether I'm going to be here next season or not."

Royals have a chance to bounce back from last weekend's defeat when they face play-off-chasing Middlesbrough at The Riverside Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

However, they will be without centre-back Tommy Elphick, the Aston Villa loanee having been ruled out for at least a month with a knee injury picked up against Millwall.

Stam is also without fellow long-term absentees defender Paul McShane, midfielders John Swift, Stephen Quinn and Callum Harriott, and striker Joseph Mendes.