The pressure is increasing on Adkins to reverse Reading’s fortunes after a run of seven defeats in their last 11 Championship matches.

The only wins Royals have picked up in that time came at home against basement boys Blackpool and relegation-threatened Rotherham.

It leaves Adkins men hovering a mere three points above the drop-zone and nine points off the play-off places.

Rumours are circulating that the club’s new Thai owners are running out of patience with the former Southampton manager and could order a change at the top.

However, fit-again McCleary, set for his first start of the season at Norwich City this weekend, insists Adkins must stay.

The 27-year-old said: “I back the gaffer 150%.

“He’s been fantastic for me and fantastic for many of the players here as well.

“I can’t give him any more plaudits to be honest. Since he came here I’ve played a lot more games and I have improved with the coaching staff on the training field.

“He’s been fantastic for me so I would never call for his head.”

However, McCleary, who underwent a back operation in the summer, admitted it was time for the players to dig Reading out of a hole.

“We need to stand up as a team and take responsibility,” he declared.

“Managers get sacked left, right and centre if things aren’t going well, but we need to take responsibility for why things haven’t gone our way this season.

“I’ve worked under managers before where I’ve thought about whether to sign a new deal, but with the gaffer here I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be.”

Reading’s on-field captain Chris Gunter echoes McCleary’s sentiments ahead of this weekend’s trip to Carrow Road.

The Wales international launched a staunch defence of the under-pressure Royals boss, saying: “What this club doesn’t need is to make a decision like that [to sack the manager].

“The first thing I would say if there is any talk about the manager is play that type of the second half at Cardiff last weekend.

“There were 10 players on the pitch that were doing everything they could for him, for the fans that travelled and the badge on the shirt.

“The manager has stuck with this club in some dark times over the past 12 months. There are things people don’t know.”

Royals fans took to social media to voice their frustrations over the club’s struggles under Adkins immediately after the final whistle blew at Cardiff last Friday.

But Gunter, 25, believes that is nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction to a poor run of results.

“I was speaking to (Wales team-mate) Aaron Ramsey last week and he was saying how less than 15 months ago he was receiving death threats and messages from Arsenal fans saying, ‘I hope you break your other leg’,” he explained.

“Six months later he is the best player at the club and he’s worth £40m, so things like social media you have to take with a pinch of salt.”