Dean Windass wants City to fight relegation with a smile.

The new skipper is refusing to let his team-mates get down in the dumps about their perilous league position.

And Windass believes that a repeat performance from Saturday will be good enough to see off basement club Wimbledon.

City head for Milton Keynes this weekend for a crunch televised clash between the First Division's bottom two.

Nicky Law's side have collected only two points from a possible 24 - but Windass saw light at the end of the tunnel in the display against Nottingham Forest.

He is backing the team to rally round their under-pressure manager with the right result against the Dons.

Windass said: "There's no point in sulking about it, we've got to come in every day this week with a smile on our face.

"People say leagues aren't won in October. In that case, teams aren't relegated then either. Forest was very unfair but if we carry on playing like that then the worm will turn.

"We start again ready for the Wimbledon game, a real six-pointer which is shown live on Sky. That's a great incentive for all the lads and if we win next week it gives us a bit of a cushion."

Law's future remains in the spotlight although chairman Gordon Gibb was pleased with the latest performance from City. Windass added: "The gaffer is doing a great job in the circumstances. If the chairman sacks him, whoever comes in has got the same group of players to work with.

"But we've a great bunch here and it's up to us to stick together and come back fighting."

Windass is relishing his new role as captain with David Wetherall out until the new year.

"It's a nice responsibility to have and I'll enjoy it in the next few weeks, especially if the results start to come."