TOWN boss Paolo Di Canio questioned the professionalism of his players following last night’s 2-1 defeat at Aldershot.

Goals from Guy Madjo and Danny Hylton did the damage at the EBB Stadium, and Di Canio revealed that his players were guilty of celebrating promotion too early off the pitch on Saturday night.

The Town manager made a number of changes in response to his squad’s late night drinking session, and admitted they deserved to lose on a day when a draw would have sealed their return to League One.

“Today was fair enough to lose,” the Italian said.

“I am not able to change completely the attitude and the professionalism of the team, and after what happened two days ago I should not have played even more players.

“There is only one player who can have an excuse for what happened two days ago and that is Alan McCormack because he has a new baby.

“I tried to excuse him, but there is another group of players which is far from what I want to see from my players, and for this I will make very tough decisions from now until the end.

“Our position has put a few of our players in a position to think the job was done, and to go out and have more drink.

“The people under contract will have to be very careful with the way they behave because I will make very tough decisions.

“A few days ago they did something which was a habit last year, and maybe it came back.

“We still have the same habit, and for as long as I am here I will do everything for change.

“I told them I would defend them for my life if they behave well, but if they do not behave well and respect the shirt and the fans and the club, they will be not under me.”

Both goals were the fault of some lapse defending from Town, and Di Canio was not impressed with his backline and threatened to make even more changes for Saturday’s trip to Gillingham.

“The two centre halves that we saw, it is not a coincidence it happened tonight as there was one I did not want to play but I had to because I have only three,” he said.

“I excuse him because he had a new baby, but we saw the result.

“For the second goal the big fella thought he was the biggest and the strongest, but he was like a little rabbit, blurry. Ask them why.

“If I have to bring a new team in at Gillingham I will do.

“The problem is that even in the youth team we do not have the professionalism and the desire.

“If we did I would have no problem bringing in a team of Under 16s and 17s to play there.”