The Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble faced renewed pressure to resign today after his predecessor called for a change in the party's management.
Lord Molyneaux said he would support a new leadership team involving East Belfast MLA Sir Reg Empey.
The former leader is the latest prominent Ulster Unionist to voice concerns about Mr Trimble's leadership in the wake of disappointing election results and defections from the party.
"There has got to be a change of management because it goes way beyond even the leader," he said.
"There are more elements, influential elements as well, so it is a mistake to think it is just one person.
"It's a team management operation and they ought to be thinking about that."
Lord Molyneaux, who led the party for 16 years until 1995, said he did not believe the Ulster Unionists would win another election in his lifetime unless they addressed their current problems.
"The party is in dire straits," he told Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme.
"I have said the other day to someone that as things stand at the moment, until we get ourselves pulled together, there will never be an election victory by the Ulster Unionist Party in my lifetime.
"Sad to say that's the position."
Mr Trimble has been under sustained pressure since his party was overtaken by the rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists in last autumn's elections to the suspended Assembly at Stormont.
South Antrim MP David Burnside, once one of Mr Trimble's closest confidants, called on him to stand aside just over a week ago in a bid to halt a disastrous electoral slide.
Mr Burnside, who ruled himself out of any contest, claimed Mr Trimble could not unite and rebuild the party after the failure to hold off the challenge of their bitter DUP rivals in November.
They also fell behind Sinn Fein because of growing unionist opposition to the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Trimble is due to go forward for re-election later this month, but opponents have insisted he must depart if the party is to have any chance of recovery.
Even supporters of the leader who has been under pressure for more than two years, fear he could be ousted on March 27th.
Lord Kilclooney, the former MP John Taylor, and deputy leader, has revealed he would also support a bid by Sir Reg for the leadership, although Sir Reg himself has remained silent on the issue.
PA