One of the first questions I got asked when I first met my fellow university students was, "What team do you support?"

Too often than not my answer was greeted by giggles and heckles of "Oh, that can't be much fun."

And they were right to laugh, to a certain extent. For as long as I can remember, every Ipswich Town fan, including myself, is hopeful of a top six finish before the first game of the season, regardless of the team's strength or manager's ability.

I even saw an article on the Ipswich Star's website at the start of last season explaining that the kit the Tractor Boys would be wearing "is the first home kit to feature red since Town's promotion winning attire more than a decade ago". Talk about a good omen!

But alas, the optimism shown at the start of the 2012/13 season was quickly quelled after the first five games. And that same scenario has been played out for the past eight years.

I remember Paul Jewell being presented to the Portman Road crowd to much applause and fanfare before the League Cup semi-final victory over Arsenal. I think many of us thought that he would be the man to send us back to the top, but we all know how that turned out.

But in the case of Mick McCarthy, we seem to have a real saviour, despite the fact that Town have won only one of their opening league five games (fingers crossed for no case of Bergerism here).

McCarthy has brought a shed load of professionalism and experience that has comforted Ipswich fans despite the poor start. I contemplate that if any other manager linked before Mick's appointment (Alan Curbishley, George Burley, Gary Megson) had guided Town to the position they are in now, most fans would continue with the "Oh well, there's always next season" mantra.

The other good omen (aside from this season's kit featuring red of course) is that there is a history of teams that have made the play-offs despite a poor start to the season. These are the teams that have found themselves in worse positions than Ipswich at this stage of the season, but which have then gone on to finish towards the top of the table.

For example, Sunderland achieved only three points from their first five games of the 2006/07 campaign, but went on to lift the trophy. The same was also true of Reading in the 2011/12 season, where they racked up four points from their opening five games and then went on to top the league.

So, I ask all of you to keep your fingers and toes crossed for the remainder of the season, in the desperate hope that we too can turn it around.

And if all else fails, can we at least finish above Leeds?

commuterblue added 08:57 - Sep 9 Sunderland, and Reading both interesting examples. Given the way we have played, the heritage of some of our opponents, and the unfortunate manner of at least three of the goals against us (costing us 5 points), I remain optimistic. P6 was always going to be stretch but I still think we can challenge. 4 points from Sat and Tues are needed to maintain my optimism.
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SouperJim added 09:08 - Sep 9 Cautious optimism for the season and I hope we can contest the playoff places, but my head tells me it's at least a year too early to have realistic promotion ambitions. I believe Mick can get us there given time, but we have to remain patient. At least we've had plenty of practice...
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trueblu added 20:57 - Sep 9 The "what team do you support?" question has changed over the years. We used to be everyones second favourite team (apart for teams we dont need to talk about!!!) But now its urm they used to be good didn`t they??? I can`t wait for us to turn the corner this season and i still think it will happen. Three points on saturday will be a starting point. . . . . i hope. COYB
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MVBlue added 03:01 - Sep 12 Who do you support? I've been asked this all over, with the Premiership a truly global game. I tell Aussies, a Kiwi, Thai people, African taxi drivers, I tell them all Ipswich. Then I have to explain we are just outside the Premiership. I do wish we were up there, would be good for the world to know and remember who we are.
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Superfrans added 13:41 - Sep 12 The only kind of people who would laugh (or snigger) at supporting Ipswich Town are those who have no sense of history and who support a big name Premiership club because their success reflects on themselves. Anyone who supports a club in the Championship or below understands that supporting a football club has ups and downs - and that Ipswich are no different in experiencing that. Most of the people who I tell I support Ipswich are impressed (that I don't just support one of the big names) and respectful. I would suggest that anyone who responds to you in this way deserves to have your friendship - anyone who doesn't, doesn't deserve it. Steer well clear. They are suspect types.

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