I've blogged before about the demise of the culture at our club, and the relative sterility of football in general these days. A lack of characters from boardroom to pitch, the loss of the 'bloodline' of Town, stretching back to Sir Bobby's early days (and so shamefully killed off from the start of the Dark Lord's time here), they have all contributed to our current situation. Of course now we have the immediate sight of our football being, to quote a friend of my brother's, "absolute bilge".

The real precipitating moments though, when it all hit home so definitively, were in the media over the last few weeks. First we had the horror of being a featured game on Match Of The Day where Lincoln were putting us to the sword. Everything, quite rightly, was about them. We were merely the punchbag for the pundits.

I'll not speak of the replay, live on BBC1 where we had quite frankly the worst display of football by a Town team I've ever seen. Between these matches, I listened to BBC Radio's 6-0-6 programme. A caller who was a Town fan came on. Savage et al gave him his time, he made his point, they answered in a rather generic fashion. The end. Suddenly I was foaming at the mouth: how dare they, how DARE they fob off our suffering, and show little or no interest in our great club.

And there it was. Right there. The moment that the club, our club, and I as a supporter, realised that we are now becoming what Wolves were in the 80s and 90s, what Huddersfield must have been in the 50s and 60s. We are becoming a forgotten team. We had our heyday, it's in the history books but gone from memory for all but those of us who follow the Town (up or down).

I could leave it there, but that would be too depressing. I'm not a pessimist (how can you be if you want to live supporting our team?) Maybe that's actually a good thing: we have a massive opportunity now. Two years ago we were to some extent the dark horses, taking teams by surprise and, with Daryl Murphy's goals, reaching the top (only to falter due to a,lack of investment and guts from Mick McCarthy and Marcus Evans).

Now, more than ever, we are the underdogs. And that's just the way we like it: think about 2000/01 and the administration years. Yes, there are big changes that need to happen here before we can truly have hope again, but actually I honestly think we've hit rock bottom. The only way is up. Mick will stay, complete the season (he's the manager we need to avoid relegation, but nothing else), and go.

For those of us still awake enough after these final episodes of bilge, remember these days. Those of us still pitching up for games can certainly then say, in a few years' time, where were you when we were s***?

COYB

Stenvict added 12:02 - Jan 31 Was the 606 programme the day Rooney broke the record? If so, I listened to it on the way back from Huddersfield and did think the same, sort of. Savage and Mohammad asked for Town fans to call in to talk about the situation, but I think they were more interested in the 'Rooney being a great/poor player' debate. It's always the same whenever I listen to it, they only care about the Premier League because it's the only league they watch.

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Facefacts added 14:19 - Jan 31 I heard 6-0-6 on the way back from Huddersfield too, there was the Ipswich supporter on there condemning Jordan Spence, clearly he hadn't been to the game where Spence was the standout player. Yes, Spence looked tired after 45 minutes, as he's clearly not match fit, and got substituted later on. That caller annoyed me for having a go without any up to date knowledge. 6-0-6 makes me laugh anyway, it's so pathetic. Hardly anyone is in the mood or position to ring a radio programme straight after leaving a football match. You want to get in your car and drive home. As for Savage et al, they know nothing at all about Ipswich, so they can't really say much. Except of course, they know that Mick has overachieved, which is a two year old viewpoint, that everyone who knows nothing says. You need to pretty much be on TWTD, and pay your money to go to games to know anything, and read between the Mick and Marcus spin, to have a valid point of view. Even then there will be things you would only get if you went to watch the players training

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Kesgraveblue57 added 10:28 - Feb 1 At my age I have seen it all from Scott Duncan in the 50s to now. I really fear for our club I have said this before, via the modern day tax relief It is beneficial to Mr Evans that it is Ipswich Town runs a lost it helps the rest of his empire which then pays very little tax. McCarthy along with his tactics I feel he is doing his best with what he's got the worst playing staff in my history of me watching the game. Protests will help the fans feel better but will do nothing, the only thing that will help us is for Evans to sell up. Evans can do what he likes simply because he owns the club.

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oldelsworthyfan added 12:22 - Feb 1 Like Kesgraveblue57 I've been a long time supporter of our club (since 1948!) through numerous changes of Manager. Two Managers were absolutely brilliant. In particular Sir Alf, because he took us from the old Third Division South to the very top of the then First Division with only one player (Crawford) who managed to make the National team. Sir Alf moulded a team of mostly unremarkable players into Champions because he had a plan, a way of playing, was organised and was consistent in his selection. Each player knew what he was meant to do. Most of the players who turn out for us now are about as gifted as those that Sir Alf had BUT they don't seem to have a clue on what it takes to win matches! For that I blame the Manager and not the owner. Both Sir Alf and Sir Bobby took the way we played to a new level which confounded the opposition. With MM the opposition know exactly what they face because it's just what MM has always been serving up. DULL FOOTBALL FROM A BYGONE AGE.

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