Town manager Roy Keane says his side get no ‘12th man effect’ from the Portman Road crowd to help them in their fight for promotion from the Championship. The Blues boss was unhappy with the booing and cheering of opposition passes during last week’s 3-1 home defeat to Barnsley, feeling that his younger players bore the brunt of fans’ frustrations.

Keane said: “I don’t think it’s the type of club where we’ve a 12th man dragging us to promotion. We hear other managers talking about Celtic and the great European nights, Stoke at the moment.

“For us to bring this club forward it will come from within the club, it won’t come from outside or the supporters. It will come from the players and the staff and with a bit of luck.”

During an occasionally fiery Thursday press conference, the Town boss said he was saddened rather than angered by the crowd’s reaction: “I was fine, disappointed, but nothing surprises me in football.

“You always remember these things. I remember when I played for Ireland I got booed against Iceland because one reporter, who was an idiot and was pals with the manager, did a piece saying the fans should boo me. And guess what? They all booed. Sheep. One or two boo and the rest follow.

“As I’ve said before, I remember after the Watford game [at home last season] when I thought the fans were brilliant and they cheered us off the pitch even though we drew the match and were in the difficult run. You don’t forget these things and you don’t forget the fans last weekend either.

“Having said all that, that’s not all of the supporters,” he added. “I’m not trying to tarnish all the supporters.”

Keane says it’s probably for the best that the next couple of games are away from Portman Road: “I think it will be a benefit over the next few weeks that we’re away from home and the players can go out and relax a little bit and enjoy what they’re trying to do, which is learning their trade. And they should be applauded for that, not jeered.

“I think it’s too easy now. We see it with other games, we saw it with international matches on Wednesday night. There’s this mentality of booing teams all the time.”

The Irishman has no objection to being the focus of fan dissent himself, indeed he says he thrives on it, but wants supporters to back the players: “They can boo me all they want. I never went into football to be popular, in fact it drives me on and I bloody enjoy it.

“Get behind the players, get behind the young players that we’ve got. We’re two points off the play-offs and players who are 18 or 19 years of age are getting jeered and booed.

“Young Connor Wickham’s coming on and the fans are booing because I’m taking Tamás Priskin off. We’re 2-0 or 3-0 down at that stage, they should be applauding Connor coming on.

“Two weeks ago they wanted Priskin out of the club,” he continued. “All of a sudden we shouldn’t be taking him off. I’ve nothing against Tamás, I think he’s doing well for us, but you have to make changes.”

Keane concedes that some negativity is inevitable but believes that last week’s reaction was out of all proportion: “When you lose matches, you put up with that little bit of criticism.

“But I think that the way the atmosphere has been over the last few weeks they were going to be criticising everything anyway, whether it was the referee, the pitch, me, the staff, the players, the substitutions we’re making. Way over the top.”

The Blues boss says he has no objection to supporters giving their viewpoint but doesn’t see the sense in booing: “The fans have a right to express their opinion, I have no problem with that. I’ve been at clubs before where fans do that. But there’s a certain line which has to be drawn. And I’m entitled to my opinion.

“It’s an emotional game, I understand that 100%, the ups and downs of being a supporter. What they did last weekend was wrong, that’s my opinion.

“They didn’t support the team. How can you support the team by booing? They can question all they want about taking players off. We’ve got a young 17-year-old, the future of the club, what’s he supposed to think when he’s coming on to the pitch and there’s booing?

“We can’t kid ourselves that if we’re not performing we’re going to get criticised, but there’s got to be a balance to that of what’s right and what’s wrong, and what happened last week was wrong.

“I don’t care what anyone says, "Keane continued. "I don’t care if you’ve been a supporter of this club for 50 years or you work in the media, we all know it’s wrong. You try and teach your kids that — what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong, and our players have to listen to that nonsense.

“That’s why I think it might be a benefit that we’re away from home for the next couple of weeks, and we’ve got some tough games.”

Photo: Action Images

Jim added 09:00 - Nov 19 I really do not tend to make a habit of getting on the players backs during the game but I must admit that I booed when the substitution was made. It is one thing getting beaten at home by barnsley but it is another thing letting them play keepball against us while all we can muster is hopeful long balls. Of course getting behind the team will help but from the other side supporters are not going to sit and think all is well because we are told that it is. Yes we are 2 points of the play offs, but it reality we are light years away.

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Karlosfandangal added 09:00 - Nov 19 If Ipswich lose to Norwich it will be the end of the world, if they win it will be Prem here we come. There will be over 100 comment about the Norwich game and they will all be Keane out if Ipswich lose and COYB if They win Its so preditable on here lol
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trulyblue added 09:01 - Nov 19 Sir Bobby will be looking down and shaking his head in disbelief..... I can imagine him thinking to himself 'after how they treated me in my first three years will they never learn ?'
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PimsNumber1 added 09:03 - Nov 19 Some spot on comments.suffolk n good and sammy t. And like someone said , the boos were when Priskins number went up on the board, and after. When Wickham came on he got a cheer. There is no way Keane could misinterpret the booing ! The tactics and general competence just feels non existent. Its almost as though he and his staff "dont know what theyre doing "
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PSGBlue added 09:03 - Nov 19 The sooner this fool of a manager is gone, the better it will be for all of us, in fact I wouldn't wish Roy Keane on anyone (perhaps West Sham!) Ipswich fans have been more than patient over the last 18 months. Not many were calling for his head this time last year, but enough is enough, the majority now want him out. So how else can we show our disapproval to Roy Keane other than to boo and jeer at home games. What does he expect us to do when we lose 3-1 at home to Barnsley! Best quote from above is that "the players are still learning their trade" Firstly why have we got players still learning their trade, they are not apprentices they are on good money to perform! Maybe he is reffering to himself, fans shouldn't boo him as he himself is "still learning his trade". Keane Out!

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lunatic38 added 09:06 - Nov 19 Next he is going to want the fans to "suck the ball into the net", i am afraid that the atmosphere at Portman Road reflects the football that is being played there! If the opposition is better week in week out and the home side is sh7te (because of very poor management descisions) then fans do become disallusional (bearing in mind that Portman Road is one of the dearer Stadiums to enter). I have been a Keane supporter just to try and get the team going and i have had faith BUT enough is enough, i would not cheer an opposition team but if i keep seeing the sh7te served up by Keane then i am going to boo (Keane) and if we all start booing the pr7ck perhaps he will leave whatever the reason and maybe someone else will get the opportunity to improve our Team, get them playing, rekindle some passion and more importantly rekindle PORTMAN ROAD !!!!!

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KangarooBlue added 09:07 - Nov 19 He's 110% right, there is absolutely no atmosphere at PR, it's dreadful
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JohnScales added 09:10 - Nov 19 Utter ignorance from Keane. I always thought the best thing about him is he used to be honest and truthful in his interviews. But over the coming weeks he has lost that blaming the fans for poor performances and booing younger players. I booed the Priskin sub and at the end as the decision and performance was utter rubbish. Another thing is its not the fans fault we cannot take a set-piece and play hoof ball or play centre-halfs at full-backs or Central midfielder's on the wing. I'm glad to say I believe we are near the end of the Royston Keane rollercoaster.

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brittaniaman added 09:11 - Nov 19 Watching England v France on wed.I thought I was watching a re run of Ipswich v Barnsley again !!!!! How on earth do they fill Wembley for a friendly ????? because I imagine it is not cheap to go there. I still think Keano should be given untill christmas to show us all if he can do it !!! and do not mention again that he can get us up in 2 years and any manager who cannot keep his team in the top half is poor. He does need an experianced assistant as well !!!!

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Karlosfandangal added 09:16 - Nov 19 Punch bowl I was one of the 8000 fans at portman road when we lost 2-0 Stockport on a Wednesday night on a cold a wet November evening, I have watch town since 1979 and do a 250 mile round trip to do so, go to around 15 matches a season, so have seen the club through thick and thin. So yes I am a true fan, I have also been told I am not a true fan because i dont have a season ticket (work comitments) The atmotshere at PR is not good, so if I can watch another team play and come away enjoying the football experiance, then i guess i am not a true fan just a football fan, Then i conceded your point and I will not comment on the state of Ipswich Town Football Club again

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sh123 added 09:18 - Nov 19 I would have to partly agree with Keane here. Even as low as sunday league level, you tell your players if go 2,3 behind, dont let the heads drop or you dont have any chance of getting back into the game. Even though i know it is very frustrating when things dont go to plan as a supporter, the best way of getting things back on track is getting behind the players. Imagine how you would have felt on that pitch saturday with the supporters cheering the other team. Last season we struggled, this season there is improvement, and we cant be top of the league with a click of the fingers. In all fairness i dont even think we are ready for the premiership, the young players are too inexperienced and going up too early could do more damage in the long run than good (just ask norwich, after going up they had two years of struggle before drop to the third tier). Lets actually get behind the players, and i can guarantee performances and results will pick up if the fans are behind the players! I dont agree with some of the things Keane says, but this is definately one of the things i do.

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truckertractorboy added 09:25 - Nov 19 We all have to admit that the noise was good against leeds and it was a good game so y dont we fill up pr for the west brom game and cheer ipswich to the semis (hopefully)
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bluepeter added 09:25 - Nov 19 NObody enjoy being booed, that's a lie. If you have payed out money for a season ticket and are let down by the players, then I will always boo after the final whistle. As I have said on here before though, I do not think it helps to boo during the game.
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BrettenhamBlue added 09:34 - Nov 19 Keane has got his tactics spot on. Anyone who criticises his style of play should go watch the 'passing teams' (such as palace and Barnsley) who are well below us in the league. True football managers know that most goals are scored by the long ball route. Stop criticising and get behind the manager! We do not need an Assistant Manager. What is the point of bringning someone in who will only cause confusion amongst the players? Keane is clear about what he wants and another voice would only lead to confusion. PSGBlue- all players are learning their trade We have some of the best young talent in England and we end up booing them!!?? Connor Wickham is a revelation who will only get better. Gareth McAuley is the best central defender in this league, and one of the best IMO in english football. Fulop is amazing and Priskin at 24 is getting better and better. Hyam, Eastman, Smith, Townsend, Colback, Livermore and co have all been really good so far. Next season we have Carson and Lavery coming up.They are top class players but they just need time which is something that some fans are not willing to give. We have 3 right backs, why do we need to sign another? We have got rid of a bunch of players who were never going to get us anywhere. Garvan could pass- but you don't need passers with our long ball style- we need ball winners (Norris, leadbitter, Hyam). Counago, Lisbie etc are on their way. Keane is going nowhere. Get used to the idea and get behind the team. If we want promotion then we need to back our team AND our man. COYB and get us promotion Keane!

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BrettenhamBlue added 09:41 - Nov 19 Forgot to mention Ronan Murray. Works really well with Wickham. Scotland looks good also
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Cotton_eyed_joe added 09:44 - Nov 19 I've had enough of all the Pro-Keaner's. At what point will it take for you all to realise he is not the man for town. Dire football/tatic's/subs etc are not due to the fans or players, its all down to Keane. I would chant and sing for 90mins if that meant we would get a decent game of football. Please put your hand on your heart and say that Keane is making Ipswich Town a better footballing side and games are worth every penny to watch, I bet you cant. I'm fed up with the constant excuses for losing games and now joy above all joys its the Fans(who pay his wages) at fault. So F ing what the fans booed HIS substitutions, he was wrong again and a few fans show there concern by booing. So f ing what a few fans cheered some good football being played by Barnsley, be nice to cheer town doing this, but what blinking harm did it do other than some the idiots who now run town what they would like to be seeing week in week out. Give us something to sing about and we will, COYB

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katemoss added 09:46 - Nov 19 We should go back to being Ipswch Town instead of Roy Keanes' Ipswich Town. Let Roy go off somewhere else to find out if he is a football manager. This has been an expensive fiasco giving this egotist the club and financal backing. We are going nowhere and are now waiting for Roy to leace. Fans are misbehaving because we all know that this team is bound for mid-table obscurity.

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legoman added 09:48 - Nov 19 Yes keangod but they are upwardly mobile and improving and we are downwardly mobile. Thats the most worrying thing.
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GranthamBlue added 09:52 - Nov 19 "Supporters who immediately condemn young players for not being good enough should remember that a large measure of disorientation comes with promotion to the first eleven. It takes time for the shock to wear off and for a boy's confidence to grow." Sir Bobby Robson I personally think the decision to bring the kids through is the best one for ages. Who cares if we're promoted this year? I'd much rather turn us into a club that has a development policy for its youth and has faith in their potential and gives them TIME and the ABILITY TO FAIL than one that thinks it's going to be promoted in one season. I admire the ambition of the players and the manager who want to get us promoted this year, but I am realistic enough to believe that this should be a by-product of a long-term approach and not putting the cart before the horse by getting in short-term Premier League loans with the sole intention of getting promoted - and then what? My jury is still out on Keane, but I'm less bothered about him than I am about the so-called fans in the north stand and their negative approach to the game. For years we have only had anti-Norwich songs sung at FPR and nothing rousing or positive for our lads. The manager is temporary, the negativity emanating from the north stand appears to be settling in and becoming permanent. This is not acceptable. If you disagree with the substitution of Tamas Priskin, sing, "There's only one Tamas Priskin" and let everyone know your feelings in a positive sense.

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JayITFC added 09:52 - Nov 19 Roy Keane knows the majority of fans are booing ROY KEANE for poor selections (full back issue, Priskin substitution), formations (4-5-1 at home, 4-4-2 away) & tactics rather than any young players on the pitch. By claiming we're booing the youngsters he knows it makes us the fans look bad rather than him and keeps him in a job just a little bit longer. I'd never boo a young player learning their trade at Portman Road. I would however boo an inept manager who's not doing the job (promotion within 2 years). I'd like to ask Roy Keane why do we have young unproven players in the first 11 anyway? Having spent 10m+ since arriving at this club is it to much to expect a senior professional capable of Championship footbal in every position? Abysmal transfer policy (Lee Martin anyone?) has left us in this state but with the Norris & McAuley injuries Keane has been given a reprieve for the next couple of weeks, specifically Scum away...

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evansblue added 09:54 - Nov 19 Booing your own team is pathetic. Cheering the opposition even worse. When they then get criticised for doing so they all spout 'we pay good money', Blah Blah Blah. Get behind your team. If you hate is so much miss a few games, take a break. It's just a game. We have seen some good games this season and some not so good games but thats football. I am looking forward to West Brom and Swansea and the season is very much alive. We have been in this league long enough to know what a run of wins can do, likewise a few defeats. Keep the faith

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BerkshireBlue added 09:54 - Nov 19 Keane is spot on. The small vocal minority of dissenters do our club's reputation no good at all, we are fast becoming the talking point of other supporters for how quiet and wingey we are. After the Millwall game, that we won 2-0, I spoke to a couple of Millwall supporters who said we were the worst home fans they had witnessed this season. I have to agree, I have often reported on the funerial atmosphere at Portman Road; we've not been really vocal supporters for many years but it's absolutely dire at the moment. I don't accept the argument that's it's because we're playing crap football. Stoke play crap football and their support is brilliant - even when they're losing!! In a way I'm not overly surprised with the demands for Keane's sacking because that is what we've done to just about all our managers. I recall McGarry's final months, then Robson's early years; of course those that remember the Duncan era will recall the demands for his sacking; more recently there was a vocal minority that wanted Big Fat Joe out, and then of course Magilton. Now it's Keane's turn!! He's not provided us with the instant success that we richly deserve (!) so let's get him out. Next man in will have a season or two then guess what? Yep, you got it .... Someone above commented that our support so far this season has been brilliant - no it hasn't, it's been abysmal. Someone commented about how good Norwich support is - how right he is! Alas, we have become the laughing stock of football supporters. Our away supporters are generally brilliant (I go to 12-15 games a season) and I just wish we could get 2000 of our regular away supporters together in one stand, it just might make a difference. Finally, I too am completed fed up with Keane playing centre backs as full backs, I'm fed up with Leadbitter's appalling corners and free kicks, I'm fed up with the long throws that don't work for us but work for other teams, I'm fed up that Edwards and Townsend (when he plays) don't get to the by-line before whipping in crosses, I'm fed up that our full backs don't push on and overlap and I'm fed up that 2 or 3 of our midfielders don't drive into the penalty area to support our forward(s) when we attack, ala Cahill of Everton. I'd love us to be playing scintilating football and winning more than we lose, I'd love us to be in the the top two, I'd love to see us the semi-finals of a cup and so on. But, at the end of the day, like or not, Keane is the manager of our club and I for one will stand by him and will NEVER boo - it serves absulutely no purpose other than to demoralise the players and make them dread playing at home. For those that don't like Keane or our boring football then vote with your feet (as many have done) and don't turn up. I, like many I suspect, are completely fed up with the vocal minority and I say well done Keane for speaking his mind. 'Once a Blue always a Blue'

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svendust added 09:55 - Nov 19 Keane is NOT spot on, NOBODY was boing any youngsters, all the booing and Barnsley cheering was aimed solely at KEANE!!! I'm all for supporting the team and getting them back into the game when we're behind but at 3-0 we were out of the game and it only looked like getting worse. There has to be some give and take here, we need some inspiration to get singing, even if it's a shot from 30 yards out but there was nothing until the last few minutes. To turn your back on the fans like Keane has is disgusting, I know what he's saying and he's probably looking for a reaction but to to say we know nothing about football and that if we win promotion the fans won't play there part makes me sick. The club and any other football club should be all about the fans, it should be part of the community. Keane, Clegg and Evans are removing the fans and the community element from the club and destroying everything it stands for.

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BlooooCD added 09:55 - Nov 19 I pay over £1,000 to go to the games with my son's.. I didn't boo during games or cheer oppositions ability. But I am genuinely frustrated by what I am seeing. The fun and enjoyment has gone and whilst I had season tickets before Keano came and I will have them long after he has gone! I crave entertaining football and the ridiculous prices they charge for the crap we have to put up with is criminal. If Keano wants a 12th man, then he should concentrate on firstly getting 11 players in their right position doing what they are paid to do! I hold Keane accountable for our shortfalls and see very little light in sight.. I love the club and despite the recent silence that befalls Portman Road, we can bring the noise and good times back - But the road to recovery has to start on the pitch and that is ultimately orchestrated by the MANAGER!! As a manager he is paid and judged on results, lets not all forget how poor last season was and this is the time for us to judge him. I do not want to be coming back from Sappow road on the back of a hiding (can't believe I am even thinking we could lose to them) But that is where we are at just now! JESUS!! Come on Keano (Sort it out) and to want to play away from our home ground!?!?! Dear oh dear.. Can't remember feeling so deflated!

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Surco72 added 09:57 - Nov 19 Keanoisgod..surely Barnsley are 2 points behind us same difference as we are to playoffs ... And if all of our players are as good as you say why are they not performing well week in week out and as a team ? Manager ?
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