Boss Roy Keane conceded that the longer the Blues’ poor run of form continues, the harder it gets to turn it around. Saturday’s loss at Preston was the sixth successive league defeat and their ninth in 11 games.

Keane said: “The longer the run goes on the harder it is to turn around. That’s nine defeats in 11 and at any level in any league, in any country that is not good enough.”

The Town manager says his pride has been hurt by the current situation: “Unbelievably so. You wouldn’t believe how much it’s hurting, but you could try and guess. I’m a proud man and I don’t like getting beaten.”

Keane said he still felt he was capable of turning things around, but when asked how a manager retained their resilience in such circumstances added: “Good question that, sometimes you don’t.”

The Blues boss also hinted that he might again be having thoughts about an assistant manager when asked whether he had a mentor: “No, I should get one.”

Despite his side having had the better of the first half, Keane took only scant positives from the game: “I thought Rory Fallon did well. We certainly didn’t want keep Rory on the pitch for 90 minutes but I thought he was decent in both boxes, whether he was defending or attacking.

“Mark Kennedy got 60-odd minutes. We took a chance on Sparky and his hamstring, but it’s nothing to get carried away with, getting players back on the pitch for an hour or so.”

The Blues boss felt Preston’s centre-halves — former Blue Wayne Brown and Leon Cort — were had a significant effect on the game: “I thought their two centre-halves were outstanding. They know the league, know the game, know when to put their foot through it, attacked it well in both boxes. Their two centre-halves were a big difference in the performances.

“I’m not knocking my centre-halves, I thought they did OK, but they’re young boys and, I know everyone’s bored of me saying it, it’s about being streetwise. The boy Parkin was streetwise at the end of the game.

“When you consider all the late goals we gave away last year, it shows up in important parts of the game.

“Even when we went a goal down we went a bit gung-ho and were ball-watching and they could have nicked a second goal.”

Keane says the club has not yet discussed what sort of money might be available for additions to his squad in January: “I’ve not really had those discussions with the owner or the chief executive.

“The priority was not to get beat at Preston and we try and win every game. We’re getting dragged into it and we were down there all last year, so it’s been an ongoing problem.

“It’s not necessarily about having good players at the moment, it’s about having good characters, and there won’t be that many good characters available in January, even if there’s money available and they want to come to Ipswich. Those are massive question marks. Don’t think there’s a quick fix out there for us.”

With the Blues now down to 18th, Keane concedes that his side are now very much in the relegation battle: “We are at the moment, of course.”

The 39-year-old says there’s no excuse for the Blues getting into the current position after their good start to the season: “That’s nine defeats in 11. I’ve been involved in football since I was eight or nine years of age, whether it be at amateur level, I played semi-professional, played with top players at Forest and United and Celtic, good players at Sunderland.

“The run we’re on is not acceptable, let’s not kid ourselves. Forget about giving time or mentors or getting players who are streetwise, getting injured players back. That is a poor run in anyone’s book.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Grant Leadbitter says the players are backing their boss: “Of course we still have the faith in him, every single player in that dressing room wants him to stay and everyone’s behind him.

“We want him to stay and the players have got to do better because it’s us losing the games, not the manager. We’ve got a couple of big games coming up and we want to bounce back next week. It’s a big disappointment.”

Photo: Action Images

choprawontcome added 18:07 - Dec 13 byebyesheepshanks....that is the biggest load of crap ive heard in a long time you fool
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kentblue added 18:13 - Dec 13 Just GO ! Keane ! Don't you realise you have alienated virtually everyone associated with the club . As has been mentioned by others, most clubs would have sent you packing much earlier .
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Raedwald_625 added 18:16 - Dec 13 Almost unanimously we, 'the fans', want a change of manager at PR, but we have absolutley no say in the issue; our wishes are not importamt. Can't help feeling our club has been hijacked. I'd settle for lower league football if the fans were respected and we at least tried to play decent football. ME, Clegg and Keane V's the fans
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bluelady added 18:16 - Dec 13 jas agree wholeheartidly...
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Keaneish added 18:39 - Dec 13 Question is now, what are we going to do about it? Personally, as mentioned before on here, i think we should boycott the game on Saturday. There's no bigger statement than no-one going to the ground seeing as it's live on the Sky cameras. Admittedly there are lots who don't know of TWTD and will happily go for a day out regardless but hitting Evans in his pocket and showing a vote of no confidence by not going is far louder than calling for Kenae's name. Like the idea of a few setting up banners telling Roy to leave and then leaving the ground themselves. Happy to set-up a Facebook group to get some momentum behind this. If enough of us spread this, use Twitter/Facebook etc i'm sure we have enough time to make an impact by Saturday evening. No-one wants him at the club. Even the most loyal have turned now. Anyone with any further suggestions?

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poggie added 18:43 - Dec 13 This is beyond ridiculous! For ages now, most of us on here have been hoping to hear that he's gone. What will it take? I'm beginning to think he must have something major on ME ... which is an achievement in itself, as nobody else even knows who he is! It gives me no pleasure to admit that I really didn't want RK at PR in the 1st place. For a while though, I (quite happily) thought I may have been wrong, but it appears not! (But please, if by some miracle he does go, don't replace him with Allardyce!!)

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h32 added 19:00 - Dec 13 blueherts - Olympics, olympics, olympics, I thing you've sussed it .........!!
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tractorboy2434 added 19:26 - Dec 13 strange fact is starting with the sheff u result on 06 Nov i make it 7 consecutive league defeats, not 6, there were 5 in Nov and 2 this month, easy to make stats seem better than they are.
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trctorby31 added 19:35 - Dec 13 So Sam Allardyce in in time for the Leicester game then? Oh dear!! Out of the frying pan and all that
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alfromcol added 19:46 - Dec 13 Better to protest inside the ground with the cameras there methinks. The owner can't ignore the supporters if they make enough noise.
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tractorboy2434 added 19:50 - Dec 13 still think that we should show how strongly we feel, by boycotting the game on sat, it will be the oppportunity to show evans and clegg the strength of feeling, its is the only thing they understand, money, hit the club where it hurts.
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cressi added 19:53 - Dec 13 The top man needs to grow some balls any other manager would have being sacked last season after 14 games without a win.Mr Evans if its about money league 1 waits and we wont sell 10,000 season tickets the only way ul get your money is through promotion so wake up fast or our fate awaits.
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elmswellblue added 19:53 - Dec 13 Well Keanish what do you think is the best method of getting our feelings known to the Sky viewers,Evans and Clegg. Even a win is no good in my books, Keane has done so much damage to our club. This match is so important to let the Directors know how we feel, it is OK writing to the EADT and hiding behind TWTD fanzine. Get behind the team, but Keane is killing our club.

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bluelady added 20:08 - Dec 13 the trouble is Keanish, my concern is if we make a big protest it will be even more publicity for Evans, which afterall is his main aim in life.... not sure it would have the effect of getting keane out and could even have the reverse of slowing down the inevitable as he gets yet more media coverage? Just a thought...
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Keaneish added 20:12 - Dec 13 We either go and be vocally for for Keane to do one or we don't go. Whichever way we have to make sure we all stick to one as a half measure of either just makes us look like we've got poor support on live TV! Phil - can you post a new Poll in replace of the one that's live currently and ask the question 'Call for resignation on Saturday' or 'Boycott game'...or words to that effect. Won't take you long to set it up. just a quick update in the HTML/CSS and then push live. Can you push it live as a news update so we all see it on Facebook and here? That way we'll know what people on here think and we'll let that be the catalyst. Happy to go along with the majority.

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TotalBlue added 20:22 - Dec 13 tractorboy2434 I cant believe what I am hearing there is no way I would EVER hurt the club. NO I am not happy at the state we are in and the pratt who is the manager should go It should not even be the choice of ME roy if your are a proud man GO!!!!! NOW!!!!!! A boycot could even see the end of the club people are attacking ME. At the end of the day had the club carried on without investment we would not be playing league one we would be playing nothing he has pulled us back from the brink and I do believe understands the Ipswich way we dont sack managers to my knowledge we have only done it 3 times each time after giving the manager a good chance . Mr No Ideas Cork City Keane(I mention cork as maybe it will be the level of his skills as a ball boy!!) Best way to make the point is makle sure there is a CAPACITY crowd on Saturday who cheers the players, and BOOS the incompetance of the manager. That way ME will see eveyone is passionate and feel he needs to support his money....

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dalinghooblue added 20:27 - Dec 13 Why is it that we hear from all different players but not from the club captain?
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Keaneish added 20:53 - Dec 13 Negative coverage though Bluelady. If Marcus Evans is emblazoned everywhere with thousands of unhappy people (whether present or not) it's not a good advert for business...especially being in the hospitality industry!
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bobble added 20:55 - Dec 13 do we have a club captain ? does it really matter at this stage ? none of these people seem to have any idea how to get us out of this mess..but i am sure they are all on a good earner and will bugger of to another club when we go down. i am not sure that anyone will want keane though ' but maybe in the future some idiot owner will decide getting an egotistic no nothing fool into run their club is worth it for the free exposure he gives them with his dumb comments on everything while standing in front of the sky tv cameras.......oh dear where have i seen this happening before ?

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theresonlyonekeano added 21:04 - Dec 13 And the longer we keep this clown in charge of our club, the further down the league we will go. Incredible he hasn't gone today, although i have a feeling he will before the leicester match, fingers crossed. Honestly i don't think there has been one person on here in the last few days that doesn't think Keane should go. We have a stubborn manager and even more stubborn owners. Keane out!!

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elmswellblue added 21:11 - Dec 13 If we do not make our presence felt, then Keane will be kept in charge of the team until the Arsenal games. By then we will be in the relegation zone and going only one way. Get a new man in and at least he will have the chance to buy and sell with what ever money is available during the January buying period.Perhaps we could get the missing fans back with the right man.

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kipper added 21:22 - Dec 13 Cast your minds back to the end of Magilton's reign. There was a protest organised by the Sir Alf statue before an evening game. It wasn't the biggest protest by any means but it did force the club to make a statement about the managers position. Given that the club has so many unhappy customers I cannot believe that Clegg has not spoken to the press yet. There again perhaps I can.

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bluelady added 21:23 - Dec 13 ok Keanish see your point....... i feel so torn, i want so much for him to be gone, but also i want to get behind my club and the players..... So i am more for a sit in protest post match than a not show protest.
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WarkyWonderLand added 21:24 - Dec 13 I say that we should all go and make as much noise as possible with anti keane protests. Did it under John Duncan and he was moved on. ME would not want to hear this on TV. I saw that Leicester had 27,000 on Saturday. Did you see this ME and Clegg? Perhaps take a lesson from this to get people throught the gate. Watching Sky Sports tonight I thought that I was listening to ITFC fans when they were saying they were fed up with negative football!! But no alas it was Blackburn! No, Allardyce not for me either. So Keane says in the EADT that he will take 2 days to consider his future. Well sunday and monday have past after the Preston game so tomorrow must be D day. Could be our Christmas day tomorrow!! It would appear that he has lost the players now. I am sure they would rather have a settled side, they must no whether they are coming or going. And it takes a loan signing or who has not played a full game to come out and say this. Very odd me thinks. Have to say that even a win on Saturday would not paper over the cracks as the crack is now a canyon! If he is still here I for one will lead the Keane out chants in the South Stand. Ps, any truth in the Hughton flying into Hintlesham Hall on Saturday as someone posted?

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btrevelyan added 21:29 - Dec 13 I still want Keane to be successful...but it's not going to happen. He's not the right man for the job. Time to clear your desk Mr. Keane. Personally want to see either Chris Hughton or Curbs managing us come january, be good to see what either of them would be able to do in the transfer window. Ipswich Till I Die! COYB!
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