Portsmouth striker David Nugent admitted that his side could have been 5-0 down at the break before he scored one and created a second for team-mate David Cotterill to see his team to a 2-0 victory over the Blues on Saturday. Nugent, the man Town fans love to hate, netted what was his eighth goal in eight games against the Blues and continued a record of having scored in every match he has played at Portman Road.

Nugent said: “We could have been 5-0 down in the first half but we made them pay for not taking their chances. In the end we outran them and outclassed them.”

The one-time England striker was booed throughout by Town supporters, something which has happened on all his visits to Portman Road since Preston’s 4-0 victory over the Blues in 2005. Having been booked for a wild challenge on Town full-back Sito, Nugent celebrated two goals within three minutes in front of the North Stand but without further censure from referee Brian Curson.

The 25-year-old says the stick he receives motivates him and that he also gets similar treatment elsewhere in East Anglia: “It goes back a few years to when I was with Preston and I scored here.

“They have been on my back ever since and always give me stick. But I thrive on it and it seems to make me play better.

“The more they boo, the more I want to score. Every time I set foot on this pitch I seem to score and it winds the fans up. It motivates me and I have never wanted to celebrate so much.

“The same thing happened at Norwich and their fans are always on my back as well.”

Nugent admits that he came close to picking up a yellow card for Saturday's goal celebration, which saw him salute all corners of Portman Road: “I wanted to make my point to the fans in all four stands.

“The ref came up to me and said ‘I don’t know what’s going on between you and these fans but calm down will you’.

“I gave him a smile and a pat on the back and he was fine with it. The fans had been abusing me all game and I just wanted to give them a bit back.”

The former Bury frontman says he decided against joining the Blues on loan in 2008 when repeatedly targeted by Jim Magilton due to fitness issues: “I wasn’t fit. I’d had two hernia operations and I couldn’t have played for anyone at the time.

“That was why I turned them down but their supporters seem to have taken it personally.

“I know the Ipswich fans are passionate for their team but I seem to be the one player they dislike more than any other.”

Photo: Action Images

PlymptonBlue added 09:07 - Feb 28 FO Nugent
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tractorboynathan added 09:14 - Feb 28 I don't care if he's hated by our fans- I think he's a great player and would love to see him down here! 1 million bid would do it ;)
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muhrensleftfoot added 09:34 - Feb 28 Can't blame him for his celebration. Anyone would do that if they had been booed all game. I don't like him, but that's only because he always scores against us. Otherwise he hasn't been that prolific in his career. Maybe he should be motivated like he was on Saturday every game, then he'd be playing for a Premier league side and England again.
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clive_baker added 09:36 - Feb 28 needs to get over himself doesn't he. Panto boo's twice a season and other than that nobody gives a toss what he gets up to. Does he think we actually care that much? what a loser.
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bluelady added 09:36 - Feb 28 yep we cannot stand you Nugent and you did not outclass out you simply took the two chances you had as a team the second of which was gifted to you.....
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dirtyboy added 09:36 - Feb 28 I loved the guys singing "Nugent, even your mother thinks..." anyway. Fair play to the chap, I'd do the same, however, i'd also be happy to for us to sign him!!! Come on Nugent, appease us all and rectify all those goals you've scored against us!
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DanLyles added 09:41 - Feb 28 He is a pri*k, but if he enjoys scoring at PR then why not snap him up?!
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olimar added 09:50 - Feb 28 "In the end we outran them and outclassed them"? Not much class in that statement. Essentially, Portsmouth were extremely lucky not to concede a goal, then were gifted two chances by defensive errors, which they took well. Clinical, ruthless, yes. But they hardly ran the game and I dont think they could say they were outclassing us at the end.
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CleverTrevor added 09:51 - Feb 28 He may be an arse, but we should sign him. He'd do a great job for us. The nearest thing to Marcus Stewart in the Championship right now.
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Karlosfandangal added 09:54 - Feb 28 Dont blame him one bit but he should not think he is special as we get on the back of our own players
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nthstd added 10:04 - Feb 28 I like Nuggent, he does his job well. I think we should go all out to sign him, just so we can have the villain of the piece on our hallowed turf.
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HarryfromBath added 10:06 - Feb 28 Saturday was a reality check. We need someone up front. Part of the fun of a Saturday afternoon is having a villain to give some stick to. I am keeping my powder dry for Grant bloody Holt.
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warwickblue added 10:11 - Feb 28 I think Nugent is a funny little man - imagine him thinking that we give an "aerial intercourse" about him except for 90 minutes each year, when he gives us the opportunity for some mildy amusing banter. We haven't singled him out personally, I suspect supporters the length and breadth of the country find him irritating, because he is.
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faith added 10:31 - Feb 28 whats he really ever done? hes a no class waste of space, i dont want to see him herre rather go after billy sharp. nugent fo
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JayITFC added 10:47 - Feb 28 We all love to boo him but at the same time we'd all love him here at OUR club!
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SouperJim added 10:54 - Feb 28 Well there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth, he's an Alan Lee style panto villian who likes it when the crowd boo him as it helps him raise his game. I'm sure the same old idiots will play right into your hands and boo you again next season David and so the cycle will continue. Yes he's an arrogant twonk, but I'd still have him in my side in a heartbeat and probably Kitson too.

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dirtydingusmagee added 12:02 - Feb 28 so, he can count up to five !.that is the only surprise.
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Umros added 12:10 - Feb 28 Agree with post 3...........if he put as much effort in against us & Norwich he might actually score a few more and be a better player for it, if he can only raise his game because a of a bit of taunting he is a poor player.
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Walk_the_Wark added 12:18 - Feb 28 Don't care about Nugent- passed it anyway.. It's so frustrating that we've taken 1 point from the last three games, as we have been easily the better side in all. I know its not worth looking back, but 7 points from those three and we'd still have a playoff challenge. I firmly believe that if the clown had been sacked 2 months earlier and we'd had a full window to go at we'd have finished top 6... As for Saturday... I know Wickham is young and needs experience but the two sitters he missed were a disgrace. Firm proof that at present he's worth no more than 1 million- dreadful finishing. We are one striker away from certain promotion next year- trusting PJ to get it sorted!!!!!

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Garv added 12:49 - Feb 28 Don't like tw*ts at ipswich, so no thank you to nugent. Do you really think he'd come anyway?
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simonsays added 13:07 - Feb 28 Nugent you are a complete ars*.
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Upbeat~ added 13:19 - Feb 28 JayITFC No we wouldn't. He plays well against us but that's it these days. His wages at Portsmouth will be very high and he's not even a regular 12 goals a season man, let alone that 25 goal a season dream-land striking machine that Jewell's targeting. An expensive, inconsistent championship striker with an ego the size of Bendtner's and a complete and utter **** in general. Honestly, as far as strikers at this level go he's middle of the pack for the majority of the time. He'd only dampen a play offs bid imo. PlymptonBlue hit the nail on the head: FO NUGENT

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mikewright2 added 14:38 - Feb 28 I'd love to sign him but his wages are around 40 grand a week so its pretty un realistic. I really wanna sign ebanks-blake if wolves get relegated as he does not play every game!!
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jas0999 added 17:33 - Feb 28 Nugent is exactly the type of player we need at Ipswich. He can score goals - we can't. Nothing in this game for good play. Pompey and Nugent have three points - regadless of whether we SHOULD have been 5-0 up.
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Ipswich24 added 17:56 - Feb 28 jas0999 i agree totally he gets abuse all game and he answers it in the right way by scoring a goal and setting another up personally would love to sign him and i was also calling him a w***er!
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