Town manager Paul Jewell says this season’s team never deserved to be anything other than a mid-table Championship side. Nevertheless, the Blues boss insists that there are some very good players at the club and that despite another disappointing season there are reasons to be positive.

Jewell said: “We’ve never been a team this season which has been good enough to get in the play-offs. We’ve got the maximum from the players, I think they’ve given the maximum they have since January. We’re comfortable, but we’re looking forward to next season.

“Look at our game against Preston on Saturday, that probably typified our season. It was a decent first half, we could have been a couple more goals in front, then in the second half we were hanging on.

“It’s been synonymous of us really, we haven’t really been able to put 90-odd minutes together. Next season, hopefully, we’ll have the players that we’re looking for to improve our squad.”

The Town boss can’t wait to have a side capable of finishing higher than the Blues' current position of 12th: “I’m really looking forward to getting a team which can be competitive. I think where this team has finished was about right. I always think that after 46 games you finish where you deserve to.

“What we’ve got now needs help in key areas to hopefully make the players who want to be here successful.”

Despite yet another mid-table season, Jewell says there are plenty of reasons to be positive at Portman Road: “I’ve inherited a lot of good things here. Let’s not be negative, there are a lot of good things. This club’s got an awful lot going for it — great stadium, great support, great facilities and a lot of good players.

“There are some really good players here, talented players. But it’s obvious that we need goals in the team. We’ve got to start scoring goals on a regular basis.

“We’ve got to start being a goal threat to stop putting pressure on our back four. At the same time, we have to defend better as a team, as well as attacking better as a team.

“We need to get to the situation where when we go a goal down, we still think we can win the game. At the minute when we go a goal down you get the feeling that we might nick a draw, but are we going to get two or three goals? At the moment, the answer to that name is no.”

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 08:57 - May 6 You finish where you deserve and 12th would be about right.
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suffolkpoker added 09:00 - May 6 Jewell speaks alot of truth, i just hope he cant bring the right players through the door for us. I can see him being more shrewed that keane!!
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Basil_Smallpiece added 09:01 - May 6 Ending in the top half sounds better than finishing in the bottom, so come on Dad's Army, try and scrape something from the last game. 'There are some really good players here....'. Who are they, please?
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bedsitfc added 09:06 - May 6 Imo i think we are lucky to be mid table, pj has done a very good job so far, as we were going down before he came. I honestly think if he gets the boards backing this summer with transfers we will have a very good season but top 2 is going to be even harder to break into. So a play off place will be a good season.
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bontcho added 10:28 - May 6 We need to improve our attacking and our defending! Too right. Assuming Norris and McAuley go we need 6 players minimum. And if others go more. An interesting summer break beckons (probably more interesting than the season we've just had!)
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thechangingman added 12:26 - May 6 It pains me to say that we're absolutely where we deserve to be and I see no reason to think that things will be getting better any time soon... :( I am absolutely NOT saying sack PJ or any such nonsense, it's just that I am finding it hard to get really excited about the Town at the moment and even less likely to put my hand in my pocket and part with my hard-earned cash to watch a bunch of gormless also-rans... I hate to speak this way - I am just being honest and I'd absolutely LOVE to be wrong...

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GeorgiDoundarov added 13:03 - May 6 Well it is easy now to speak "true things" as some of you are saying. PJ is having only half a season and he can always say he is not responsible for the mid table finishing. Let us see what will he be talking next season when he has all the summer to add to the team and will be responsible for the whole season. For now he seems to be very enthusiastic but only if he manages to get the right players he will be able to achieve something more than a mid table finish next season. I am praying he will do that!!!

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:20 - May 6 PJ talks sense. RK tried his best, but with him I think we were in serious danger of going down. PJ saved us more or less at the last moment. Let's hope he can now take a couple of steps forward (at least a couple!)
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itfc4eva added 13:24 - May 6 well said mate
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baldman added 17:09 - May 6 i dont think its as bad as some people think yes we have had a poor season in are eyes but we are only 10 points behind 6th place 3 wins and a draw out of 46 games yes we need a couple of 3 players but 6 or 7 i dont think give youth a go and add to that would rather be in championship for a couple more years and get a team to grow together
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Lay added 17:38 - May 6 Baldman spot on! My dads bald
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baldman added 17:47 - May 6 lets hope his heads not red like mine
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DiamondGezzer added 07:55 - May 7 I for one am very encouraged and excited about the prospects for next season and although I don't have a crystal ball like some of the negatives posters on here, I personally think we are in for some suprise/shrewd signings from Paul Jewell. Only time will tell, I could be totally wrong. Chins up lads !
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