Midfielder Jimmy Bullard has confirmed that he was forced to abandon his car and run the final stretch of his journey to Portman Road ahead of Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace. Surprised listeners to Radio Suffolk’s Life’s a Pitch spotted Bullard making a dash through the crowds having left his car behind him due to the more than usually heavy traffic around the ground.

The Londoner, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Sunday, was a victim of roadworks, which also held up the Crystal Palace coach, and found himself at a dead end: “It was getting close to quarter to two, the time we’re meant to be there, and they’d blocked the road off.

“For some reason they wouldn’t let me down there so, being only around the corner, I decided to just jump out my car and run for it.”

But Bullard, who later apologised to team-mates for his under par performance during the game, didn’t get in too much strife for his late dash with manager Paul Jewell saying the ex-Wigan man made his deadline: “He was there by the time expected so that’s fine by me.

“If it was just 50 yards around the corner it’s no big deal. In fact, that probably means he ran more yards getting to the game than actually in it!”

The Blues midfielder dismissed suggestions that Town's 30-somethings were feeling the pace against Palace: “When you’re towards the end of your career a poor performance gets blamed on your age. And when you’re at the beginning of your career a poor performance gets blamed on inexperience.

“If you’re not doing it out on the pitch, though, it’s because you’re not playing well. On Saturday we just weren’t good enough. Simple as that.”

Photo: Action Images

oldtimer3 added 03:08 - Oct 26 are these people who winge about jimmy bullard the same people who dont get behind the team when the players need a little support I was so disappointed at our supporters, we only lost one nil there where times when there was plenty of opportunity exspecailly near the end of the game, to really get behind the boys and give them a boost. Instead they head for the exits early.

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big_gaz67 added 07:47 - Oct 26 Surely if you leave early each week your are persistently standing in an all seater stadium and should be dealt with accordingly!
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tomisamos added 10:43 - Oct 26 1) Jimmy was not late. 2) 5 or 6 great games with the midfield how it is really working and then two below par performances and now it all needs to change round? C'mon guys... 3) We, as fans, and not players, no very little about the preparations and training etc that goes on for these games and what the player's mornings may have consisted of, so let's stop pretending we do. Some people read far too much into a story meant to be a light aside!

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