Lee Martin has admitted fans’ criticism bothers him but regards the views of manager Mick McCarthy and his colleagues as far more important.

Martin has failed to find the net in 33 appearances this season and his overall record of six goals in 102 outings shows he has been far from prolific in almost four years at Portman Road.

He is aware that a section of the supporters have targeted him in recent weeks, stating: “Listen, I’m not stupid. You hear things but you just get on with it.

"I’ve got broad shoulders and I’ve heard it all before. It’s the same fans who were praising me when things were going right and that’s football.

“I’m trying my hardest, that’s all I can say, but obviously I know I can do better. I still haven’t got a goal this season but at least I’m giving it my all and I keep working on things.

“I know what I’m capable of and I’m sure the goals will come. I think people have seen a different side of me because I’m having to do a bit more defending.

“If you ask the gaffer he has been pleased with me, regardless of whether or not the fans want to get on my back. I’m getting praise off the gaffer and my team-mates, most importantly, and that’s the main thing for me.

“It bothers me and it would bother anyone but I’m working hard and trying to get it right. I’ve been unlucky, certainly for the first part of the season, and you lose confidence. The main thing is that I’m trying and I’ve never thrown the towel in.

“I’m always looking to try and do something to affect the game. Maybe the fans want me to score goals and other things but as long as I’m pleasing the manager and the players around me, that’s the main thing for me.

“If I’m getting the sort of praise I am off these sort of people that’s the sort of thing I want to hear. We’re all in it together and we’re all working our socks off.

“I don’t go out not wanting to score goals. It’s a little blip that I’m having but if I can affect the game by working hard then so be it. If I didn’t score the goals and I was just walking about then I wouldn’t be helpful — but I’m always trying to affect the game.”

Photo: Action Images

bobbybluebear added 06:28 - Mar 1 People need to get off his back, he is not the finished article i admit, but he gives 110% and covers every blade of grass. I would like to see him take a few more people on but i will not fault his attitude or commitment to the course, give him a break, we are all in this together.
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townietilidie added 06:51 - Mar 1 Well said Lee Martin . You just keep doing what you do , the goals will come as and when . Don't know what some fans expect from you when our strikers aren't scoring either . Let the haters kiss your a**e . Many of us fans appreciate your honesty and commitment on the pitch . A sneaky 3 points against Leicester on Saturday ??? COYB !!!!
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bluemingood added 07:31 - Mar 1 The customer is always right Lee.
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ManningtreeBlue99 added 07:37 - Mar 1 How about we actually encorouge our players to do well instead of slating them all the time!
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MattinLondon added 07:41 - Mar 1 He works very hard on the pitch but in terms of quality he is just an average championship player - nothing more nothing less.
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Juggsy added 07:49 - Mar 1 It's probably no help to his image that he's still on a big wage from the Keane era and is still under performing. Lets see where his loyalties are at the end of the season. On a comparative wage with the rest of the squad, I wouldn't be averse to him staying.
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John_Portman added 07:58 - Mar 1 At the end of the day he's still underperforming and the goals that should be coming from a player like him are the one's we're mising to rocket us up the league. He works very hard and he's got a point but him playing more defensive is no excuse for missing absolute sitters! Perhaps it's a confidence problem or something but he just hasn't been that good, thats just my opinion. If Big Mick can get the best out of him then awesome and he'll be very good, if not, FFP rules are coming in and we don't want wage issues...

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truckertractorboy added 08:10 - Mar 1 Is it just me r we the only team in the football league who has no pace or skill on either wing. Not knocking lee martin for his effort at all if we counted yards and tackles like American footy did he wud b top of the list if he cud start scoring he could justify his place untill then the only reason he plays is cause we aint got no one . Next season hopefully mm get two new wingers in ( yes carlos days r numbered as well ) and hopefully we look like a good championship team again

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baldman added 08:25 - Mar 1 Although I agree you do put in a good shift maybe you want to try and please us fans as we pay your wages
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RetroBlue added 08:46 - Mar 1 If LM could ever start banging the goals in , Ipswich Town would have a chance in hell of hanging onto him. So think on all you dumb "booers". LM offers a lot to the TEAM, his lack og gaols is his only downfall. This can change, and probably will. Then he will be gone and you'll have something else to boo about.
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Karlosfandangal added 08:58 - Mar 1 Town always have a player in the side who they boo no matter what. Last year Martin was a god at one point and there were calls for Clegg to sign him up funny how things have changed in a year.
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francisb123 added 09:09 - Mar 1 Lies, useless player get rid of him
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Arthur added 09:27 - Mar 1 Karlosfandangal ... Spot on. I call it aggressive sheep syndrome.
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gazmangaz added 09:32 - Mar 1 I dont think anyone doubts his effort, unfortunately anybody can put in the effort but that doesn't make them a good footballer. If he's not the finished article when the hell will he be ? Six goals in 102 games would be poor for a defender let alone a forward and he doesnt exactly make many goals either. He should be staying behind for extra practice to improve his finishing and crossing and if he isn't then he deserves to be given the boot ! Plenty of sides that have been relegated have been full of triers but thats not what success is made of in the game.

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DanLyles added 09:39 - Mar 1 I get a bit frustrated with Martin's lack of an end product BUT last season he was played through the middle in a 4-2-3-1 and we finished 5th in the goals for column as a team. OK so Martin got 5 goals and 7 assists, which isn't amazing, but maybe his energy and willingness to run at people opens teams up and creates the necessary space for others. This season we are bottom of the scoring charts so maybe this says something about Martin's importance to those around him??? The only thing that let us down last season was our defence (we scored as many as Reading!!!), but with McCarthy having sorted this maybe we should revert back to playing Hyam and Drury (for his passing range) in the holding roles then Murphy, JET and Martin as an elsuive trio roaming behind Chopra. This is the same personnel that led to us scoring as many goals as the league winners last season.

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Michael11 added 09:41 - Mar 1 Like i said previously i'd like to see us go 4-5-1 tomorrow with Martin just behind McGoldrick/Chopra with Murphy on the left. Hopefully he can still play an important part this season!
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Marcus added 09:42 - Mar 1 There's a huge difference between a few jibes about not scoring (which I'm sure his colleagues do) and some of the aggressive language I've seen on here and heard from the crowd. Remember he's a human and criticism leads to a lowering of confidence. Imagine you were at work and had crowds of people jeering you while you were working your hardest. Compare that to a colleague or friend teasing a bit about a bad day in the office.

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expat added 10:07 - Mar 1 Goals will come! is that for or against?
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lojd added 10:12 - Mar 1 We need to get behind the lad. not boo him! He's always been a confidence player and booing someone like that will never help. If you want to know why he always plays and JET doesn't get a game, it's because MM has been a manager of teams fighting relegation for ages and he knows that Martin has the right attitude and his work ethic encourages the other players. If we go down, I don't realistically see us being able to keep him. But if we stay up and let him go, he will go to another rival club and we will all say, 'we should have never let him go' when he's playing well for someone else. In the summer Mick will invest in our midfield and if he buys a couple of exciting attacking/wide midfielders, Martin would be great to have in the squad, he would give us different options. And on form could be a real force and part of an exciting team!

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Wickets added 10:17 - Mar 1 For me Lee still needs to sort his game out and i'm sure Town coaching staff are well aware of this and are working on it, yes he often works hard but all too often gives away silly free kicks, that can cost. Goes from a quiet spell to a headless chicken spell. We all know there needs to be more of an end product, will that come? i'm not sure, but i hope so, On Sat would be a good start.

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Ridgeboy83 added 10:23 - Mar 1 Im not going to sit here and criticise Lee Martin becuase i really think he works hard for the team and he does get his fair share of chances. The problem i have and i think most fans would agree is that when he gets these chances his shots are for what better word "powder puff" efforts. I just think he needs to get on the training graound and whack some balls into the net.

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Daleyitfc added 10:47 - Mar 1 Some people need to wake up and let the scales fall from their eyes : Martin is just horrendous, absolutely awful, one of the worst players to play for us ever. And I remember Bobby Hunt ...
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Alwaysablue added 10:53 - Mar 1 Martin is useless, just because he works hard it doesn't mean he is any help to the team and our course, desperately need new wingers
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buzzardblue added 11:30 - Mar 1 The midfield has been a big problem for a while. Even when the defence was awful it was only compounded by the lack of real energy in the midfield. Martin gives us that energy, Hyam and n'daw have sured up the middle of the park, we need a player like jet to give us an attacking edge. As much as many people seem to think jet is a luxury the last time I saw him at PR he played 5 or 6 defence splitting passes in a 20 min period when he came on. You don't get that invention with the other midfielders we have. But I'm sure many fans would have still been on jets back after that so Martin doesn't have a hope in hell of turning some "fans" around

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osborne1nil added 12:22 - Mar 1 Part of the Roy Keane disasterous spending spree, where lots was spent on mediocre players that rarely returned what was required. I like Martins effort, which most people seem to appreciate and wish he could find the goals or final ball. He is a bit powder puff on the ball as easily knocked off it and shots seem to lack power. He seems to take too long at times on the ball and loses it, when a pass and move option would have better. Would like to see MM / TC sort out these areas and LM would be a decent player. We severly lack goals from midfield and the killer through ball or cross for the strikers to put away. If the coaches can create this from the current squad then great, if not then replacements are needed. Come on Lee bang a couple of goals in on Saturday and start a run of scoring between now and the end of the season, you and ITFC need it! COYB

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