Boss Mick McCarthy urged fans to get behind midfielder Luke Hyam after the academy product was booed by sections of the home support during the 1-1 draw with Watford.

The 22-year-old, who had a lump on his head after an aerial clash, missed a late chance to win the game but had previously received stick from his own supporters after an earlier pass had gone astray, leading McCarthy to remonstrate with fans behind the dug-out.

“Leave him alone, he’s running around with a bloody lump on his head like that, he’s a local lad, we’re trying to get category one, we want 50 per cent of our players from our academy and he was getting the bird and I don’t like it.

“And he was getting the bird, let me tell you, so I got the hump, I don’t like it. Support our players. When you’re having a tough time, that’s when you need somebody to go and pat you on the back and say ‘Come on’ and cheer him on.

“I would love him to have scored the winner, for our three points but also for him because he’s such a great lad. He tries his things off every week. He would have scored but for that big egg on his head. At half-time I thought he might have been concussed but he was all right.”

The Town boss has a lot of time for former Northgate High School pupil Hyam’s attitude and approach: “Brilliant, he hasn’t said anything, he’s all right, it’s me that’s got the hump, it’s me that gets angry about it because if you’re in my tent you’re inside pissing out, not outside pissing in and I want my players and our fans in this tent making it hard for the opposition.

“Be hostile towards them not towards us. I want them to be partisan and hostile but to the others in the other coloured shirts, not our players, don’t give them the bird.”

However, after the game, Hyam tweeted his frustrations: “I love haters so keep on hating.”

Overall, McCarthy thought his team would have been worthy of all three points: “I thought we just about deserved to win the game on the second half.

“The cross from which they scored was a deflection but they’ve got Troy Deeney, who is Johnny-on-the-Spot, he’s on the move in the box and he gets there first.

“[Almunia] makes a good save off Dids at the end and I think the header came off the egg on Luke’s head, he’s got a lump on his forehead like that.

“We probably [deserved to win it] but in the end I’d take the point. Last year they came here and played 3-5-2 and murdered us so I think it shows how far we’ve come.

“He’s set them up the same today, I think their players know that, they’re comfortable with it and they’re a good side. They’ve got good players, they were in the play-offs last year.”

The Blues manager explained why he didn’t use any of his subs: “My experience of those sorts of thing is that you can make the substitution and it can win you the game and it can lose you the game and we were doing fine.

“It was a deflected cross that drops for Deeney, but it’s a good goal by him. With the same players on we perhaps should have won it at the end. But I wasn’t prepared to change it and lose it. I’ll take the point, another point and we’ll march on.

“We asked the two midfield players to get forward and make runs in the second half, which they weren’t doing in the first, they were all coming looking for the ball. It improved us, it stretched them and we got further forward better.”

The Town boss said he didn’t see the penalty incident: “My view was non-existent, I haven’t seen it now and I’m not doing a ‘I haven’t seen it, the wind was blowing, I’d got sunglasses on, the sun was in my eyes' and all that, I haven’t seen it.

“Whether it is and it isn’t we’ve had some good decisions and some bad decisions. The referee thought it was, didn’t he? And you can rely on Dids, can’t you?”

McCarthy didn’t blame Christophe Berra for Troy Deeney’s equaliser: “He got a big contract last year, him and Vydra were outstanding last year. It was a striker who was on the move and it falls to him.

“On another day Christophe might block it, but he didn’t so and overall maybe they deserved a point, we weren’t that dominant, although I thought we were in the second half. He squeezes past him and it goes in at the near post, it happens unfortunately. Big Christophe was different class.”

The Blues boss explained what appeared to be a touchline clash with Watford head coach Giuseppe Sannino: “Far from it, that’s a real misconception, you’ve got that really wrong. I was telling the fourth official to shut up and leave him alone.

“The poor fella’s just come in, he’s been in English football for three days, he’s stepped out of the box, well f--- me! He kept on about how the linesman can’t run up and down.

“But it wasn’t like ‘Sit down’ or ‘Get out of there’, it was ‘Stand in your box or I’m going to send you to the stand’. I heard that and went ‘You what? Do me a favour, let’s make him welcome!’.

“But I think some of their bench misconstrued what I was saying, so somebody said something to me and I said ‘I’m trying to help him, I’m on his side, shut the f--- up!’.

So I did have a bit of a ding-ding but it was with somebody else. I was trying to be nice to him and they were giving out to me. My usual suave sophisticated style!”

In Sannino’s press conference, Hornets’ head of medical Marco Cesarini, who was acting as his translator, admitted responsibility for misunderstanding McCarthy’s position.

The Town boss is a fan of his Watford counterpart: “I like him, I like his passion for it, he was up on the side, he set up his team, they were well organised. I think he’s got a good group of players that he’s come into, I don’t think Gianfranco’s left under any sort of a cloud.

“They’ve not been beaten away from home. He’s got a good group. I liked him and he had a smile on his face.”

Overall, McCarthy felt there were positives to be taken from the match: “How we competed, I thought Tunnicliffe was excellent, I thought Frank was.

“I think Frank’s been excellent from three games ago and the crowd have taken to him. He’s full of running and full of energy, I think he’s done really well.

“I’ll take the point, that’s a positive, what are we, five unbeaten? Three wins, two draws, 11 out of 15 points

“It doesn’t matter where you get them you just keep picking up the points, I thought it was a good performance second half, so I think there were lots of positives.”

Sannino, who said he’d been dreaming of working in England, wouldn’t comment on the penalty: “I’m the type of coach who accepts the decision of the referee, so I have nothing to say about that. Even if we we’d lost 1-0 I would say the same.”

Photo: Action Images

Mark added 18:50 - Dec 21 Hyam had a stinker I thought, but it was idiotic to boo him - a local lad doing his best. I thought it affected him after fans booed his terrible pass in a promising move second half. It was strange that we didn't use any substitues today with the likes of Hunt, Graham and Taylor on the bench, as I thought some fresh legs might have been useful. Good to get a penalty. It's been so long I didn't even know who ITFC's penalty taker was! A point is not a disaster and we go into the winnable Christmas games with optimism.

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blustutu added 18:51 - Dec 21 If you're booing your own player you're not a supporter.
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LankHenners added 18:52 - Dec 21 Good ol' Mick, great man manager and brutally honest!
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bluemingood added 18:53 - Dec 21 Mick. I am not gay but i love you.
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bluefeast added 18:53 - Dec 21 Felt sorry for Hyam today ,some idiots in our crowd bood him , got on his back etc. Maybe if we support our players better they would tuck away their chances. We have the most fickle fans i know of. Support the team and individuals.
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ian_marshall added 18:55 - Dec 21 Mick I am gay. I love you
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jas0999 added 18:55 - Dec 21 We all have our opinions on players. Hyam was poor today, whilst I personally think Murphy is a complete waste of time. But to boo players whilst playing for our team is an absolute disgrace. Yes, moan and state an opinion on here or in the pub after the game, but support them on the pitch!
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Sindre94 added 18:59 - Dec 21 He gets alot of crap from alot of people. I completely agree with Mick on this one
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AbujaBlue added 19:04 - Dec 21 Those on the Watford bench must feel pretty silly now. "My usual suave sophisticated style!”" That's why we love you.
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Marshalls_Mullet added 19:08 - Dec 21 Mick, you've turned me gay. I love you.
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TownOnTheUp added 19:11 - Dec 21 Yes, Hyam didn't set the world alight today, but I was appalled by some of the supporters sitting around me. The first mistake he made, and people jumped straight on him. It's not even people getting frustrated at a string of mistakes or near the end of a truly appalling performance, it's them having a go for every little thing. I think he could score a hat-trick, but if he gave the ball away once he'd be slaughtered by some of our fans. As for the game today, I thought it was very poor, but we got a point against a team that will probably be top 10 come the end of the season. Second half was certainly an improvement on the first, but we didn't have a cutting edge or any sort of killer instinct. Nouble ran and ran, but was ineffective, and I would have liked Graham and Taylor to have had half an hour for Nouble and Murphy. We're playing a 4-3-3 with three strikers, but if the midfield isn't producing then those 3 up front end up isolated, and I just wonder if two wingers would give better support to McGoldrick, who seems to be the only one capable of creating and scoring goals. Of course, it'll be all change when Ebanks-Blake comes in, so we'll see.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 19:13 - Dec 21 Agree with MM and he quite rightly has come out and backed his player. To be fair I think he did ok with the chance it was just three inches too high. Having said that he did have a stinker and needs to up his game a gear.
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martleshamitfc added 19:17 - Dec 21 Mark - hunt was not on the bench, he was injured, please keep up!
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Robbie12345 added 19:19 - Dec 21 Agree with Mick. The support, especially in the area I was sitting (G) was abysmal, everyone moaned at everything good or bad, throughout the whole game, not even knowing who the players names were! If the crowd don't cheer, the players don't feel happy, so they don't play well, so we loose. Get behind the team and give them confidence! It was just embarrassing and a disgrace to the football club. Really annoys me because that can be the difference from being mid table and being promoted. I was the only person in that area to cheer and try and chant to encourage the team. Even-though Hyam didn't have his best game, nor Murphy, we deserved at-least a point, maybe a 2-1 win

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northdevonblue added 19:19 - Dec 21 I presume that the idiots booing are the same moaning when there is no youth in the team.Dont let the morons get you down Luke you are the future.
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bluefeast added 19:20 - Dec 21 I cringed when hyam was jeered. Its absolutely mindless to do that. We should be supporting and cheering not groaning moaning and having a go at an ipswich player ,especially one who is a local lad. Sickens me , but we have had supporters like that from as far back as i remember. David Linigan was often booed and he captained a promotion winning team. Those that boo ,get yourself to a game at shef wed shef ute ,leeds etc etc and learn about passionate support. Booing players creates disharmony , a them and us siege mentality ,idiots.

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Pilgrimblue added 19:25 - Dec 21 i didnt go to game was sad to hear that "fans" booed Hyam. His effort is first class but if he's having a poor game then getting on his back isn't going to help is it (to--ers)! Such a sham he missed late chance to win game. Shame MM didn't try subs in last 10 mins as i'm sure we could have snatched a winner. COYB
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RegencyBlue added 19:27 - Dec 21 No point in booing him but the fact is he offers very little attacking wise and is always looking to pass back or slow the game down. Its been said before but its no less true he is being asked to play a role he is not suited for.
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Mick added 19:29 - Dec 21 boo boys can suck it
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Jimmy86 added 19:33 - Dec 21 I think the biggest problem regarding hyam is the fact he is being asked to get forward more and be more attack minded, but this is a role thatbhe is just simply not capable of fulfilling. Under the 2 previous managers he thrived alongside a more technically gifted midfielder and was the more defensive of the 2. Mick and TC for whatever reason believe he has a more attacking side to his game and are trying to bring this out of him but he is st not cutting it. He is a poor man's leadbitter but without the goals and lets face it grant didnt score an awful lot. He doesnt even do what he used to do that well anymore either, the closing down and breaking up play

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prebbs007 added 19:36 - Dec 21 It is ok everyone saying the supporters should get behind the team but some of the players are clearly not good enough for this level. Saying Hyam is a local lad has nothing to do with it. If he was born in Ipswich or Istanbul it makes no difference. He is not good enough. Check the statistics. Over 60 % of his passes are backwards. Keep the ball yes great but a championship midfielder needs to have some creativity. He has none. Skuse & Tunnicliffe are embarrassingly better than him, he gives the team nothing. Murphy is as ineffective as anyone in the team. Lazy and with no technical ability. He is purely a lump who spends most of the game fouling defenders rather than winning the ball. His first touch is so poor and his hold up play gives our midfield no chance of joining the play. Nouble works so much harder than him it puts him to shame, unfortunately Frank is also not good enough at this level. Our strike force is just that, force ! But no goal scoring ability. Without Mcgoldrick we lack any ability to unlock defences, let's hope SEB can give us something different because we really need it. In conclusion although I agree we should get behind the team you have to respect supporters opinions on certain players. Hyam and Murphy are being carried. 4-3-3 lacks width and teams with wingers will destroy us, Leicester were prime example. We work hard as a team but lack quality. We play a lot of long balls to players who can't hold it up and have no one to split the defence with a pass. We are punching well above our weight and long may that continue but Htam, Murphy and probably Nouble need to be replaced for the team to improve.

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ITFC_Singapore added 19:37 - Dec 21 Mick. I am unsure of my sexuality at this young stage of my life. I love you.
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cleggo added 19:38 - Dec 21 was disappointed not just by booing of Hyam but moans everytime the ball went backwards... and the same time the same people were booing and moaning clearances? Overall people moaning for the sake of it. Massive shame, especially as we played some nice football at times
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bluefeast added 19:46 - Dec 21 Everyone entitled to opinions ,but we have to be the 12th man , that means getting right behind the team even when they are not playing well. To be there today was unbelievable ,the vocal stick hyam got was ludicrous .Support the team as this has to be worth 10 points over the season. I wonder if he missed the chance at the end because he felt rattled and angry as opposed to composed .

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chevvymalc added 19:47 - Dec 21 Well said Mick a supporter watches their team to the final whistle is entitled to a moan but never boo them save the abuse for the opposition make them feel uncomfortable and nervous. No matter how good or bad the team or individual performances are they are hopefully doing their best so encouragement will lift them that extra bit to be what we all want "SUCCESS"!!!!

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