Town boss Mick McCarthy felt the Blues’ 3-1 victory over Newcastle United on Sir Bobby Robson Day was a fitting tribute to the clubs’ legendary manager. Goals from Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws saw Town to the win, with ex-Blues striker Daryl Murphy netting for the Magpies.

“I think it was a great tribute to Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie, who was here and all the family,” McCarthy said.

“I’m not sure which side he’d be on, I think he must have favoured us today.

"I think the game was a fitting tribute to him, it was a good game. It was a lovely thing to do and it’s nice to be part of it, I have to be honest.”

Was the win and performance against one of the division’s top sides and the Blues’ first back-to-back victories coming at this late stage of the season to some extent bittersweet? “No, it’s just sweet!”

But McCarthy agreed it was Town’s best performance of the campaign: “I would say so, especially with beating Newcastle at home, so I would guess it makes it even better. It’s the best one.”

Did he sense some nervousness from the visitors as they close in on a return to the Premier League? “You get nervous at either end, we were talking about that before the game.

“If you’re in that top two and you start looking at the games and wondering, and likewise for us on Friday night [at Burton], we were nervous. But thankfully we held it together and won.

“But we deserved to win today, we’ve just been better than them all-round, I think. And if anybody goes away talking about Newcastle being nervous and not playing very well, I think that would be an injustice to my team and my players today.”

With their Championship status having been all but secured by beating the Brewers 2-1 on Friday night, did he feel the shackles were off for his players? “Maybe, that’s a good story. But I thought we played well on Friday night when the shackles were on good and proper and if we’d have lost we’d got Newcastle coming. We played well on Friday night.

“That’s a little bit unjust to say that, although it may well have happened. They are feeling it a bit and I did say to the lads there are 25,000 coming here to watch.

“I said, ‘Not us by the way, I’m sure none of the f****rs are coming to watch us the way we’ve been playing here. So if that’s the case, I’m not bothered about that but make sure they’re talking about us when they go home, in a positive manner, and make sure they’ve come and they’ve enjoyed watching us’.”

“So for whatever reason it’s a good performance. I can’t get to the bottom of it and tell you why. Maybe it’s the fact that David McGoldrick’s in his pomp and playing great and Freddie and Tom Lawrence and Wardy, I thought the front four were excellent. Anyway, I’m not really bothered about the reason why, I’m just delighted we did.”

Regarding third goalscorer Huws, who is on loan from Cardiff, McCarthy reiterated his desire to keep the Welshman at Portman Road but says there’s nothing new to add on that front: “I’m only repeating what I’ve said before, but yes.”

McCarthy said he was pleased to send everyone happy and with what was an excellent Portman Road atmosphere, which hasn’t always been the case in recent times.

“That’s because we’ve been shit!” McCarthy added, referencing terrace chants at recent matches. “I’m cool with that, I’m fine. But it’s not been helped by a shit atmosphere as well.

“It cuts both ways, doesn’t it? Cuts both ways. I said when we were struggling and maybe could have got relegated, I said the crowd are part of that as well if it happens.

“And they’ve been a great part of a fabulous victory today and I love to send them home feeling that way.

“And we did for a long time, we had 13 victories on a Tuesday night here. It was fab, it was great. Like I said to you before, I kept the club up, three top 10 finishes and I’ve had a bad year this year.

“Isn’t it great when everybody turns their back on you and sneers at you and actually wants to stop you coming to the game and things like that. I’m glad they’ve enjoyed it today. Good. I have as well.”

Keeper Dean Gerken missed out on a place on the bench again due to a shoulder injury, while Jonny Williams was in the squad but not included in the 18.

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez was disappointed with his side’s display which he felt was significantly worse than their showing in Friday’s 1-1 home draw with Leeds.

“I am concerned about the change in the team in terms of the performance against Leeds and the performance today,” he admitted.

“We know we still have to win games — and we must improve a lot. We knew it could be this kind of game today and I felt we were ready but it seems we were not.

“We were not focused or mentally ready. It is difficult to explain that but that is the reality. As soon as we scored and had control of the game we made another mistake.

“We are paying for our mistakes and we have to learn from that. But it is still in our hands.

“This was not us at our best and we have to change quickly. We all have to take responsibility — we win and lose together.

“Was it our worst display of the season? I don’t know and I’m not worried about that. We lost and that’s it, and I am disappointed because of that.

“We know something is wrong and we have to analyse the situation. We have had a lot of very good performances this season and we need to do it again.”

Photo: TWTD

Spanishblueblood added 20:07 - Apr 17 Tbh, i wouldnt be offended by Micks pathetic comments, its just sad that he felt the need to make the said comments, totally unnecesary!
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Mcarthyout added 20:09 - Apr 17 Fu*k off and do us all a favour us fu*ckers pay your wages you useless c u next tuesday
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vanmunt added 20:20 - Apr 17 Where have all these mick loviving f@@kers been the last few weeks, lap it up you are nothing more than f@@kers than the rest of to your here potty mouth mick.. you bunch of sad ostriches.
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vanmunt added 20:21 - Apr 17 *hero potty mouth mick
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Swn98 added 20:23 - Apr 17 The comment in my opinion was what MM said to the players play well or have those moaning***** on your back as i dont moan and certainly dont swear it was not directed at me as for the user who complained that it some how infringed on the enjoyment of 9 members of his family i thought it was said after the match at a press conference i didnt hear it in the Radio Suffolk Interview. I am affraid the language used and chanted at football these days by some FANS would stop me taking any young member of my family.

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kevinocallaghan added 20:23 - Apr 17 Can anyone understand that last sentence ??
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yorksblue added 20:24 - Apr 17 We're safe, so bin him now.
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Carberry added 20:27 - Apr 17 Bewildering behaviour. Totally unacceptable and has taken the gloss off what should have been a good day. Perhaps he has been told he goes at the end of the season and just doesn't care? Either way he has no class and no shame.
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blueboy1981 added 20:27 - Apr 17 Call a Customer a F----R - and see if he/she returns .. ?? Absolutely NO excuse for this, and taints a GREAT DAY. Just proves - once again - what McCarthy really is. End of.
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david_d added 20:30 - Apr 17 A fantastic performance by the boys, sadly ruined by our foul mouthed and disrespectful manager. As a fan of over 40 years I feel agrieved and upset by his comments. He also picks such a wonderful occasion to use his gutter talk reserved for us paying customers. He chooses today to stoop to a new low. He surely can have no future at our beloved club.
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ip5w1ch added 20:31 - Apr 17 Phil, can you clarify the context for MM's remarks? What were the questions put to him and his tone when using certain colourful language? Think some on here are of the belief MM just speaks, they don't seem to appreciate he is responding to experienced reporters asking questions to engineer stories
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smellmycheese added 20:33 - Apr 17 Mick, you are one almighty bell end.
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Steelmonkey added 20:37 - Apr 17 Rest assured Mr McCarthy those F******S did not turn up to see you, they attended out of the utmost respect for a man that truly loved this club. You know where the door is and take that foul mouth with you. Just had to alter one word (I'll let you guess which one) which apparently was unacceptable for my submission, however it is acceptable to use it in a press conference by the manager of ITFC.

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Swn98 added 20:42 - Apr 17 I agree Phil please clarify the situation.
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DoseOfReality added 20:47 - Apr 17 Swn98 there is no excuse to refer to your own fans in the way he has .. IMO I think he is bewildered why we don't support the boring crap he served up for last 18 months & he thinks he is beyond reproach & we should support him no matter what He's made a total mess of this job after decent start & he knows it
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Kesgraveblue92 added 20:59 - Apr 17 Totally stunned. Seems he is going out of his way to annoy the fans at every opportunity. I wonder what Sir Bobby or Sir Alf would has said in a post match interview. I highly doubt it would have been anything of the sort. On a special day for the club off the pitch he has poisoned it with his own vile comments blatantly aimed at the fans. It is F@@@ers like us that pay his wages. How can anyone respect him now.

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superdicksy added 21:00 - Apr 17 How much longer to the itfc fans have to put up with The Dino He has a mouth like a sewer Cannot speak about fans like that there the ones who pay his wages Dino out
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Geddis78 added 21:04 - Apr 17 Typical. I miss a game and it sounds like it was the best performance of the year with an atmosphere to match. Just read the interview. I don't get why so many fans have a problem with Mick's language. I was at the game where the north stand called Evans and Milne a c**t. I have read loads of anti Mick comments laden with expletives. These are all apparently fair play but if he dares give some back and stick up for himself, he is arrogant and foul mouthed? Are fans on here really that sensitive with such double standards. Anyway, well done Town. Great result.

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itfcbam added 21:05 - Apr 17 MM one of the worst managers we have had? To start the 2 before we're far worse, John Duncan, Mick McGiven, need I say more. MM has over achieved given the resources available to him. A budget for not much above the bottom 3, and until this season had us in the top half. Also the last 5 games have been much better, finally what he had wanted, a fully fit McGoldrick and Sears up top, supported by Ward and Tom. Now all are available we are seeing an improvement. I think his comments are more out of frustration, can understand some of the stick he has had but some of the personal abuse is uncalled for and is long before he had come out with bits. My point, both a wrong.

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warwickblue added 21:08 - Apr 17 Would today not have been the perfect opportunity for MM to have attempted to build some bridges with the hundreds (if not thousands) of supporters who have been so disgruntled this season? A 3-1 victory, nearly full ground and a great atmosphere. How useful would it have been for post-match comments to have been along the lines of " Let's take that as a blue-print for next season!" Instead we get the same old weary, self-promoting, self -serving rubbish about how he has "saved the club" year after year - followed by the predictable burst of obscenities. We are not offended Mick - just bewildered at your arrogance and the fact that you are so one-dimensional. Using foul language, in anyone's book, is not a fitting and appropriate way to respond to the events of today when Sir Bobby Robson is foremost in supporters' minds. Absolutely no class. I shudder to think how much longer this farcical situation can be allowed to continue. In my employment , had I used a single expletive, even in the face of some severe provocation at times, I would reasonably have expected severe disciplinary sanctions or dismissal. This "manager" swears freely and liberally in virtually every press interview. It's not clever Mick and actually it does upset some people - despite those on here telling fans to take it on the chin. It isn't necessary either. We know you're a hard man, you don't need to use foul language to reinforce the point. Why does everything have to be reduced to the lowest common denominator?

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Swn98 added 21:12 - Apr 17 Strange ive just been on the forum strange how the comments over there are far more balanced re this subject.
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Crawfordsboot added 21:16 - Apr 17 Give the man a break. Week after week a section of fans(?) on here have a foul mouthed rant at him and then get all holier than thou when he strikes out. Just imagine how would you react if having done a good job for a couple of years and then had a poor twelve months your boss went on at you week after week telling you that you were total c**p. Would you feel bullied, resentful or just not care? Set aside our sometimes dismal performance this year. No one deserves the bile that people pour on his head from the safety of the internet. ITFC IS BETTER THAN THAT SURELY.

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alfromcol added 21:22 - Apr 17 Plenty of foul mouths on here by the look of it!!! Perhaps you could clean this board up Phil and delete those using foul language?
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Swn98 added 21:33 - Apr 17 Well said Alf and perhaps the club should set some examples by throwing out supporters that use foul and abusive language just like the signs around the stadium state.
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DoseOfReality added 21:50 - Apr 17 Reap what you sow My 80 year old parents were 2 of the f***ers there today for first time since cancelling season tickets at end of last season .. MM speaks of us like that then don't criticise the response
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