Boss Mick McCarthy has told midfielder Luke Hyam to ignore the negativity from the section of the Town support which jeered him during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Watford and subsequently made similar comments on social media.
In his post-match press conference McCarthy urged fans to back the former Northgate High School pupil — a Town supporter as a youngster — while the midfielder tweeted his frustration at his treatment soon after the game: "I love haters so keep on hating.”
"Read all the good stuff, take no notice of the negativity,” was McCarthy’s advice to the 22-year-old on how to cope with the situation. "There are always numpties out there who want to write [negatively] on Twitter.
"I don’t know why people do it because it doesn’t make anybody play any better. But the majority [of fans] are fantastic, there are the odd few who create a negative environment in which to try and play. It does my head in.
"But what you’ll find is that he’ll get great support, certainly from me and from everybody else, all the players, because they value what he does. He’s somebody who puts a shift in like he does every week.
"Is he the best player in the world? No, he isn’t, because if he was he wouldn’t be here. But what he does is give his all for Ipswich and that’s what people should appreciate.”
The midfielder seems certain to be in McCarthy's side at Doncaster on Boxing Day.