Boss Mick McCarthy says he takes great pride in having been Town manager for four years - his anniversary is on Tuesday - and believes he’s done a good job in that time.
McCarthy, now the longest-serving manager in the Championship, took over at Portman Road on November 1st 2012 after Paul Jewell’s departure with Town bottom of the division, seven points from safety.
He saw the Blues to 14th place and safety in that first campaign, then ninth, sixth and the play-offs in 2014/15, and then seventh last season.
Last week’s game at Newcastle was his 200th as Blues boss - if the 4-0 home victory over Middlesbrough in February 2013 which he missed as he was unwell is included, assistant Terry Connor having been in charge that afternoon - with his overall record standing at won 79, drawn 58 and lost 63, a win percentage of 39.5 per cent.
"I take huge pride in it because quite clearly I’ve done a good job over the four years, no doubting that,” McCarthy said. "I don’t want you to say it, I’m telling you I have.
"We’re just having a bit of a tough time at the moment. Over those four years it’s maybe given me a few credits so I deserve a bit of support when I am having a tough time. No, the team’s having a tough time, not me, I’m not going home and crying about it, but I think about it all the time.
"I’m thrilled I’ve had four years, there’d be a lot of others who would like to think they’d, not ‘get’ four years but ‘earn’ four years through their job, through how they do it and what they’ve done.
"[Owner] Marcus [Evans] hasn’t just kept me, Ipswich Town haven’t just kept me because they like me, it’s because I’ve done a good job. That’s why I’m still here.”
The precariousness of managing in the Championship is illustrated by the fact that only four of the nine bosses appointed in the summer are still in their jobs.
"I think 12 months is the average tenure,” McCarthy reflected. "I was looking and there’s me and Simon Grayson, who is just behind me on almost four years.
"And the next one to me is Gary Rowett, who is two years. And then you start looking down then and I think it’s Chris Hughton, who is one year and 10 months.
"You don’t get long and you look at some clubs since I’ve been here and they’ve had six, seven or eight managers. And they’re still not doing any better than they were when I came here.”
During the recent difficult spell, which has seen the Blues drop to 17th going into today’s game against bottom club Rotherham, some fans have called for a change at the top, but McCarthy says that that doesn’t always ultimately lead to an improvement in a club’s fortunes.
"No, but it gives it a fresh start and people get happy about it for a short while and it all looks rosy and different and fresh and shiny, but whether it has a long-term impact is another matter,” he added.
After there were boos following last March’s 1-0 defeat to the Millers at Portman Road, McCarthy pondered whether some fans were "getting tired of [him]", but he believes that’s currently not a widespread feeling.
"A very small section of them, but that’s always going to be the case,” he continued. "I can’t do anything about that other than to try and win games and stop them being bored of me, unhappy with me and some wanting a change.
"But I do think that’s a very, very small minority and generally the small minority make the most noise, unfortunately.”
Thursday’s Supporters Club AGM saw McCarthy receive his stiffest questioning from fans at such an event since he’s been at Town with his style of football labelled boring by some of those present. However, there were also those who were supportive and complimentary regarding the job he has done over his four years.
Speaking ahead of the meeting McCarthy said he has been warmly welcomed to past Supporters Club AGMs.
"Generally I’ve been well-received at them and I think I should have been well-received at them as well,” he said. "And I appreciate that, I appreciate the support, of course I do.
"It’s always nicer to be getting nice things said to you, supportive things said to you, rather than the other side of it.
"But it’s part of the gig. How many managers have gone? It’s a ruthless old business. I’ve survived pretty well at it so far.”