Boss Mick McCarthy believes the Blues can still hit their pre-season target of the play-offs, despite their current position, but says a top-six finish will be more realistic if everyone is pulling together. Town visit Sheffield Wednesday today sitting 16th in the table, six points off the play-offs and four points from the relegation zone.
"It is, of course,” McCarthy said when asked if reaching the play-offs is still realistic. "And it’ll be a far more realistic target if we’re all together with it. There’s no doubt that the players, myself and the staff are and I’d say the fans are in the main.
"But we’ve got Saturday’s game and then we come back and we’ve got two at home [against Nottingham Forest and QPR] and it’s going to make it a lot easier to play if there’s a really good positive atmosphere about it.
"I understand that we have to create that with our results and our performances, but it is a lot easier to do it and to play in if the atmosphere’s good.
"It’s a collective thing. It can’t just be the fans, we can’t just rely on the fans to turn up and make a good atmosphere and they can’t rely on us. It’s got to be done together.
"And that’s been the case for me over the last four years, and I hope it will be the same again.”
McCarthy has regularly praised the Blues’ away support during his time as boss and he hopes they play their part at Hillsborough this afternoon.
"Wonderful support,” he said before reflecting on the chants aimed in his direction during the second half of last week’s 2-2 home draw with Rotherham.
"If you think about it, out of four years and 201 games, I’ve had one little dodgy afternoon where a few shouted and have been upset about how we’ve played and how we’ve not beaten Rotherham who are bottom of the league. That’s not a bad average that, is it, to be fair.
"I think about Watford, Charlton, every time we’re at Charlton, Fulham away, MK Dons away.
"I just think about the away games, certainly the ones the fans can travel to [more easily], we’ve had brilliant support. Derby when we go there, fantastic. Let’s keep it up.”
After the boos and chants aimed at him during the Rotherham game, is McCarthy happier to be away from home this weekend?
"It wouldn’t bother me at all if we were at Portman Road, I wouldn’t be concerned about that,” he insisted.
"We come back after the break and have two home games. If I start worrying about playing at home that would be a real concern and it never is.
"I go out every week and I expect to win at home. And we’re going to Hillsborough against a really good side, so I don’t see it as a plus point, I have to be honest.
"I’ll still get stick at Hillsborough, they like me, being from Barnsley I’ve always been one of their favourite sons!”