Town boss Mick McCarthy saw positives in last week’s 2-2 home draw with bottom club Rotherham, despite the disappointing result and hostile chants and boos aimed in his direction by frustrated fans.
"It was seen as a positive by me last week, for all sorts of reasons,” he said. "But mostly for the reason that we didn’t get beaten, we kept going.
"The atmosphere that the game was played in wasn’t a reflection on the performance [or the stats].
"I saw it as a positive then. When you’re losing with seconds to go and you get an equaliser, I think it just shows the spirit of the team, the fact that they’re prepared to keep going and there’s no suggestion that anybody’s given up, that’s for sure.”
He added: "The horrible feeling is when the game’s going, of course. You’re losing 2-1 at home to Rotherham and everything just seems rubbish and horrible, so I can get that feeling because the fans will have it.
"But you have to be over and above that as a manager or as a coach, me and TC, and realise that it wasn’t [rubbish and horrible] and that there was some good stuff in there.
"The two bad things were the two goals we gave away. And, of course, they had a couple of breaks in the second half when we were pushing.
"But in terms of us passing the ball and successes and shots, penalty box entries, shots on target and the amount passes - and I know, it’s what you do with it, you’ve got to get the goals, don’t anybody think I’m completely unaware of that - but [the stats] only backed up that I didn’t think the performance was as bad as the atmosphere was.”
McCarthy is confident he can get dissenting fans back on side: "I’ve had wonderful support here and people are getting a little bit fractious and maybe a bit bored but in the main I still get good support and I think the majority do [still back me].
"And I think it’s right that I applaud them. And, do you know what, the ones who are giving me stick have applauded me.
"When I think of all the games I’ve had, the 201 games, the four years I’ve been here, I’ve had nothing but support, so I may be getting a bit of stick now, we’ll change it round.”
The Blues boss says it’s far from the first time he’s had a difficult spell and believes he’s better prepared to deal with it now than he was earlier in his career.
"I remember when I was at Millwall, I had a tough time there and turned that around,” he recalled. "I was really wet behind the ears then. And I’m far more experienced now.
"I think I also understand more because I can see past the upset of a Saturday afternoon when you’re not having it all [your own way] and things are going badly.
"That that’s just a moment in time, that doesn’t reflect me, that doesn’t reflect my career, that doesn’t reflect how it’s going to be in the future.
"It’s just a tough old time at the minute but if you get buried in it then you’re never going to get out of it.”
Would he have dwelt on last Saturday’s situation more at Millwall? "I’d have probably given them the rods and not clapped them, I might have done something stupid! I might have gone and given a volley of abuse to somebody.
"With age comes a little bit of wisdom and a little bit of calm and a little bit of perspective on it and that certainly helps.
"I wouldn’t have given them the rods but I might have been a bit more growly coming off.
"I prefer it coming off and getting cheered and getting nice comments, of course I do, but it’s not going to bother me that much r break me, that’s for sure.”
He added: "I’ve always said, you’re only ever two or three moves away from being a god to a dog. I came back from the World Cup [with Ireland] in 2002 and there were half a million people or something in Phoenix Park in Dublin and we’re all wonderful.
"And by the time October comes I’ve decided I’m going to chuck it because it’s gone all tits up and people have turned against me. It’s what it is.”
Reflecting further on the chants and and booing last week, he continued: "I think you’ll find I’ve not been the one that’s complained about the boos or the reaction.
"I didn’t think the performance warranted it, I thought it was a little bit extreme considering what we were doing.
"But I never complained about it. If I go and pay to watch my team I want to watch them play well and win and not be losing against the bottom team in the league, I get all of that.”