New right-back Janoi Donacien believes fans and players are “gelling well together” following a summer of change which saw nine new additions to the squad under incoming manager Paul Hurst. The St Lucian felt the backing of the Portman Road faithful helped the 10-man Blues to record Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Aston Villa.
"It was a good battling display,” the 24-year-old said. "It took a lot for us to come back, especially from a goal down against a good team that should be up there this year. We just stuck at our jobs and kept going to the end.”
Did Donacien feel the game, in which the Town crowd more than played their part, forged a new bond between the players and the team? "No, to be fair, in the first game of the season against Blackburn I felt like the fans were all the way behind us.
"At the end, we were signing autographs for the fans and they were just happy to see us. Everyone seems to be gelling well together.
"Everyone at the ground and the club is really nice. Everyone just wants to see you do well. Everyone’s behind you. It helps when you have really good people behind you, especially if you have a bad day.”
Regarding Tayo Edun’s controversial red card for two bookable offences, he said: "I didn’t see the tackles and I can’t remember the first one, but the second one a lot of the lads said it was a bit harsh. But what can you do? It’s the ref’s decision.
"It was a knock that it came so quickly after we equalised. We had to react quickly and get our heads back in the game.
"If you let yourself down and don’t concentrate, a team like that will punish you straight away.
"I’m not sure what’s possible for us this season. We’ll just keep going game by game and keep working hard. Who knows what can happen?
"It’s a bit early to say where we can get to in the table or we can do this or that. We’ll just keep working hard together and that should take us through.”
Donacien, who spent six years with Villa as a youngster, captaining their U23s and appearing on the first-team bench twice without making his debut, spent last season playing for Accrington Stanley as they carried off the League Two title and says moving to the Championship is a big change.
"It’s completely different,” he reflected. "Coming out in front of these stands and massive, massive crowds, that’s what I want to do and what I look forward to. I want to play in front of big crowds here.”
Accrington chairman Andy Holt famously took his players to McDonald’s as a post-victory treat last season but Donacien says that’s not something he’s carrying into his time at Town.
"No, absolutely not,” he added. "I haven’t had McDonald’s in ages. I’m off McDonald’s now. Absolutely put off.”
How does he compare his old Accrington manager John Coleman with his new Town boss Hurst? "They are both very successful managers. John Coleman has done a lot for Accrington and he did a lot for me.
"The gaffer here seems like he’s got the same work ethic and he wants to get the best of his group of players.”
Donacien is currently on loan at Town with his £750,000 move from Stanley becoming a permanent deal once he has received his permanent leave to remain from the Home Office.
Speaking on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk, club secretary Stuart Hayton outlined the current position.
"We await news, he’s waiting for his passport back is the news, without telling you too much of his confidential information,” he said.
"Once he gets a passport back that has a stamp in that says he has leave to remain then we can make the deal permanent and he becomes our player.
"But we’re still waiting news of the passport and once it comes through we’ll make him a permanent player.”
Blues MD Ian Milne added: "We’re not expecting any problems on that, he will get it. It’s just that the machinery of the Home Office needs to work its wonders.”