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Judge Embarrassed By Preston Performance - Ipswich Town News

Blues midfielder Alan Judge admitted to being “a little bit embarrassed” following Good Friday’s 4-0 defeat at Preston, already-relegated Town’s heaviest loss of the season.

Judge, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Blues having joined on a short-term basis in January, believes confirmation of relegation to League One, which came last Saturday, had an impact on the squad.

"I'm a little bit embarrassed, to be honest with you,” the 30-year-old said. "That's the first time since I've been here there that it's been like that. I think the relegation has been hard this week.

"We usually lose by the odd or goal and have been drawing games, but that's the first time we've got properly beaten. We've only got ourselves to blame.

"I'm a bit lost for words. It just wasn't good enough everywhere, me included. I can only apologise to the fans that have travelled this far for it.

"I don't have excuses. It was us, simple as. I don't think manager or any of the players would try to sugar coat it.

"It shouldn't happen. I'm just glad there is another game Monday. Hopefully we change what happened here.”

Manager Paul Lambert was similarly scathing with his post-match comments and Judge had no argument with what his boss had to say to the squad after the match.

"Everything that is said in the dressing room stays in there, but what he said was right,” he added.

"As I said, I'm just a little bit embarrassed. We all know we're down, but we shouldn't be performing like that.

"We can't have that again. We can have an affect on what happens at the top of the league. We might be down, but for our own pride we have to give everything we can.

"If we are to get out of the league we're going into next year then a few home truths needed to be told.”

Judge paid tribute to the Blues’ support, 428 fans having made the trip to Deepdale: "The support we have had for a team that is bottom of the league is astonishing.

"The way the fans stuck around at the end of the Birmingham game after we were relegated was amazing.

"Usually the crowd would be showing their frustrations, but ours haven’t. They've stuck by us. Hopefully next year we can start giving back to them.”

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