Looking back at my first blog at the dawn of the Paul Hurst era, it was written in the wave of optimism and new found hope that so many of us felt at the time.

I predicted a bumpy ride, but so far it's not so much been bumps as potholes, engineering works and a constant loop of Jason Durulo on the radio.

Hurtling towards November we sit bottom of the table, only one solitary victory, and walking slowly into the League One swamp that's claimed so many big scalps.

On paper Hurst ticks so many boxes, his first press conference was music to the ears, talk of wingers, pressing football, giving youth a chance, bringing the excitement back.

The West Ham friendly was seen by many as a promising sign of things to come only for us to see a majority of the youngsters who we felt staked a claim during the match loaned out and replaced by lower league players of varying degrees of ability.

Don't get me wrong, raiding the lower leagues, to me, is a route I've wanted us to go down for years. Walters, Cresswell and Mings have been just three of the success stories in recent times, but you need to complement that with experienced campaigners and we have now become top heavy with those trying to make the step up.

The football being served up hasn't improved either, if anything it's frequently worse than what his much maligned predecessor gave us. The QPR match a new low.

So where do we go from here? We stick with Hurst, a man used to success rather than failure but finding the Championship a steep learning curve, hope he learns from his mistakes and somehow limps through the season and approach the next with a few valuable lessons learnt or do we get rid now in the hope a more experienced manager takes us on and steadies the ship in much the same way Mick McCarthy did when he arrived?

As much as the club is renowned for giving a manager time, the atmosphere Saturday felt almost like the end of an era already, and the first real signs of supporters' frustration started to emerge.

This appointment always had an element of risk about it and I wouldn't be surprised if Marcus hasn't got a performance related 'Get out of jail free' card in the small print of Hurst's contract.

Whatever you may think of our owner, he's a successful businessman and I'd be surprised if he hasn't prepared for the situation which as it is can't go on. Either Hurst needs to come up with the goods quickly or we hand the reins over to someone who can at least get us firing again to some degree.

The next few matches could prove very telling on whether Marcus is planning to stick or twist and when you consider the feelgood factor and buzz that Hurst's appointment gave a majority of supporters back in the summer, it's almost inconceivable that it's failing so spectacularly.

Wickets added 11:00 - Oct 22 I enjoyed reading this and didn't at the same time, if you get my drift, but i am not so sure regarding that "get out of jail " bit !!
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parkinshair added 12:54 - Oct 22 Maybe wishful thinking but I just can't see Evans giving an unproven manager a long contract without a few performance related conditions thrown in.
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ElephantintheRoom added 14:00 - Oct 22 It's very sad to see so many so called Ipswich supporters winging and whining. What on earth do you expect? There is no semblance of a football club at Portman Road any more - simply an opportunist manager cast adrift with no experience and no back-up with an offshore owner only in it for what he can sell. Somewhat pathetic to think that a change of manager can undo over a decade of decay which stems from greed, mismanagment and incompetence at the top. The people whining the loudest as of course the ones who drove out McCarthy. For goodness sake you sacrificed boring stability of sorts on the alter of an impossible fantasy. It is nigh on impossible to get relegated if Birmingham get their 15 point penalty. Despite everything Town could stay up and if one or two of the new signings are up to championship level then Evans can sell them and the merry-go-round can twirl again. If you think Evans is here for anything other than easy money for minimal effort you are sadly mistaken.

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parkinshair added 14:17 - Oct 22 The blog is an observation of where we are at the moment as I see it and the contributing factors at grass roots level. Sorry if you think it's whining but it's an Ipswich site and it's not exactly going well. What am I meant to say?
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Count_Arthur added 17:40 - Oct 22 Well written, articulate and honest appraisal. ElephantintheRoom - I fear you've missed the point of this post and I'm not sure it's too much to expect the club we all love and support to have had a better start to the season than we have had. We shouldn't have to settle for 'boring stability' whatever the reasons from the top. Yes, there are problems but all Parkinshair is saying that after the wave of optimism we were all expecting something a little better than Saturday.

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parkinshair added 17:54 - Oct 22 Apologies as well Elephantintheroom. I accidentally up voted you.
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frantblue added 18:04 - Oct 22 Whining and moaning no... There is some ok business there but that would have been ok business with a manager able to help and hold the dressing room ... Hurst hasn't and can't his comments after the game Saturday said as much it would not surprise me if those that were folorn and shell shocked were the Shrewsbury boys he brought with him. Shocked to see him questioned and tested by people with more ability and knowledge. The time is now for the change let's not wait we have the team here already to take over it doesn't need to be nostalgic Burley is the past butcher has never been successful in management. Allot of other names we would not want as there reputation are shocking for off the field endevours. Nash and Hogg time to step up and save our season Mr Klug needs to become.e head of recruitment and the Academy. It's so simple to see what to do round pegs in round holes.

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ElephantintheRoom added 13:39 - Oct 23 I fear you are delusional if you think a manager can come in and sort out the mess that is ITFC. Hurst was on a loser from day one - but he did seem to completely misjudge the situation. Mick McCarthy always leaves chaos and relegation in his wake. A paper thin squad, no funds and an opportunistic offshore owner is a recipe for relegation not success. Hurst is in a win win situation. His pay off will be more than if he is a success here. Given the intolerance of the crowd I can understand him going for the pay off. Hurst was inept in the way he seems not to have realized how thin the squad was that he inherited and somewhat disdainful of youth, let alone Emmanuel who gave Shrewsbury something of a runaround. However, relegation is all but impossible this season. And even if Town DO manage to go down, who on the evidence of last season is best equipped to steady the ship and get a paper thin squad challenging for promotion from division 3..... step forward Paul Hurst.

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parkinshair added 19:33 - Oct 23 What makes you think relegation is all but impossible? You mention Birmingham and the points deduction but that's just one of three places.
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