Boss Roy Keane has hit out at fans who booed loan midfielder Jack Colback during Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Plymouth. The 20-year-old hit the first defender with a number of set pieces and was subject to the frustrations of some in the crowd.

Keane said: “I wasn’t too happy with some of the supporters the other night getting on one or two of the players’ backs, including young Jack Colback.

“Fans are entitled to their opinions, but Jack Colback’s been brilliant for us this season, head and shoulders our best player, a young man learning his trade.

“He made one or two mistakes the other night, from a corner and a freekick. We want better from our supporters as well.”

The Blues boss said he was happy to take the criticism himself but felt that young players ought to be given more encouragement: “Boo the manager all you want, but get behind the players. I know it’s only a minority, but what if we want him back next year?

“We talk about the club being a traditionally a top football club and our fans have been brilliant, but the other night we spent half our time giving the opposition manager a big reception, we’ve got young players trying to learn their trade, they’re the ones that need it.”

Keane also feels that some of the more established players are given a comparatively easy ride: “One or two of the senior players get applauded while they’re picking on some of the younger players, I certainly wasn’t happy with that.”

The Town manager isn’t surprised that supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated: “In the modern world we all want things yesterday. Supporters are the same. When I first got the job and I said maybe we can do it in a year, blah, blah, blah, and fans were very supportive of that.

”Now they’re probably looking at it and saying ‘Listen, we’ve not seen too much progress,’ and there’s going to be frustration. I’d rather they took the frustration out on the manager, which they can do, but for Christ’s sake support the younger players.”

Keane says his determination to get the Blues promoted hasn’t wavered despite the disappointing season: “It’s a brilliant, brilliant challenge and every day I come in, the more I realise how big the challenge is, but it’s one I’m going to embrace, one I’m looking forward to.

“I could go off and do plenty of other things if I wanted an easy life, but I’ve never wanted an easy life. I didn’t have an easy Tuesday, I didn’t have an easy Wednesday, but I feel a bit better today and I’ll be ready to go at the weekend.”

Photo: Action Images

JayITFC added 11:07 - Mar 26 ‘Listen, we've not seen too much progress,' 9th last season. Currently 16th this season. I'd say we'd seen NO progress whatsoever. Quite the opposite in fact - we're going backwards.
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ipswichtown added 11:31 - Mar 26 is it just me or does keane really look like tommy miller in a town training top??!?!?
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blue_shoes added 11:41 - Mar 26 bunch of morons people who boo OUR players! ridiculous. what team do they support? if everything doesnt go your way in life you dont boo them. yarmoblue(yellow&green) what a pathetic attitude, i think most people would wish u didnt pay ur money so we can see the back of people like u. u can do what u like in your own home.
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nobrain added 11:46 - Mar 26 sonion_blue If your comment is in response to my observation, check the player ratings for the game. Agree with blue_shoes - booing is for little kids in the playground, not adults.
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Crock added 12:34 - Mar 26 "We want better from our supporters as well.” We want better from our manager as well.
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DietmarVanNostrilBoy added 12:41 - Mar 26 Neilanddon - What are you doing making comments like that! There is no room for logical, simple observations that make complete sense on this site.
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Hiltzkooler added 14:24 - Mar 26 Whether one likes it or not booing is feedback...take it or leave it...if you don't perform then thats what you get from some people..one can argue that encouragement is what is required at this moment in time...but as a professional footballer 'learning his trade' he should be able to kick a ball.. as a paying spectator you do have the choice of feedback...to descibe booing as bullying is a tad hysterical...though one recognises it isn't best constructive.

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runaround added 15:23 - Mar 26 Whilst i agree that booing specific players or during the match is counter productive most of it on Tuesday was after the final whistle and seemed to be as a result of the inept performance instead of certain players. I think ITFC fans have been extremely patient this season at the way the club has under-performed this year and i cannot remember many other occasions this season when there has been booing. I have been to away matches in the past where the home fans have been on the backs of their players within a few minutes of kick-off, that hasnt happened at Portman Road. The atmosphere may have been non existent at times this season but the players have to do their bit to deserve the fans backing.

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blueherts added 16:08 - Mar 26 Boo the coaching staff who cant get their players , that they manage and coach to beat the first man - get rid
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MarkITFC added 16:13 - Mar 26 boo the youngsters n ur a dick ! delanly played awesome all season n made a bad mistake so people were booing , sort ya self out n support ur team properly
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MACKEMYANK added 16:16 - Mar 26 Not that there was much danger of Colback NOT returning to Sunderland but thanks to the boo boys, he definitely will be back now. Thanks lads !!!!
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tom_the_blue added 16:34 - Mar 26 anyone who boos jack or any one of our players can just F-off away from this great football club. I dont care for criticising them after the game, but booing them! anyone who does this is worthless scum who should go and support a team of the same nature ie Norwich.
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ITFC4EVER added 16:45 - Mar 26 i booed our players coz i didnt like what i saw. no one can stop me. ill boo them if i like.
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blue_shoes added 16:45 - Mar 26 i do agree that fans have been patient. and this seasons been bad, but to boo someone that young who's learning the game is disgracefull. what's happened to us being a patient family club which gives people the time and opportunity to get things right. Its the main reason why we'v been successfull over the years! I just dont see what booing acheives. I sometimes think people see it more recently so they give it a go everytime we lose. its one of the things which used to make us special as a club, being patient. we all get frustrated but to aim all that at a young lad is prity dispiriting. have an extra drink after the game and have a moan. but to boo outloud in the stands just because we didnt play well and lost seems not only childish but very self important. get on with your life.

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jas0999 added 18:09 - Mar 26 Totally agree with RK. Although I don't believe that booing is helpful, I fully accept that some have the right to express their annoyance at the end of the game or at half time. But booing during the game? It helps absolutely no one. Even if the booing was not aimed at Colback, people have to understand that it comes across like that. Colback deserves better. I wouldn't blame him if he now turned his back on Town and it's the fans fault. It is also a relevant comment that people like Walters have been poor, yet people choose not to boo him - his header miss on Tuesday was woeful. A true fan would not boo during the game in any event. Pathetic.

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kirbs added 20:30 - Mar 26 I do agree booing the younger players is a bit out of order especially comback who has been superb this season bit tbf you can't have. Go at fans for booin on tuesday night we were soo poor and if the team play that bad they deserved to get booed! Boo the manager it's him that picks the team,buys and sells the players and is the one who is destroyig this once great team! We came close to getting into the play offs under magilton and he got slated and keane has got us close to relegation and people are still supporting him, can't work it out

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bennyblue added 08:29 - Mar 27 you could stop the booing roy
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ChambersM added 20:36 - Mar 27 'NEILANDDON' YOU TALK SENSE MY FRIEND, AGREED WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID!
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