Skipper David Norris felt the players let down the fans and Roy Keane and his management staff during Sunday’s 4-1 derby defeat at Norwich. The 29-year-old hopes they can go some way towards making amends when the Blues take on West Brom at Portman Road in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

Norris said: “It was hard to even go over to the fans at the end of the game. They stood out yesterday and when a few of us went over to their section they clapped us. It was almost embarrassing to take it.

“We have got to start giving them something back starting with Wednesday’s Carling Cup quarter-final against West Brom.

“To the players it was probably just another game — another three points. But to the staff their jobs are on the line.

“And to our fans there was local pride at stake, and the derby really means a lot to them. We let them all down. It was an embarrassing defeat with no positives and us players have got to look at ourselves."

Norris, who is in talks regarding extending his time at Portman Road beyond the end of the season, says Keane and his coaches do everything to ensure positive results: “The manager and staff prepare us right on the training ground. They can change this and change that but once we cross the white line it is down to us.

“The manager is coming under increasing pressure, as we all do when you are losing games. We are playing for new contracts, and it is part and parcel of football, but we have to give ourselves a chance.”

The former Plymouth man says the derby was a chance to turn things around after the three previous defeats: “This was no ordinary game and after losing three on the trot this was a match that could have put right the wrongs of the three previous games.

“As mistakes go the first two Norwich goals were shockers. We are not picking on individuals and they were from players you can normally rely on, but they had no place in a game like yesterday’s.”

Photo: Action Images

corshamblue added 12:20 - Nov 30 Just 3 Points? Chuck, I was hoping the Derby was important to players and just not the fans. FFS. COYB
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BlueVelvet added 12:43 - Nov 30 For ME its just a business venture and his main players are Cleggy for his olympic contacts and RK for being an icon of the bootiful game. The first thing that'll impact on the business venture is reduced gate revenue (attendances will fall), followed by less season ticket holders, followed by reduced TV rights followed by no prmier league money - when will ME step in to stop the rot? Well, it'll be before season ticket renewals panto time, and before towns poor performance impacts on ME's business interest portfolio - he can't afford to let RK go just yet, but I'd give him until the end of next week.

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BlueVelvet added 13:29 - Nov 30 A satelite truck has just rolled up on the street at PR, so its either a live snow report or its for a feature about Ipswich Buses or its some hot news from ITFC - a new manager........ and the successor to RK is .......
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bigfish added 13:47 - Nov 30 Well done norris - if you and the team care i would surgest you all donate a weeks wages to charity - but its just talk to keep the fans on your side
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footballdave added 14:49 - Nov 30 For Evans it is now all about the 2012 Olympics. That is why Clegg was bought in and the same for Keane! Evans will make a fortune out of his corporate entertainment. Keane is on Sky sports news every day and Evans name features behind him. Fallon was probably signed so Evans can capture the New Zealand market! After the Olympics Evans will walk away and it good night ITFC!!!!

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slowerball added 17:33 - Nov 30 Well spotted Norris, you I run around doing very little creatively, I just run and try and block a pass / shot type midfielder. Too f***ing right you let us down. Bunch of clowns. Still can't believe it. I have never seen defending like it - O'Dea can go back to Celtic whenever he wants - thanks, but no thanks. Make or break in January Mr K - make two or three decent signings, or get stuffed please. MoM on Sunday - I thought Healy did well when he came on - he looked lean and in good shape, if not fully match fit. Big game Wednesday..... come on you (young) blues...

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tallguy6767 added 18:29 - Nov 30 Hollow words im afraid norris although you did look like the only one trying to put a shift in. what you say about players treating a derby match as only another 3 points disturb me greatly! you should know what it means to all at the club, to loose to norwich is bad enough but in the manner that we did was very very hard to take i was totally gutted, empty, the worse ive felt after a game for many a year it was that bad. I dont know what direction were heading in now but i really dont feel that optimistic about the rest of the season, I really think we have a decent squad that should be up there fighting for promotion but that needs a leader someone who gets the best out of everyone and that is where the problem lies, so its a big F.O.R.K. from me.

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