The Blues could still make the play-offs this season, according to manager Paul Jewell — but only if they improve a lot on the campaign’s performances up to now. Town's 2011/12 season reaches its halfway mark with today's game at Reading with the Blues in 19th, nine points behind the Royals in sixth.

Jewell said: “With 24 games to go anything is possible. We could make the play-offs but we won’t if we show the form we’ve shown so far. We’ve got to improve an awful lot in the second half of the season to get up the table.

“We’re nine points from sixth with a game in hand,” he continued. “I don’t think there’s a bad team in this league. You can tell by the results every week that everyone goes somewhere thinking they can get a result. There’s nowhere where you think you can’t get a result.

“So far this season we’ve had everything - good, bad and a lot of ugly, and that’s just the players. I think we’ve shown at times that we’ve got the ability to play against the best but we’ve also got that inability to kill teams off and concede soft goals, and that’s why we are where we are.”

The Liverpudlian is clear what he’d like to see in the months to come and during today’s match: “We’d like to see an improvement as a group, not just individually but as a group.

“We had a collective performance against Leicester and we might have to do the same against Reading, who were in the Premier League a couple of seasons ago and got beaten in the play-off final last year.

“Then we play Forest on Monday and they’ve been in the play-offs twice in the last two seasons. Then it’s Birmingham the week after. There are no mugs in this league.”

Photo: Action Images

bluelady added 08:59 - Dec 31 Play offs, chuckle that made my day!!!
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TrueBlueFerret added 09:04 - Dec 31 Hope PJ will be uttering those words Monday Ttime 6Pints better orf !!!!!!!!!!
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piersmorganisatool added 09:13 - Dec 31 where did this sudden burst of enthusiasm come from? to achieve that PJ we would need a serious change of mindset from top to bottom within our club, therefore with that in mind it is unlikely in all honesty.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 09:17 - Dec 31 And then PJ woke up, turned over & went back to sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Dream on. Did make me smile though.
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wiggy71 added 09:24 - Dec 31 would you all rather pj came out and said we're rubbish and religation looks like a a dead cert........ no nor me so shut up and get behind the team just like pj has.
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strikalite added 09:27 - Dec 31 I think I uttered the words 'oh please' when I read this one...we'd probably have to win 50% of those 24 games and a fair few draws in there too, I'll be happy to stay up this season, that's my goal because there are 'no mugs in the league' as they say..
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Marcus added 09:29 - Dec 31 Nine points or nine pints?
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StochesStotasBlewe added 09:30 - Dec 31 wiggy71. I am always behind the team when we are playing, but have you noticed that for the best part we have been rubbish, so a form improvement of mahoosive proportions is needed to get anywhere near a play off spot, but somehow i just can,t see that happening. COYB.
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bluelady added 09:33 - Dec 31 Wiggy I'm with pinewood always behind the team, this is just one step too far !
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Drew added 09:33 - Dec 31 24 games left, 9 points behind. Anything is possible really, it all depends on who we get in next month.
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walberswick added 09:33 - Dec 31 Yes PJ, and there are only another 18 teams above us whose dip in form will get us into the play-offs There are several mugs in this division and there are far too many of them at ITFC.
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piersmorganisatool added 09:35 - Dec 31 come on people get a reality check for god's sake! we will not make the play off's because we are not good enough, end of. as each season has gone by we are gradually slipping backwards, for the last 2 seasons we have battled to stay in this league, thats right battled to stay in it, not get promoted out of it, WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY, we're a great club but nowadays we're rudderless and have been since ME took over, i don't see us in the premier ship within the next decade, and i'd be very happy to put my mortgage on that.but of course, you believe what want to, it's your right.

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righty added 09:36 - Dec 31 here here pinewoodblueboy wiggy71 talking rubbish to achieve anything apart from mid table would be to much for this club being run by muppets
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pazelle added 09:36 - Dec 31 Can't believe he's come out with this one! Halfway through the season and we're only ahead of Millwall, Doncaster, Coventry and Bristol City. Shut up and win some matches!
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manualthetisfanclub added 09:42 - Dec 31 Would rather he either be realistic and keep us in the league than talk up playoffs.come on pj the supporters aren't mugs,we all know we aint good enough at the moment!
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sereneblue added 09:46 - Dec 31 Walberswick. Same boring predicable comments - different day.
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irishtim added 09:46 - Dec 31 St. Ledger up for grabs at leicester we should get him in
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Ipswich24 added 09:49 - Dec 31 Here we go few games unbeaten and we could make playoffs we need to keep this little run going be happy with point today to start be very tough.
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Keaneish added 09:50 - Dec 31 I don't think I need add anything to this stupid comment. To follow up from IrishTim, Leicester also in for Sharp! As if Nugent, Waghorn, Beckford, Howard, Vassell and Schlupp weren't enough! I wonder who Pearson wants out. Might be a cheaper option for us! I'd take 4 out of 6 of them.
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JayITFC added 09:56 - Dec 31 Gullible fans don't need their hopes and expectations raised like this. No chance PJ!
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brittaniaman added 10:05 - Dec 31 Playoffs I would not like to comment until 5pm., because if we lose that would mean 12pts behind. also if we win 6pts. behind is going to be very optimistic and we could start believing in ourselves COYB !!!!!!!!!
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marcusevans added 10:05 - Dec 31 I think it is called motivation and it is all about instiling belief in the players. As long as they buy into what PJ says, it doesn't matter a jot what we think. Oh and you never know, he might just be right! Keep the faith everyone.
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sohamblue added 10:12 - Dec 31 if only yer a dreamer
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wiggy71 added 10:14 - Dec 31 i never said that we would make the play offs i hope we do and with a good run and a bit of luck it is not unachivable. what i was trying to point out is i prefer a positive manager to a negative one
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londontractorboy added 10:32 - Dec 31 Huh....PJ been on the juice a bit early has he!...
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