Boss Paul Jewell was disappointed after what he felt was an untypical performance as the Blues ended their home campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Millwall.

Jewell said: “It’s really disappointing. We had lots of the ball and didn’t do a lot with it. We were very laboured. But in the last 18 games we’ve lost four games.

“We were slow today, lethargic and even the games that we’ve lost I thought we were unfortunate but today we were a bit laboured and laborious, those words I’ve used when we were really struggling reared their ugly heads again today.

“But put things into perspective, we’ve done OK in the last 18 games, it’s the fourth defeat. I think we’ve got 30 points out of whatever it is, it’s just the last thing the supporters see at home is a 3-0 defeat and we accept that it’s not acceptable.”

The Blues boss admitted that it wasn’t easy to come out for the annual post-match lap of the pitch: “It was difficult but we owe that to the supporters that stayed to show our appreciation.

“It’s embarrassing a little bit, but if people and young kids have stayed we want to show our appreciation to them. We would have liked it to have been on a happier note, but you’ve got to bite the bullet.”

Jewell felt the early goal set the pattern: “Goals change games and we were 1-0 down after three minutes and that changed the complexion of the game.

“We’ve got to give Millwall some credit, they came here and sat back and counter-attacked us. Take your hats off to them, they did that very well.”

The Liverpudlian says there was nothing on show that he wasn’t already away of: “We are where we are not because we’ve been unlucky but because we haven’t been good enough.

“At one time we were looking at a relegation fight. We got over that, but today we’ve been caught by a sucker punch, and we gave away bad goals. The defence over the last 16 or 17 games has been pretty tight but today all over as a unit we were second best.

“It’s horrible getting beaten at home like that but we can’t go away from here thinking that’s the end of the world.

“We didn’t play well today, we’ve been punished by a team which has come and done a job on us, but since January we’ve played really well and we’ve shown top six form.

“Today we’ve been beaten 3-0. That’s the Championship for you. We’re not happy about it and the reason we are where we are in 15th with 58 points is that we haven’t been good enough in too many games.

"The second half of the season has been acceptable but we’re paying a price for the first half.”

The Town manager dismissed suggestions that one or two of his players might already have been thinking too much about their summer holidays: “No one said that on Tuesday, and I know that in training we haven’t taken our foot off the pedal at all. That performance was most unlike us, very unlike Ipswich since the turn of the year.

“We know people will go home disappointed but that’s been a one-off. Even when we got beaten by Leicester we were well in that first half. That’s the first time we’ve been beaten where I’ve felt we’ve deserved to be beaten. “

Jewell felt there wasn’t the opportunity to give 16-year-old Byron Lawrence his debut: “We couldn’t really get him on. It would have been difficult for him to go on with the team 2-0 or 3-0 down and chasing the game. We didn’t want to knock his confidence but he’s one for the future.”

The Town boss, who confirmed that Aaron Cresswell suffered a hamstring injury which will see him miss next week’s final game at Doncaster, says he and his squad will now start preparing for the trip to the Keepmoat: “This is gone now, we’re disappointed for our supporters but next week’s another day.”

Millwall boss Kenny Jackett was delighted with his side’s victory: “It was a super result. It looked like we’d slightly let Ipswich into the game, but I didn’t think it was a penalty, I haven’t seen it again, but I thought it was a harsh decision.

“But it was a great save by my goalkeeper and then on the counter-attack we got the third which finished the game.”

Photo: Action Images

Daleyitfc added 19:24 - Apr 21 It was another end-of-season meaningless game : though for some reason, the opposition always finds slightly MORE meaning in them than us! Rather than being "untypical", this is very much where we are at : a totally rubbish team being managed by a moron and bank-rolled by a (minor) faceless corporation.
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jas0999 added 19:24 - Apr 21 Essex_Tractor: so 15th is acceptable, less points than last year? I will continue to support this club - but not PJ. If you don't like my posts - don't read them. Not hard is it? trust me, I won't bother reading yours.
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Wickets added 19:35 - Apr 21 I remain total unconvinced that PJ and the rest of our management team know what they are doing.Hopefull they will prove me wrong but i think not,they will be gone by Xmas,just a pity we will have to tread water 'till they do go.
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Garv added 19:42 - Apr 21 I honestly don't think the inclusion of Josh Carson and Byron Lawrence would have turned a 3-0 defeat into any kind of win. Doesn't matter anyway.
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tractorboy1961 added 19:43 - Apr 21 It seems other teams don't find these games meaningless. Also when our players are tired other teams , who play the same number of games as we do, are not tired. Very poor season and I for one would say this was in fact a typical performance. I can count on one hand the number of really good home performances this season. The table does not lie and we are where we deserve to be. We have made no progress whatsoever in the past few years under RK and PJ. But most importantly none under the reign do ME and Clegg. Here we are again in the usual end of season contract mess. We have learnt nothing. I wonder if we can attract any players of real quality for next season...I also wonder if we know who these players are as I have real doubts about out scouting system. We have no real youth policy producing players pushing for the first team, and maybe if we did PJ would not play them. Why have Sonko on the bench when is has already said he is releasing him? Is there not a young defender who could have been there? I am sure the PR spin will be going all summer and we will end up with some last minute panic loans again and another mediocre season. But like most people on here I will be there supporting the team !,

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Warkys_Tash added 19:44 - Apr 21 No PJ, that was a typical performance. Absolute shocker and sums up the seasons. Cr4p. As for 4 defeats in 18, try 1 win in 7. I reckon you have next season to get us at least in the play-offs otherwise you need to be gone. Fed up of watching garbage against even worse sides. At least with Magic there was progress. 15th in the league??? Dont wind me up.
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MattinLondon added 19:44 - Apr 21 Well you finish where you deserve to finish and with one game left to play we are a worse than average team. Saying that I do think that there are reasons for optimism as we do have the basis of a play-off standard team. Edwards, Chopa, JET, Drury, Cresswell, Hyam and Carson are all better than what our current position suggests. It'll be a big Summer for PJ to prove that a/He has learnt his lesson that aging premier league has-beens are not the answer and b/ He can attract young talent from the lower leagues as well the overseas market. Or maybe he knows a premier league bargain like Scott Sinclair 500k move to Swansea. I don't think ME will be as patient next season as what he has been this season and so I hope that PJ has identified his targets.

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fourth added 19:45 - Apr 21 Unfortunately, Wickets, I think you are right.
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menacinho added 19:45 - Apr 21 Today we deserved to lose. However, I will judge whether we are progressing by where we are later in the year not on the basis of an end of season mid table clash. Depressing to see the usual moaners posting on here within two hours of a defeat but they are nowhere to be seen when we win.... I support the club and I will support the manager in his attempts to improve things. This season, we have seen the emergence of JET and Martin, plus Cresswell's performances have been excellent. However, we still have problems in that we need a GK, a couple of CBs and cover at full back on both sides. We also need another striker, who can put away some of the chances we create. Jas, you make some valid points at times but your habit of painting everything as PJ's fault is unfair. He has done plenty of good things at the club and I look forward to next season, where I believe we will see real progress.

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manualthetisfanclub added 19:46 - Apr 21 What a last home game that was!!! Utter gash! To many going through the motions,apart from drury and cressy the rest rubbish! This lot needs a big overhall,ok better second half of season, but same inconsistancy bad goals given away and not taking chances(chopra more headlines off pitch than on it, mainly bad !!).I was gone by 3rd goal today, normally stay to end,even when the budgies spanked us,I were'nt going to hang around to get a patronising clap from them after the season weve

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bluearmy4life added 19:47 - Apr 21 Really disappointing end to our home campaign. How can one day we play birmingham off the park then lose to millwall? Credit to millwall they thoroughly deserved there win. Wish Tuesday night was our last home match because I would be confident that renewing my season ticket is the right thing to do. Next season we have to get our act together enough is enough. We have got to start well and be consistent. We have played well for 3 months of our season is that really good enough? Mid table next season will be a failure nothing less than a play off place acceptable. On another note thought Stevenson wasted his chance a little bit today is he another flop signing?

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northernblues added 19:50 - Apr 21 We should measure progress season on season, and looking at points and final position we have made no progress, in fact its worse than last season!
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Garv added 19:51 - Apr 21 Andy Drury you are a cheat my friend. Almost glad we missed that penalty, we didn't deserve to score a goal. I didn't have any problem with Trotter leaving, as he was poor when here, but did look good today and is an absolute mountain of a man. Great finish too, we wouldn't score a goal like that, as Drury proved first half. Sigh.
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Warkys_Tash added 19:52 - Apr 21 Absolute Clown show. Stevenson? Should never have signed him. Drury? League One at best. Do I need to go on? Tell you what, if ME pays me what I earn now, sack off Jewell and I guarantee the team would finish higher & at a massive cost saving, we would be within the break even model.
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TangoAlphaNovember added 19:54 - Apr 21 A very dull and disappointing performance today... I felt like leaving after 15 minutes with Millwall bossing us from the start. I had hoped to see some extra vigour and edge from our lads for the last home game of the season. Managed to stay until Leadbitter missed another penalty then couldn't bear it any longer. To give him his due he has kept his confidence and I salute him for having the bottle to keep taking them.The situation is most depressing....we seem to be way short of the quality needed to present a realistic challenge for promotion. I can't name a man of the match today and the price of my season ticket seems pretty poor value for money. Not sure how much longer PJ can last next year.Have renewed my seat but glad to have the break now and rekindle my enthusiasm over the summer

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brittaniaman added 19:55 - Apr 21 Jeweiio has only got 1yr. left on his contract,,,so he knows that he has got to achieve something next season, otherwise it will be no renewal for him ????? We are now the longest serving team in this division (some record) as Coventry have been relegated ????? POOR SHOW TODAY BY THE WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!
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stinkiusminkius added 19:58 - Apr 21 Disappointing today, and a disappointing season. PJ has shown mistakes in his transfers, team selection and tactics. However, he has also shown improvement. If you look at the season as two halves there is a definite improvement. Plus bear in mind that his transfer kitty was limited due to Keanes wastefulness and ineptitude. And he has shown some positive transfer dealings - cressy, jet, drury, chops, plus the big improvements of martin and Scotland. If the close season goes well, then so could next season. Bored of the negative posters who refuse to acknowledge the positives or improvements. But lots of people (jas :-) ) thrive on misery and like a good whinge.

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Lathers added 19:58 - Apr 21 A shocking outcome (7-1 on aggregate) against a team that have been on the brink all season (let alone fans with the lowest IQ in the league). Jas099 made a valid point and those who give it the "I'm blindly loyal to town because I'm a retard" line are the ones who put up with these sub standard performances. Take a look at the stats, and the stats will tell you that 5 teams have provided over half of our seasons point tally. Generally we double teams or we take a point, or nothing from sides. I can't be arsed to provide the stats, but have a look. This basically tells me that Jewell doesn't have a clue about 2/3's of the teams in this league and I very much doubt we'll see a transformation next season. We are now officially the Championship Grandfather.

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Mark added 20:01 - Apr 21 A very poor way to end the season at home. We were clearly knocked by the early goal and just couldn't perform, unlike Tuesday evening when we were excellent. How fitting that Leadbitter ended his Portman Road career with a penalty miss, somehow summing up his time at the club. £2.6M down the pan. For those using the opportunity to have a pop at Jewell, we should remember that we haven't been near promotion or even the play-offs for many years, the early days of Joe Royle's time here. Jim Magilton couldn't do it, Roy Keane couldn't do it, and time will tell whether Jewell can. I think Paul won't get the money to spend that his predecessors had though, and with us tightening our belts on wages we have to be realistic about expectations. Oh well, Euro 2012 to look forward to!

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jert16 added 20:03 - Apr 21 terrible
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wherescounago added 20:08 - Apr 21 If Stevenson is the future of our club, heaven helps us, sorry Ryan you are probably a very nice person but unless you sharpen up next season we will struggle. Why did Leadbitter take that penalty? He failed from the spot last time out, surely we would be better if JET had taken it. A poor performance, we didn't look interested and the sad thing about all this is that we had to endure that mindless moronic, foul mouthed chanting from the Millwall contingent throughout the game, the ideal way to shut them up would be to score more goals than them but we failed miserably. Bad day at the office indeed Mr Jewell, oh by the way did you do the Lap of Dishonour? for the first time for what must be 20 years I left before the end!!!

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borge added 20:11 - Apr 21 That was crap. No getting away from it. Optimistic about next season though. PJ knows the mistakes he has made. Whether he can put them right is the big question. I believe he can. The Birmingham performance was the most entertained I have been for five years. We didn't win, but there were some highly encouraging signs. Today proved there is work to do, but we're getting there. Bluestu, yes, the Millwall throw when Cresswell was injured was wrong, but what an amazing act of sportsmanship in then kicking the ball off when most would have expected it to be played square for a tap in.

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wrightyblue added 20:11 - Apr 21 Jewell and clegg OUT!!!!!!!! And take Leadboots with you! Worst itfc team ever! some major work to be done in the summer!
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bluetown added 20:12 - Apr 21 I think looking back at the last 15mths of PJ, the evidence is there we are not good enough to be anywhere near play off/ promotion candidates. It is patently obvious that Evans will not be ploughing money into this club, look at players we have been linked with and not finalised. Reduced contracts and league 1 teams offering better terms than us. Perhaps PJ is no more than a PR puppet for Evans, because in all honesty he most surely is not the most astute of tacktitians. PJ will be here until the end of his contract, we will have to get behind the players and hope that PJ can wheel and deal some players in.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 20:15 - Apr 21 Lathers - i am sure i fall into the category of one of your 'retards' and that is a totally childish and inaccurate comment. I cant speak for anyone else but if i felt constructive criticism was warranted i would also express that on here. However most realistic supporters always felt this was going to be a transitional season (even after the Bristol result) , as it we started with our third manager in four years and a host of new signings. Did you honestly think they would gel straight off ??? Have we improved in the second half of the season ? Yes. When we play well now, is it attractive football and better than anything seen under RK ? Hell yes. Is there still a way to go ? Yes of course. Has PJ made mistakes ? Yes, which manager hasnt. So to do as Jas does and just quote constant statistics is pointless and doesnt reflect the general state of the team. Without question next year is a huge one for Pj and if he doesnt deliver then fair enough . maybe he isnt the man for the job, but do you really think what we need now is another change of manager???? I would suggest no. The stat you quote about half the points etc in my view is absolutely worthless, but then of course i am a retard.

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