Blues boss Mick McCarthy says Town need a repeat of Saturday’s performance at Birmingham when they travel to Crystal Palace on Tuesday. The game will see two recently installed bosses go head-to-head, the Eagles having appointed ex-Blackpool manager Ian Holloway on Saturday.

McCarthy says while it was by no means a consummate display, the 1-0 win in his opening game at St Andrew’s is a boost for everyone at Portman Road: “We’ll have to repeat all that.

“We worked hard and defended, we’re going to have to play better than we did, but it gives us a bit of encouragement.

“I said if we were to get anything out of the game, let’s [at least] have a clean sheet. If we were walking away with a 0-0 I’d have been happy.”

With the Blues still four points from Charlton in 21st place, he says it could take a little while for Town to climb out of the bottom three: “It might be Christmas before we get that, you don’t know, do you?

“We’ve had a good start, it’s about continuing that. As long as we’re out by May 4th I’m not really bothered.”

He felt Saturday’s display was a vast improvement on the Sheffield Wednesday horror show which he watched on DVD on Thursday: “That was a gutless performance, I thought.

“Everybody likes Paul at the club. He goes and Hutch takes over and there’s a malaise there. It sets in. Why it sets in heaven only knows sometimes. It was so sad for them because they’re mates of mine.

“And they were nervous and they were at home. It happens. You all expect footballers to be these confident, gregarious creatures, but they’re not, they’re actually a pretty insecure bunch. When it’s tough they need something to get them out of it, whatever it might be.”

McCarthy made sure his players showed their appreciation to the 1,054-strong travelling army after the game — Nigel Reo-Coker being called back from the tunnel by his assistant Terry Connor — and he says the Portman Road faithful was amongst his reasons for taking the job: “I looked at the last game at home, there were 17,500 there and they went bottom of the league because of the defeat.

“I was thinking I could get that sort of crowd rocking, I’ve been there when the club’s been doing well. It’s a great club, a lovely club and I’m privileged to be there.”

Returning to Tuesday’s game, he says he expects a tough evening at Selhurst Park, the Eagles having beaten Blackburn 2-0 in Holloway's inaugural game with his new club: “They look like they’ve got a good team.

“Ollie will have an impact,” he added. “He’s pretty good and he’s inherited a good side by the looks of things.”

Photo: Action Images

TimmyH added 12:01 - Nov 5 There's nobody to be scared of in this league, it's all about confidence and getting an unbeaten run together as teams like Palace and strangely Millwall are doing at the moment. The teams that got relegated last season aren't really making that much of an impression so it's all bout MM installing confidence in the lads and making us difficult to beat, if he can do that which I believe he will I can see us climbing the table. We'll see where we are towards the end of the winter and then make a second assessment.

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runningout added 12:02 - Nov 5 going to have to be a lot more clinical and blinkered to keep up the good work : )
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richard_4_itfc added 12:03 - Nov 5 Well done Mick & the Town team! The win against Birmingham was just what was needed and hopefully will be the start of more wins and points to come. It will not be easy against Palace but Town are capable of getting points there tomorrow (let's have a repeat of Saturday's away win vs Birmingham). COYB!!!
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irishtim added 12:09 - Nov 5 Midfielder. Can play just behind the front 2. Eventhough he is irish i dont know alot about him mate.
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ArnieMsBigToe added 12:13 - Nov 5 Just wikied him. Apparently, Connor Clifford is midfield and is currently with Chelsea. Definitely sounds interesting.
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Pendejo added 12:14 - Nov 5 FAO Oldeslworthyfan Has Holloway kept a team in Prem yet? As far as I can see it is Blackpool relegated as his only Prem Managerial experience. Admittedly McCarthy has 2 relegations... but he kept Wolves up 2 successive seasons before relegation. BUT let's not worry about Prem just yet, that can wait a few weeks...
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BoomDog added 12:18 - Nov 5 Steve ITFC sweden, with your calculation with 32 games to go if you include our 10 points already we should finish with 55 points.Just enough to avoid relegation ... I hope. Looking at the last 4 seasons, 48 points has been enough for safety. Dont call me sad
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blueherts added 12:27 - Nov 5 If you take MM record at Ipswich is he 100% so if you can extrapilate that we will be champions - LOVE IT COYB
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blueherts added 12:35 - Nov 5 He is a bIg Red Dog
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Seasider added 12:49 - Nov 5 A good start but like MM fans mustn't get too carried away Although wasnt my first choice recognised that he was the most popular with fans I didnt like RK as person after saw a vicious foul he commited which ruined players career PJ was not fans choice unlike MM who 75% of fans wanted(now 86%),and the former turned out to be a complete disaster,leaving club in worse position than when he took over in Jan 2011.Bad transfers,bad tactics and bad results. Were caught several times again on Saturday when that tall German missed a sitter,together with brilliant blocks from LC and SH;but in view of short time MM in charge nevertheless a great result;but mustn't get carried away. Next step to get off the bottom,then out of relegation zone and into mid-table.Feel as confident as I would if Olly Holly was in charge,and felt PJ & CH taking us down.

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blootheref added 13:34 - Nov 5 Walk The Wark, you are incorrect about Holloway not coming here, he was quoted this morning as saying he went to Palace because it was nearer to his family.
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alfromcol added 13:38 - Nov 5 Several players came over to the fans without encouragement, several had to be encouraged and we were at the end where the players left the field! I hate to think what reaction would have happened if they had lost. Hopefully Big McC will impress on the players the importance of acknowledging the fans after each game, win or lose. Bit like new England manager has got even Rooney mouthing the national anthem!

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TractorBeezer added 14:23 - Nov 5 MM's record in the Championship is an average of 1.64% per game. That's p;lay -off form. Anyway too early to get carried away as we really need to focus and take one game at a time to get out of the basement. Meanwhile, as others have suggested MM will need to think to the slightly longer term as loan contracts mature. Looking forward to another 3 points tomorrow against Palace. Let's play to their weaknesses and have Martin and JET (later in the game) run at Damien. Owen doesn't like getting out muscled in the middle and I think that N'Daw and Reo Coker will unsettle him if they don't give him time on the ball. 1-0 to the Tractor Boys!

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whittonite added 16:46 - Nov 5 tommorow i would love to see moshni up against delaney,delaney must know murphy inside out having been teamates,moshni could be a big factor against palace.fans have already taken to this guy.let him loose big mick,could be the spark we're looking for.
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poringlandblue added 17:39 - Nov 5 if you take our away form its up there in the top 6, better than leicester so we should doing our bit at home from now on being the 12th man and creating an atmosphere thatll hopely have a positive effect on the players, playing in a library is not going to get us up the league, everyone make a point of getting to pr next saturday to show mm that we can make some noise please, ive just had a £10 with a norwich fan at 50-1 we make the playoffs COYB

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muccletonjoe added 18:35 - Nov 5 If he picks the same team as saturday , i can see our shortcomings being ruthlessly highlighted , but perhaps it is what mick needs to see ?
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JWM added 18:52 - Nov 5 Good shout Whittonite as you say Delaney or Delonkey as he was known here will know Murphy's game so put Moshni up against him from the start. Sod's law dictates that Delaney will score from a set piece! I will be happy with a point at a difficult place to go. Looking forward to a good game and hopefully another great performance. COYB
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R_LAMB3 added 19:40 - Nov 5 Why are lots of people just saying it would be great if the new manager stop us getting relegated. We have played just a quarter of the season and with three points for a win and we put a good run of results together we could go up the league very quickly. Roy keane was a poor manager for us but remember he got sunderland promoted when took them over from more a less the same position of what we are in now. If we manage to get a few wins before christmas and some desent signings in the transfer market and with new coaches and top scouts coming in this team is going only one way and thats upwards. If we dont manage to reach the playoffs this season we will get automatic promotion next season. McCarthy will get us in the premiur league i am pretty confident of that. COME ON YOU BLUES

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GFH added 20:38 - Nov 5 A draw at Palace would be good but i beleive we can have em 0-2 i reckon. Mick McCarthy montage on youtube really worth a look.
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Elizabeth added 21:42 - Nov 5 My Birthday too TBF !! Certainly would be the icing on the cake, a win at Selhurst Park.
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timspencero added 00:17 - Nov 6 one thing i think is interesting is that Ollie clearly allowed ITFC to appoint before going to Palace - i'd bet he wanted to come here far more than Palace.
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