Boss Mick McCarthy was delighted for Town supporters after they watched their side win at home in the league for the first time since March as they overcame Burnley 2-1 on Saturday. The new manager pointed out that he had had to wait slightly longer having been sacked by Wolves in February with their last win having come early that month.

McCarthy was pleased for supporters, who had watched their side fail to run out victors in a club record 10 home league games before Saturday, but also for himself: “It’s taken me longer than that, I’ve been out of the game for eight months!

“It’s lovely for them. They only want something to shout about, something to support. Everyone who has been here has tried to give them that.

“We all like to feel like I feel now, which is a nice, happy feeling, but I’m delighted for them. It’s a really good club, the supporters are great.”

He admitted he played every moment of the match himself: “I was kicking every ball. I’ve forgotten what it was like, to be honest.”

The 53-year-old says he had a chat with his players prior to the game: “I did have words with them before, it’s such a nice club that you don’t get the same levels of aggression from the sidelines if you’re not playing well.

“There are some clubs you go to where you’re really getting it. The players would be going into the town and getting it, knowing full well what it means to everybody.

“I think just because we get treated nicely here, it should mean just as much, even more so if we’re getting treated nicely because you want to do better for them, and I know Paul Jewell felt that way.”

On Friday McCarthy said that referring to matches as ‘must-win games’ added pressure and was keen to discourage that sort of thinking amongst the squad: “I was trying to stress to them that there’s no must-win game yet, there’s no vital game to win, but it’s great when you do.”

The big tactical move of the day was to switch skipper Carlos Edwards, who briefly played for McCarthy at Wolves during a loan spell, back into his old wide midfield role from right-back.

The new boss said he was very pleased with the Trinidadian’s contribution, which included the cross which led to DJ Campbell’s winning goal: “I was delighted. He’s better there. Maybe it was needs must that he was playing there at right-back.

“We get good things out of him, but that is him, he’s a much better wide right player. You need crosses into the box, you’ve got to have service as a centre forward.”

Photo: Action Images

Lightningboy added 16:16 - Nov 12 Mick's made the most obvious tactical decision by moving Edwards out of the defence..even a blind man could see he wasn't a defender yet Jewell persisted with playing him there for 22 months!..no wonder we were going backwards under the previous management team. Thank God Mick's come in with some much needed down to earth commom sense. Better times ahead under Mick - hopefully.

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Warkystache added 16:49 - Nov 12 The thing with MM & TC is, how come they've sussed how to get this group of players playing for each other when PJ and Keane never did? I'm not saying we're world beaters, but everyone is smiling at the moment and it just feels right; this could be the start of getting a bit of respect back as an Ipswich supporter. I'm looking forwards at last. We've had years of mediocrity, brightened by the odd win in the Carling Cup against the Arse or WBA. This feels like a complete overhaul of the same players. Can't wait until January when the transfer window opens. I suspect we won't do much, but what we do will only improve things further.

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JWM added 17:06 - Nov 12 Great post Warkystache I agree with every word. Saturday for me harked back to the BFJ era when there always used to be a great atmosphere around the place. MM never left the touchline and I reckon his half time team talk swung the result our way. At last a manager who knows what he's doing and a team that is prepared to fight. There will be bumps in the road but we are all pulling together in the right direction and only good times ahead!

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htb added 18:51 - Nov 12 The most I have enjoyed a game at FPR for some time. A bit of grit and determination from the team and a bit of atmosphere from the crowd even though I did think just over 16,000 for MM first game at home was dissapointing and does not seem as though the ticket offer worked. We definitely looked more solid with Carlos playing right midfeild but do not think Chambers is the answer at right back, hopefully Hewitt will fill that role. However before everyone crucifies PJ for playing Carlos at RBit is worth noting the readers of this site voted him MOM in 4 games this season in that position!!!

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