Boss Mick McCarthy warned that Town’s relegation battle could last until the final day of the season visit to Burnley after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Blackburn. The Blues dropped to 20th in the Championship only one point from the relegation zone with Bolton, Bristol City, Peterborough and Barnsley all winning.

McCarthy says he can only affect Town’s matches: “I can’t do anything about other results. I’ve said all along since I walked in on November 1st that I think it’ll go right to the very end.

“It’s a matter of having 50-points plus to stay in the league, and everybody’s scrapping for them. We’ve had our good run or we wouldn’t be above the bottom three. Others are having their good run. It’s a matter of starting again next Saturday.”

The Blackburn game, won by a scrappy Jordan Rhodes goal just after the hour mark, was another tight contest, like so many in the Championship, and McCarthy believes there’s not a lot between any of the teams from top to bottom.

“We went to Cardiff and there was nothing in it,” he said. “It’s a tough league, you’ve got to scrap it out, stay with it and make sure you pick the points up.”

Despite Town having being drawn back closer to the danger zone, McCarthy is remaining level-headed: “I always do, there’s no point in being any other way. Having 44 points now, it would look a lot better in the league but it’s still not going to make you safe.

“You’ve got to get your points, wherever you pick them up, keep picking them up and the last game of the season might be relied upon. I don’t know.

“I’ve never sat in a press conference and said ‘We’ll be fine, we’ll be OK’ and I’m not going to start now. Likewise, I’m not going to start grinding my teeth and worrying about it.”

With all the teams at the bottom picking up points here and there the Blues boss says it might take more than the usual 50-ish points to stay up: “It could be, the way it’s going.

“All the teams are battling away and it could be some of the teams that are spiralling down that could have the problem. Let’s hope we’re not one of those.”

Photo: Action Images

h32 added 20:34 - Feb 11 wkj - your theory is good but somewhat idealistic - games cannot, and will not, ever be won by the support of the crowd alone - at best the 'twelve man' . It's the other 11 that results ultimately rest with. Noise alone never won anything either - not even an argument ! Entertainment, expectation and excitement raises the crowd - don't ever expect the same atmosphere within a ground where relegation is a fear - as you will get naturally where promotion is a possibility. It just doesn't happen.

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Talbs77 added 21:45 - Feb 11 MM always makes me feel better when I hear what he's got to say, almost reassuring, I always felt like that when John Lyall was here all those years ago, that somehow we were going to be ok. Although in the end under Lyall we weren't okso that analogy kinda falls on its arse........anyway lets move on! I think, as usual, MM is spot on. We cant worry about everyone else we just have to worry about ourselves and that will involve, fighting, scraping, battling for every 1st, 2nd and 3rd ball, winning every header and just doing the simple things right. I still think we will be ok but must admit it might well go down to the wire. But were supporters and have to keep the faith and we will and we will be ok.

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bournemouthblue added 22:22 - Feb 11 I hope we're out of it by then!
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BuckieBlue added 22:28 - Feb 11 From Bournemouth to Buckie I hope so too!
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62WasBest added 23:43 - Feb 11 Simple. If we can score regularly we have a chance. The defence is generally much more solid now. We have to learn though to maximise those shooting chances. In an away game you may only get 4 or 5. They need converting. I wonder if ME is holding onto the purse strings as an insurance if we go down (god forbid), so that he can help MM keep the bulk of the squad together for a season, to bounce back?

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walberswick added 23:56 - Feb 11 Always squatting and bending, dipping their wicks in the custard.
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R_LAMB3 added 00:33 - Feb 12 I hope it dont go to the last day i dont think i could stand it. After reading all the moaning and doom and gloom and people saying we are all ready down after loosing to Blackburn has sent my blood pressure up sky high. No way could i keep reading some of the rubbish that some of you have been putting on here for the next 15 games if we go on a loosing run i will have to resign or have a heart attack or someone. Lets hope its a winning run and we are safe before the last game for the sake of my health.

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JCBLUE added 13:02 - Feb 12 Relax all, we will be fine! Home form will be important, but some very winnable away games too, we don't play anyone currently higher than 9th away. COYB!!
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BlueVelvet added 13:11 - Feb 12 Min of 50 points to get, 15 games to play and 35 points currently in the bag - the math is simple, 1 point per match. Is it possible, well we've got 1.13 per game so far this season, so if carry on that average we'll have 52 points at the end. MM is correct, it'll be down to the last game - a draw and we are down, a win we stay up. I guess Birmingham City maybe the last home game we see ITFC play in the Championship for sometime. The future isn't bright - ME senses it, hence the lack of long term player investment and the sacking of Rio (nee Oly) Clegg

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BrettenhamBlue added 13:50 - Feb 12
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h32 added 17:54 - Feb 12 BlueVelvet - sound thinking .
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h32 added 17:57 - Feb 12 R LAMB3 - ever thought that some / most of what you post may be rubbish ??
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R_LAMB3 added 02:17 - Feb 13 h32 I have been checking back on some of your posts and i dont see many plus marks next to your name mainly minus so who is talking rubbish. At least i am having ago at the moaners on here and the doom and gloomers who think we are already down with 15 games to go. I have great faith in our manager and i think he will keep us up and get us up in the future. What do you think is that rubbish to and do you think the same or are you with the doom and gloomers to.

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BlueVelvet added 17:53 - Feb 13 I'm with you h32
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h32 added 18:14 - Feb 13 R LAMB3 - the minus's don't bother me - REALISM and TRUTH is obviously scarce - as I've said many times. 'Some will always be happy as long as a ball is kicked at Portman Road' - at whatever level. Others have AMBITION - and know the true meaning of the word.
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portmanteau added 21:20 - Feb 14 since the manager forecasts it could go to the last game then you must expect that mere fans on here will express similar fears. not a good pr move by MM methinks. it leads to chambers assuring us " we're not panicking, everything will be alright". personally I would like him to panic and thus play out of his skin every match until we are safe... our future seems not to be in our hands any more while the others are bettering our results. only hope is that some of them will hit a bad patch.

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