Town manager Mick McCarthy has heaped praise on “fabulous professional” Jay Tabb. The Blues boss says the 31-year-old, the scorer of Town’s winning goal against Bolton on Tuesday, is “an absolute joy” to have at the football club.

“Tabby’s a fabulous professional footballer to have at your club and to play in your team,“ McCarthy said of a player who he believes is underrated by supporters.

“Is he ever going to score you 10 goals a season? Unlikely, he’s not going to do it. Is he going to pick holes in the opposition with passes? Not all the time.

“But I’ll tell you what he’ll do, he’ll beat somebody who is 6ft 4in tall in the air, he’ll win the tackle off him.

“Whether he plays left, centre, right, it doesn’t matter, he’ll do it diligently and professionally and he’s a diamond. He’s an absolutely joy to have in the football club.

“Whether you play him or you don’t play him, he gets on with it and does it every single week. We have got lots of them like that, but he’s an absolute joy to have in the club.”

He says during the 1-1 draw with his old club Brentford last Saturday the former Irish U21 international popped up all over the field: “That’s him. He’s all action, all energy and he is terrific. I’m not decrying him technically, because he has that as well, but he’s not Teddy Bishop, he’s different.

“But you can hang your hat on him every week, in terms of his level of performance and effort and what he does.

“From when he came here he’s played well. To be fair to Tabby, as we all know, I told him at the end of last season I was trying to change it and I brought Alex Henshall in.

“But he’s seen them all off, whoever’s come and played in his position. He’s been excellent. That tells you what a good pro he is, he gets his head down and gets on with it.

“He’s out of contract at the end of the season, but have I had any discussion with him about it? No. And he’s not sought me out to have a discussion, he just gets on with it. He’s been outstanding.”

Photo: Action Images

Carberry added 14:26 - Mar 19 Let's get a bit of perspective here. MM has put together a team of rejects, misfits and surplus bodies from other clubs with next to no money and taken them to 7th place in the table. Aside from a great team spirit from a group of 100% triers he has developed a style of play he believes will best suit the talent at his disposal, sadly, yet understandably that doesn't match playing like Barcelona. We don't know the financial constraints he is working under but you can bet your life he hasn't got Evans breaking down his door saying you must spend these millions on a creative midfield player. If we get promoted it will be the greatest achievement since the '61-'62 season. How he must be kicking himself for getting the team in the top two just a few weeks ago. Now expectations are impossibly high.....but let's hope.

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Toronto_Tractor added 14:38 - Mar 19 I think a fair few people get a bit too sentimental. I 'like' Tabb myself and I 'like' Skuse. I'd have a beer with the,, they seem like good blokes. I like their work ethic and I like the fact that they like playing for town. However, all this liking doesn't lead me to think that they are good enough for a promotion push in this league. Sadly, I could write a very long List of midfielders who previously donned the blue shirt that I would rather see out there on Saturday. Maybe if we some real match winning wingers in the squad, there would be a place for one of them, but at the moment, we don't. I'll keep supporting them and the team, but I'm praying we get some replacements in next season.

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essextractorboy93 added 14:56 - Mar 19 Some people always have to single out one or two players for criticism, its inevitable at every club. Tabb puts in 110% every week and has performed well in games this season. Gets so much unfair criticism but some people are reluctant to change opinions
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NoelTheDub added 15:14 - Mar 19 Mick that for me sums up whats going on in your head you prefer a player thats clearly out of position cant thread a ball through the Grand Canyon but yes I agree gives 100% and that were I differ.He has not fought off Henstall,Stewart,you just didnt give those lads a chance and thats why these lads probably dont give 100% in training because they see a bread and butter player playing every game.Thats your style Mick and I like others dont like it.

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essex57 added 15:26 - Mar 19 Surco of course mm would know how to manage them they dont have to track back cos they have got world class players around them unlike our team of honest somewhat lacking in some areas but all do there best
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MattinLondon added 15:35 - Mar 19 I agree that MM has worked wonders on a limited budget of almost nothing. But it must be very hard for Henshall to maintain a high level of interest after seeing the team play very poorly with almost no style of football whatsoever apart from hoofball. Only to read MM comments about how great 'Tabby' and 'Skusey' are.
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Garv added 16:05 - Mar 19 Overrated by Mick, but underrated by fans I would agree with.
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Seasider added 16:36 - Mar 19 Tabbys fabulous says MIck whether you play him or don't play him,he gets on with it. Having played him 33 times he is almost always played,hence reason for some to say he is Micks favourite player. Where as the four players who he has seen off ( strange turn of phrase),have only managed a total of 10 appearances this season mostly from the bench. The fulsome praise he has heaped on this little man is such that he must be running out of adjectives;but think Mick what some of the players especially the likes of Henshall and Stewart must feel .As an Admin Manager I was once accused of favouritism but I had always thought I treated everybody the same! Jay Tabb is playing some of his best football at the moment I feel;but it would nice if the Greatest Living Yorkshireman would give others a chance?

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BillBlue added 17:41 - Mar 19 PragmaticBlue - So how did Tabby manage to see off all these outstanding wingers, all brought in by MM, if they havn't had a chance to play? MM says he sees them in training then, please allow me to tell you, if the choice of players had been based on training we would not have any of those three stars on our shirt. Training and playing a game are miles and miles apart and always hav been.

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toxtethblue added 18:59 - Mar 19 How would MM manage Messi , Neymar , and Suarez who don't even make an effort to track back ? Would play em....
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TimmyH added 20:25 - Mar 19 I do believe Tabb does give his best and not something we can always say about numerous players which have come into the club over the last few years - does he have tons of quality?...No. Personally believe he has played somewhat better than last season which will in no doubt in Mick's book give him a renewed contract...let's just hope Mick doesn't do the same for 1 or 2 other players in our midfield who I believe should be playing in league 1.

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blueboy1981 added 20:42 - Mar 19 I think the one obvious thing is MM does have his favourites and will play them regardless - however, I can understand some of what he says in fairness ref 'the Tabby'. Every team needs a 'pit pony' and Tabb is the ultimate in that respect, works hard, trains hard / well - and in all probability is a tremendous professional within the Club in many ways. Working as he does, there is always the chance that he will be in the right place / right time to score the odd goal / winner from time to time - that is to be expected. Problem is - he has other limitations that don't help in our team's lack of creativity. Would always have someone like him in my team tho' - but to do that, the remaining balance has to be right - i.e round pegs in round holes throughout the team. We don't have that.

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dukey44 added 22:10 - Mar 19 Sorry but think hes terrible head less chicken and his one of Micks favs. But thats why we are all allowed free speech and comments on here. But Mick dont watch same games as anyone else.
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gorse added 23:20 - Mar 19 Another thing Tabb gives us out wide is the option to Unleash The Mings with some confidence. And they hook up nicely together when that happens. Tabb rarely grabs headlines & prevents more goals than he scores, but pops up all over the pitch to cover - important as Skuse is not the most mobile player and there's only one of him. Defending as a team is something we certainly need right now more than ever.

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horsehollerer added 06:07 - Mar 20 So I was randomly reading the comments section from the first match report of the season. I'd forgotten Tabb was such a big hit on here! “Jay Tabb proved MM right and loads of haters wrong” “Thought Tabb played really well, possibly best ever game in a town shirt” “I thought Tabb was different class” “Tabb different class today as was Mick's tactics” “Thought Tabb was excellent and proved people wrong today!” “Tabb and Hyam joint MOM for me” “Tabb playing as though his very life depended on it” “Well done Jay Tabb" “Some impressive performances today, Tabb and Hyam to name just two” “Mick was right I was wrong, Tabb ran his socks off and deserves his plaudits” “Tabb had best game for Town, was everywhere” “Got to say fair play to Tabb" “Tabb did very well today” “Without Tabb I think Fulham would have actually been able to play the ball around much more effectively” “Tabby worked his socks off” “Impressed with Tabb"

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