Town boss Mick McCarthy says fans singling out one of his players for abuse are going to be disappointed if they believe they’ll influence him into making a substitution.

Jonathan Douglas, who the Blues announced has triggered an additional year on his contract yesterday having hit the 30-league start mark, was the latest in a long line of Town players to be jeered by some sections of the Portman Road crowd during Tuesday’s 0-0 home draw with Charlton.

“I think you know full well, anybody that starts to get abuse on the pitch, they ain’t going to come off, that’s for sure,” McCarthy said.

“Because I certainly wouldn’t appease the masses by taking one off and I wouldn’t embarrass one of my players by doing it. That’s not right.

“And probably that’s why we’ve got such a good atmosphere in here, that’s why we’ve got such a good feel about it and why everybody trusts each other and would work hard for each other.

“I’ve been at places before where one player gets singled out. It was Ainsley Maitland-Niles a few weeks ago. The poor kid’s only 18. Dougie’s 34, he’s big enough and old enough. He always puts a shift in.”

McCarthy, who wants everyone pulling in the same direction when his side face Brentford at Portman Road this afternoon, needing a win to stand any hope of reaching the play-offs, says fans booing their own players is wholly counterproductive.

“I’m not coming in here to have a go at our supporters, they’ve been wonderful with me for nearly four years,” he added.

“It’s frustrating, it’s frustrating for me and the players and it’s frustrating for them. But, it doesn’t help anybody.

“I’d imagine when you’re sat at home writing your reports and somebody’s giving it in your ear hole, it wouldn’t help either.”

Douglas, 34, seems unlikely to start today's match, Town's third game in eight days, having played the full 90 minutes of the two previous fixtures.

Photo: Action Images

Surco72 added 09:12 - Apr 9 Players lose form it is up to a good manager to notice this and take them out of the firing line , not just leave them to get abuse . Shows MM hates to be proved wrong but he has throughout his career with players which has lead him to lose all his jobs losing the fans backing and almost going against their wishes to prove a point ? It is though MM is desperate for Skuse and Douglas to have a good game so he can say I told you so as I said last week , didn't work out then though did it Mick ? You were wrong about Nouble but kept playing him over and over , you were wrong about Tabb but kept playing him over and over yet now cant get a game ? Did he get so bad over the summer or do you not have to prove a point about him this season so realise he is not up to it and he hasn't played ? Your stubbornness which the blind faithful will call loyalty will be your downfall as it always has which is why you have never made it as at the top level , only a matter of time now , thanks for the structure but time to go

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Gazelle added 09:22 - Apr 9 No chance of the play-offs so let's go for a 3-3 draw so we can say it's been a good game
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joepublic added 09:24 - Apr 9 Mick drops anyone not in the favourites gang at the drop of a hat. Bart dropped for putting family first. Parr got left out in cold and left. AMN gets dropped for the actions of his Mother. He holds the fans in contempt when they cheer or boo him (his words) And now another pop at the crowd before our last mathematical chance at hanging on to promotion. A sad statement from a manager who clearly only knows to attack when he is questioned about his tactics and lack of style. Sadly there is no voice of reason at the club to kerb this madness. I hope we win today and no players get booed. Perhaps a better team selection on merit and form could help! COYB

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sidtheswan added 09:26 - Apr 9 Good job really as he'd only have Bart left. Ps what's with Pringle ? Looks good and either doesn't play him or subs him. Looks only midfield player likely to score !
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Knightsy added 09:27 - Apr 9 To all the MM Lovers.....enjoy the 15th Season in the CHAMPIONSHIP next season. I'm sure the entertainment is going to be awesome, and the best ever Hoofball you will see. Oh just in case I'd also get private cover for a chiropractor for that constant neck ache, you will need to get that looked at. Dinosaur Out
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rachelsdad added 09:51 - Apr 9 As a season ticket holder i am as disappointed as every true Ipswich supporter about the teams performance and style of play but booing our own players is not right, we soon forget the state we were in four years ago before MM and TC came.Apart from the prem. relegated clubs other sides in the top six have all invested and spent large sums of money to bring in quality players to boost there squads.In Dec/January we were in a good position but NO investment from Marcus Evans and his accountants. Until they find away of injecting capital we are going to struggle to compete in the top six.If you want to jeer have ago at these people NOT the players.We will be at the match again Saturday supporting the lads.

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Guthrum added 09:51 - Apr 9 McCarthy is absolutely right. If you start allowing fan opinion* to dicate selection policy, substitutions and who is or is not doing their job well enough, you may as well give up being a football manager. Most managers wouldn't have come out and said it so openly, but McCarthy is clearly trying to take some of the heat off his players by taking it on himself. * A notably fickle thing, which swings about like the wind and has no patience or, indeed, much discernment on occasion. Former boo-boys such as Leadbitter, Smith and Delaney currently doing rather well. The massive love for Jimmy Bullard, which soon turned round to hate. McCarthy has proven himself in 20 years of management at a high level. The fans' record is decidedly dodgy.

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BrettenhamBlue added 09:53 - Apr 9 Knightsy And we have been voted most boring team in uk 2016 (source:442 magazine). Nominated most boring 2014 and 2015. Never know, could get the world title next year. We finally might WIN something! :-)
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vanmunt added 09:55 - Apr 9 This all coming from the man who believed Gherkin was better than Bartz....... the man can't see past the end of his bent nose.
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Cloddyseedbed added 09:59 - Apr 9 What a strange statement to come out with when were playing as bad as we are with the current team and better players on the bench being kept out of the starting line up. Wages have gone up 25% I've read in the last 2 years, but were paying so many squad members that barring a death won't ever play in the team for whatever personal reason's MM quotes. It seems MM has certainly lost his way a bit this season and I think rather than have a go at supporters that a lot of the time have valid points he needs to take a long good look at his own actions over the last 12 months. I for one am not expecting or wanting the club to sign players for millions, just players who are comfortable playing to a different style that breeds confidence in the team, in fact the whole club. Confidence is now at an all time low since MM took over, a lot of it is due to the managers contempt of supporters and better footballers that are being kept out of the team by the undropable managers favourites. Unless things change I will not be re-newing my season ticket of nearly 40 years.

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blues1 added 10:18 - Apr 9 I believe that Douglas got some unfair criticism on Tuesday night and was being used as the latest scapegoat for some of our fans. But for mm to say that he won't substitute a player who is getting stick, regardless apparently of how he's playing is both arrogant and ridiculous. Please leave McCarthy. U really are an arrogant dinosaur.
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nfinley added 10:19 - Apr 9 People on here are getting really annoying you say you love this club but yet are helping hinder progress do you honestly think berating mick and the team is going to help the motivate the players no chance. Mick and the team have one bad season which even still we have been in around the play offs and you call for micks head pathetic support. People even saying they would prefer to be relegated than have mick as manager and then say mick has no ambition hypercritical to say the least

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ChestnutSe added 10:19 - Apr 9 Why does Mick (all his life in professional football, played at he highest level and managed at the highest level with notable success) think that he knows better than the fans who boo individual players? Such arrogance. Why does Mick always play his favourites. Tabby is a favourite but why is he not in the team. Why not? Why does he have the arrogance to think that he knows who his best 11 players are? Perhaps we can do away with having a manager an pick the team with some sort of voting system online with the players getting the top number of voting being picked every week? Bish and McGoldrick would start today and be expected to play the full 90 minutes. Young Dozzell who has never played a minute of Championship football would be straight in the team and probably get absolutely destroyed with some Brentwood midfielder going right through him. MM out. Why do we need a manager when we have so many experts readily available. Oh, I forgot about the hungry young manager? If I was the owner of a multi million pound investment I am not sure that would be my first choice. Experience and a proven track record count for a lot. Finally, I personally never ever ever boo anybody associated with my team from the manager to the ball boy. I might not clap or cheer so enthusiastically but I would never boo. Boo if you like but it does not produce anything positive. I never even booed Lee Martin

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jcITFC added 10:21 - Apr 9 Of course he won't. If Douglas nets 3 own goals in a game he still wouldn't. Stubborn.
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thebeat added 10:21 - Apr 9 Lets get one thing clear. There is a difference between booing and groaning. Douglas wasnt booed on Tuesday. People just groaned in unison when he messed up continually. And as for not taking a player off when the fans want him off what a ridiculous arrogant statement. So he will keep a player on even tho he's playing badly and take a player off whos playing better? How is that whats best for the team and club? Just goes to show how little he actually cares, all about looking after his mates.

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Garv added 10:33 - Apr 9 Has he ever thought that the fans are booing him?
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alfromcol added 10:40 - Apr 9 Have Town got a Public Relations Manager? If so he might want to have a quiet word with MM about his public utterances during this period of selling season tickets. Spot on Suffolk_n_Good and thbeat We all wait with baited breath to see if Douglas starts today. If he doesn't, which I hope is the case, then Mick has done exactly what he said he wouldn't do and be influenced by fan pressure. Douglas has played so well that he wouldn't be left out otherwise! Hoping for a win today and a Town goal at the Sir Alf Ramsey end. COYBs

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Gravitas added 10:46 - Apr 9 I hope Douglas starts and scores.
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Cakeman added 10:47 - Apr 9 And there lays the problem. Stand up for the players yes but stubborn to the point that if players get abuse he will not bring them off and I guess there are times he would want to but because he has to have it his way or no way he would rather keep players on the pitch even if they aren't performing! Oh dear.
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gazhill100 added 10:50 - Apr 9 Some Town fans out there are so so fickle. Where would we be without MM, probably heading down with Colchester. I agree the football has been poor for the majority of the season at home, but how many Managers could deal with losing Teddy, Fraser and Didsy for the majority of the season. It has changed the shape of the team Mick starred the season with. Kevin Bru can't manage more then a game a month. I for one have renewed and always will because I love ITFC, I support them no matter what because we are SUPPORTERS. I have 50 kids and families going today from Brightlingsea Regent Youth Football club to show them a big game. Let's get some noise going and lift the players for the final 3 games at home!!

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VulpineBlue added 10:53 - Apr 9 From where I was (Co-Op) as I remember on Tuesday after a string of poor play by Jonathan Douglas (and other players), the fans simply started singing David McGoldrick's name. I assumed that this was because the fans wanted to see some ball retention in the midfield. JD was unquestionably poor on Tuesday, and a substitution (as against Rotherham) at half time would have hopefully prevented this situation developing. The central midfield wasn't working. Pringle & Feeney were OK. Baffled.

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VulpineBlue added 10:55 - Apr 9 Sorry, Pringle & Feeney who were both subbed were OK
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positivity added 11:12 - Apr 9 i can see his point, if he starts subbing a player who is boo-ed, that encourages us to move on to the next 'target'. this is utterly detrimental both to the individual player and the team performance and leads to players hiding. first amn, then douglas, if both are out of the firing line who's next? i think it's the right policy, even if it might not be the best idea to then talk about it in the press! on a side note, can we stop this nonsense about tabb & coke being mm's 'favourites', tabb hasn't appeared in the league and coke has made one start (when skuse, hyam, fraser, oar, pringle & feeney weren't available or at the club!)

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pointofblue added 11:13 - Apr 9 So is that why we subbed our highest playing scorer and two players who could make something happen over someone who is going backwards? To stick two fingers up at the fans? I think that sums Mick up completely to be honest.
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Bluetone added 11:19 - Apr 9 McCarthy your arrogance knows no bounds and you obviously have nothing but contempt for our fans. Time to (lets see have would a Yorkshire dinosaur say this) Foxtrot Oscar. If Villa want you please go and delight them with your trademark hoofball.
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