Despite a disappointing start to the season striker Brett Pitman is convinced Town can mount a promotion challenge between now and May.

Mick McCarthy’s men have won two, drawn two and lost two of their six league games so far, accumulating eight points to currently sit 15th in a table led by Huddersfield, who have twice as many.

Town head for Derby tonight on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Reading on Friday when a penalty deep into stoppage time, conceded by Jonas Knudsen, left them ruing the loss of a hard-earned point.

With 40 games still to be played, however, Pitman believes there is sufficient time for Town to climb the table and be in contention, at least for the four available play-off places.

The former Bournemouth striker said: “There’s no reason why we can’t be in and around the top six for sure. We’ve got to turn the points into three points and things like the other night can’t happen.

“If we take a point and come off and say we played well then we take a point. We can’t be giving points away.”

Asked if he felt the top two automatic promotion places might be beyond the team, Pitman replied: “It’s going to be tough. I think you have some big teams in this league — Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brighton — and you could probably name seven or eight that have spent a lot of money.

“At this level that definitely helps and you can’t look beyond that. It’s got to be a factor, if you’re spending money.”

Tonight’s opponents have been among the biggest spenders but they go into the game with a modest tally of five points and have yet to record a home win under new boss Nigel Pearson, their latest attempt on Saturday resulting in a 2-0 defeat by Newcastle that saw the players leave the field to a loud chorus of boos.

Can Town take advantage of the current unrest at Derby and will they be looking to add to the Rams’ woes with a bright start that could turn the frustrated fans against their team early on?

Pitman added: “Hopefully, we can. I think when you go away you are always looking to get the crowd to turn against the home team but they’re a good team with good players. They have spent a lot of money and they have a good manager.

“It will be tough but we are going there looking to win. I think Derby have to come good.

“You look at the amount of money they have spent and if they’re still not quite near the top in January they will probably spend again I would imagine. I still think you should look at them as contenders.”

Photo: TWTD

prebbs007 added 06:28 - Sep 13 Hahahahaha. Have you looked at me back four Brett ????
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LimitlessBlue added 06:44 - Sep 13 there is every reason Mr. Pitman. unfortunately it is not so easy to magically turn one point into three points!
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billlm added 07:17 - Sep 13 Hes just gone up in my estement,some big teams, but he didnt mention a certain other lot who think they are he said brighton instead
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Dissboyitfc added 07:24 - Sep 13 There is a reason we wont go up Brett And its MM, because of his stubbornness. Think we have the team !
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tractorboybig added 07:37 - Sep 13 pitman he take piss. --he mean bottom six
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adeblueboy added 07:43 - Sep 13 Here we go!!! First of many to say we can challenge for the top six. When mick changes the back four- PERHAPS!
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ChrisFelix added 07:44 - Sep 13 Not if we continue to play a midfield of both skues & Douglas plus chambers at full back. The normal McCarthy team is top half at best
8

jas0999 added 07:47 - Sep 13 Sadly this is more spin. Although Murphy wasn't the best striker in the world, the moment we sold our target man - the key to our playing style - and failed to replace, it made the top six improbable. I completely disagree with our playing style, but we don't have the necessary quality to play a passing game. We hoof the ball. We are also a below average team.
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TimmyH added 08:24 - Sep 13 Probably 13/14 other teams thinking the same thing, it's a competitive league but sadly a lot of the football played in it by the majority of clubs is lacking in quality, our performances in general have been sub-standard coupled with MM and his out of date tactics and playing certain players out of position means I very much doubt we'll be in the top 6 come May.
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GiveusaWave added 08:57 - Sep 13 It's good to be optimistic but in some situations it is even better to be realistic. I'll be ok with a mid-table finish this year. As TimmyH has said, everyone (including Blackburn) is talking about a top 6 finish.
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Daleyitfc added 09:20 - Sep 13 Is there any point in these stupid interviews with players? If one of them said "I think we're crap and need a new manager and a clear out of half the squad" (which would be accurate). then THAT would be newsworthy.
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MicksZzzTactics added 09:22 - Sep 13 LOL! While it's certainly not outside the Realm of of Possibility ... YET! ... that ME's & MM's "totally awesome" ultra discount ITFC could make into the top six .... even despite probably having the planet's most UNCREATIVE midfield core and regularly playing the most UNENTERTAINING kind of dire football know to Man .... I'll you ONE excellent reason Mr. Pitman that purely mathematically seems to make it VERY HARD indeed to make it into the playoffs even taking into consideration the fact that the Championship also this season seems to live up it's glorious trademark "everyone is capable of beating everyone" labeling. .... and that reason is (of course): That you just happen to have an ultra stubborn prehistoric kind of manager who in 98+% of all previous matches he has ever managed for this club NEVER EVER set out to win ---- totally regardless of how dysfunctional, crippled or poor the opponent might look, NOT ONLY on paper before the kickoff but even most certainly ALSO if it's simply just how said opponent happen to perform in the 1st half or more once the game actually gets underway!!!!!!!!!! ---- but ALWAYS seems perfectly happy with just ONE point" (although he might occasionally clam otherwise in his always MENSA-worthy postgame analysis!) ..... as easily derived and/or seen from his starting team selections, substitutions, repetitive side-line instructions to "hit it loooong" (read: HOOF IT!!!), and last but not least overall game "tactics" over the whole 95 minutes!!! Soooo very noble and nice try there Brad :-) .... but no dice!!!

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MicksZzzTactics added 09:32 - Sep 13 Sorry Brett! .... not Brad! (Just ANOTHER rushed typo of mine :-) ... . as I'm just about to board a plane .... and will thus miss tonight's predicted upset ITFC victory! :-) )
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TCisdynamite added 09:45 - Sep 13 I could give you 5 or 6 fella
3

cats_whiskers added 09:59 - Sep 13 McCarthy has had him HYPNOTIZED to come out with unrealistic garbage That Glassy look tells it all After a McCarthy teamtalk, the players are all likely to need counselling to get their life back to normal
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rinkydinkpanther added 09:59 - Sep 13 I agree with Brett - there is no reason we can't challenge for the top six. It just won't be this season, nor in this division.
2

Bluetone added 10:14 - Sep 13 Ha ha ha ha ha ha can I have some of what Pitman is on .
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Lightningboy added 10:19 - Sep 13 If we had a fully fit McGoldrick and Williams,defenders in their correct positions AND if Mick had gone out and brought in a midfield general (ala a Magilton type) then we'd have a great chance....alas............
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Surco72 added 10:26 - Sep 13 If we had our creative players fit , and if the refs stopped picking on us , and if our defenders learned to pass the ball on the floor , and if Skuse offered anything , and if we hadn't sold our main striker and not replaced him properly , and if our tactics weren't so outdated we could make top 6
6

leahcar88 added 10:40 - Sep 13 I'm shocked to read some twtd fans know what mick says in the dressing room and brainwashed all the players etc How do you get in to changing rooms or can you hear the home dressing room from your seat? And training exercises as fans, do you live opposite and watch all day. can any of you tell me how you know any of this. So I know for my self rather reading speculation and hearsay

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Ferguson added 12:00 - Sep 13 Interesteing to see Brighton now count as a big club. No they're not. They won the Charity Shield in 1910. Never been in the Premier League. They've bought themselves that status without earning it on the pitch. If we're not a BIG club, we're still be a GREAT club.The Finest Football Team in All the World. The veterans and heirs of Bobby Robson's Blue and White Army. COME ON YOU BLUE BOYS and get us 3 points tonight.

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planetblue_2011 added 12:23 - Sep 13 We can make top six if you keep scoring goals Pitman & we get some luck with referee.
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Jesney_Havoc added 14:56 - Sep 13 I can think of one - lack of points !
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grumpyoldman added 16:52 - Sep 13 Is the punctuation wrong in the headline; Pitman, no reason! We can't challenge for top six.
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Seasider added 16:54 - Sep 13 I would also like to think so Pits,along with just about every Town fan;but the leopard needs to change his spots!
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