Striker Freddie Sears admitted he’d never heard home fans berate their manager in the manner that sections of the Blues support did during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with bottom of the table Rotherham and says all the players are firmly behind boss Mick McCarthy.

Some supporters in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand sang, “Mick McCarthy, your football is s–t” during what was a frustrating second period until David McGoldrick’s late, late goal which salvaged a point.

“I have never heard home supporters have a go at a manager like that, to be honest,” the striker, who opened the scoring in the third minute, said afterwards. “It is disappointing but that is up to the fans. Everyone in the changing room is behind the gaffer.

“If you’re winning games then they will be singing the gaffer’s name. He won’t be worried about that, he is big enough, old enough and been round the block enough to cope with all that.

“That’s football, one day you are a hero, the next you are not. It is difficult but it is down to us to put in the performances and play for the manager.”

He added: “The gaffer sets us up to win games, he doesn’t set us up to lose games and we are behind him and we go out there to win.

"We had a right go and it was a shame we could not get more goals in the first half.”

Regarding the boring football claims, the 26-year-old said: “I’m not going to stand here and say the football is boring because this is the team I play for and I’m enjoying it.

“There was a lot of good stuff in the first half but obviously in the second half the football was not as good so fans could say it was boring.

“We have some really good players here with the likes of Bishop and McGoldrick, so the fans expect better football sometimes and we have to try and do that. It is not always easy against teams in the Championship because everyone is fighting for points.

“Rotherham were gobbling up time as early as the first half and you can’t blame them. They have a new manager and are going again. We have to forget about this and go again against Sheffield Wednesday.”

McCarthy reiterated that he had no plans to move on following the game and owner Marcus Evans is currently unlikely to be considering making a change.

Reflecting on the way the game progressed, Sears continued: “We started well. The gaffer wanted us to have a fast start and we did that. We got the early goal, but it was a shame they equalised straight away.

“We played really well first half but they got a goal quickly in the second half and we struggled.”

Sears's third-minute goal was his second in three games following on from his 38-match run without finding the net.

“I was always confident I could score goals,” he said. “Sometimes your confidence is not sky high but I played up front and scored a goal. So it shows if you play up front you will score a goal because you get more chances.

“I felt I linked well with Didzy and enjoyed playing up front. We changed the shape second half and so Didzy came from deep and it was a great strike. We know what he can do and he saved us.

“We have shown great character to come back against a team with a new manager who are scrapping away. I’m not sure how long they will be bottom.

“It was tough to break them down, they got in front and defended deep so it was a massive relief to get that goal and get a point.”

He added: “We are feeling the pressure at home, you can see that. We scored two and did well against Burton recently and we got the early goal this time and everyone was up.

“But they scored and the fans weren’t happy. They came here expecting us to beat Rotherham and it just didn’t happen for us.”

MIllers' striker Danny Ward, on target twice for the visitors, admitted that McGoldrick’s late goal was tough to take.

“It feels like a defeat, although the overall performance was solid, it was gutting to see that goal go in at the end,” the 24-year-old said.

“It was a great strike and it took that to beat us. It was a much better performance from us, and the manager [Kenny Jackett] has made a difference in a short time. We have been far more solid and compact and we have dealt with second balls better.”

Despite Rotherham remaining bottom of the table, still eight points from safety, Ward has already taken his season’s total to eight.

“My job is to keep scoring goals so I’m happy to be doing that,” he added. “I know if I keep working the chances will come and I need to be there.

“I said at the start of season I was capable of getting 20 goals and I now have eight before November, so I have to be happy with that. I have to keep working hard for the team.

“Things have not clicked for the team but things are starting to and personally I feel capable of scoring more.”

Had things panned out differently, Ward could have been wearing a Town shirt on Saturday, Blues boss McCarthy having targeted him in the summer of 2014.

“It was a while ago that McCarthy and the gaffer [Jackett] tried to sign me while he was at Wolves and I was at Huddersfield,” he recalled.

“Neither materialised for one reason or another but now it is good to be able to work with him. I like his style, it suits me and I’m looking forward to it.

“Nothing got agreed with Ipswich or Wolves but I have no regrets. I’m happy because I know we have plenty of good players at this club and we can turn things around.”

Meanwhile, Town's U23s are in action against Watford at Vicarage Road this afternoon (KO 2pm).

Photo: TWTD

Fatcatevans added 19:06 - Oct 31 Wind your neck in Freddie. 38 games without a goal on inflated wages then telling the fans what fun it all is. You are deluded. Why don't you and the rest of the team man up, stop coming on here as MM apologists on a weekly basis and actually do the job you are supposedly good at. We have had enough of the turgid so called entertainment you and your team mates serve up.

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Hegansheroes added 19:23 - Oct 31 A poor PR jo by Sears. Players are not going to publicly slag of their manager as there are appearance clauses in many contracts. Reading the EADT on Saturday I wasn't surprised to see the arrogance of McCarthy coming to the fore again. To quote "he's kept me because I've done a good job". Also he says a very small minority of fans are fed up with him. What about the thousands of non attenders and every ITFC supporter I know. His arrogance is unbelievable, he has no integrity and a hugely inflated ego. Thinks s been a very successful manager but he hasn't really done very much 2 promotions and abject failure in the Premiership. Obviously won't walk so save the club & pay the arss off. NOW

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Bob7881 added 20:42 - Oct 31 Football is full of lies and fence sitters, Im sick of being told absolute garbage by pundits managers and players. They have all got their fingers in the pie and put money and self over everything. Football fans the world over are treated like complete mugs. I would love to see the day when a cup final or top premier game was played in an empty stadium then see what a TV spectacle it would be then. The English game was always known for passion and atmosphere seems to me ITFC are at the forefront of pay yer money enter the ground and sit down and keep yer mouth shut what ever the result or style of football exit the ground in an orderly fashion.

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bobble added 21:18 - Oct 31 better bring back burley before blues bomb back below basement, bye bye big beligerent boofhead.
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ITFCsince67 added 21:32 - Oct 31 Sears says "everyone is behind the gaffer" Christ they must be defending deeper even than I thought!
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warkthelint added 21:50 - Oct 31 Saw the Ipswich Star headline tonight " Mick goes on the defensive "...couldn't stop laughing...this guy has been defensive all of his managerial career lol !
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oldegold added 21:54 - Oct 31 MM isn't going anywhere...unfortunately...as he won't give up his millionaire salary after being sacked at Wolves and Sunderland. To our horror, we are stuck with him until God knows when and he will drag us down even further..
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braveblue added 22:57 - Oct 31 Problem is Freddie the genius manager tried to change things by taking Bishop and Ward off whereas the dreadful Skuse and Chambers have to play every 90 mins.
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Swn98 added 11:02 - Nov 1 Relegation battle? 4 pages of complete drivel the toxic atmosphere was unpleasant to say the least for those fans that support the town come what may please consider those around you every one has a right to enjoy the game.
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Ferguson added 15:14 - Nov 1 Fred says it all without knowing it. He's a centre forward. Play him in his correct natural position and he scores. Play him out of position, in a formation that doesn't suit him, he conspicuously fails so to do. Mr McCarthy consistently tries to fit square pegs in round holes, and it isn't working anymore. Equally his abject record in cup games shows how unsuited his style is to winning games in general, and keeps those fringe players outside the first 11, and us supporters, desperately short of anything to aspire to.

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