Town’s 2016 comes to an end when Bristol City visit Portman Road this evening with boss Mick McCarthy admitting that it’s been his toughest year in charge of the Blues.

McCarthy’s side sit in 16th in the table with a large number of fans calling for his head after a disappointing calendar year in which Town’s form from their 45 games has been a disappointing won 14, drawn 15 and lost 16.

They will be looking to improve on a 2016 home record of won nine, drawn eight and lost six against the Robins, having won only two of their last nine at Portman Road.

“Does anybody need me to tell them it’s been my hardest? If you need the admission from the manager, then of course it has,” McCarthy said.

“Prior to that it’s all not quite all been sweetness and light but certainly more enjoyable. That’s only how it’s finished. I thought the end of the 2015/16 season, finishing seventh, I know it dropped away at the end, but that wasn’t so bad. But we’ve been having it tough since then and it’s been the hardest part.”

What does he believe has led to the downturn? “A number of factors. I think that we’ve probably lost our identity a little bit, how my teams have played.

“We lost Murph just at the end of the window and we had Varns injured, Didz injured, Pits has been injured. Leon Best was playing up front on his own for a time, and Freddie. So we changed the way we’ve played and I’m not sure that’s suited us, to be honest.

“I still think the deal for Murph was the right deal for him and for the club eventually if we can replace him.

“But we’re missing him, we’re missing that focal point, that power, that pace. We’re still trying to find that and in missing that we’ve not been able to play probably the way we have and been successful at doing it.

“I think teams probably enjoy playing against us a lot more than they ever did beforehand. But we’re going to get back to the other way that they don’t enjoy playing.”

He believes there’s a need to go back to the basics he instilled in his side when he first came in at Town in November 2012.

“All those things that nobody ever complained about when we were winning, strangely enough,” he added.

“When you’re playing and you’re playing in the opposition half and you’re tackling and winning it and are being positive, I think that’s ultimately what people like to see.

“And if you can do it wonderfully well and skilfully like I saw Tottenham do on Wednesday night, that’s OK as well, that’s better still.

“This pressing and stuff that Liverpool do, we’ve been doing that ever since I walked through the door.

“But I don’t think we’re doing it as well as we were. That’s probably a problem as well, teams are playing against us that couldn’t when I first came here.”

Although he admits the pressure is greater now than it has been at any previous time at Town, it’s not coming from owner Marcus Evans.

“I don’t feel under any pressure from Marcus, from the club, I’m not feeling that,” he said.

“But I’m certainly under pressure from the fans and I guess the more they sing whatever they sing, negative stuff about me, about Marcus and decide not to turn up, that puts pressure on.

“And I preferred it when we were getting nice things shouted about us and we were getting support.

“But that’s down to us, that’s me and the players. They don’t turn up wanting to shout bad things at me they actually turn up wanting to support us. So it’s me and the players that have got to change that.”

He added: “People don’t actually turn up wanting to shout negative things at me, I get that.

“There’ll be a few because they’re sick of me, they’re bored of me, they’re bored of what I do, they’re bored of what I say, they’re bored of how I look, they’re bored that I haven’t had a shave, they’re bored of my hair. They’re just bored, they want to get shot of me, because it happens.

“People get bored of doing the same things. Do the players get bored of it? All of those things, so I get that.

“But I think that’ll be a small minority that actually turn up and want to be negative. That’ll just be some that want to see me out of the job and they’ve had enough of me.

“I reckon that’s 10 per cent. But the majority turn up, want to see the team win, want to support them, want to be positive, want to be happy, want to go home happy. Just like I do.

“So I don’t think they turn up doing that. I ask them not to turn up [with a negative attitude]. There’s a big difference.

“There’s a big difference in asking them not to turn up [and be negative] and accusing them of being that way, which I didn’t.”

McCarthy says he’s been through similarly tough spells at other clubs, citing a time at Wolves at the end of the 2007/08 season when fans at Molineux also called for his head.

“The year we finished seventh outside the play-offs,” he recalled. “[Owner] Steve Morgan had come in at that time and they’d have had me out the door by then and we won the Championship the following year and I ended up having another three seasons.

“But people do [get bored]. We all think something else is going to turn it around and be slightly sexier, slightly better looking or less old, different chat.

“But I think that’s a small minority that get sick of it and want a change. I fully understand, you go through the managers, I’ve been here four years I’m the sixth longest serving [manager in the EFL].”

He added: “That season we finished seventh we’d had nothing to spend. It had been a million quid to spend when I went in and I built a team on it and finished sixth in the first season and then we finished seventh and that wasn’t good enough.

“The following season we bought Christophe Berra and we bought Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and they made a huge difference to us.”

Despite the additional pressure, he says he doesn’t find it hard to put it to one side and assess the situation with clarity.

“It’s not tough, I’ve been doing it for a long time,” he continued. “I’ve had spells where it’s been tough before and come out the other side and been happy about it.

“I think a lot about it, that’s an understatement, and consider everything I should be doing and what I could do, can we change it, can we do something different. But I’m pretty clear in my thoughts, I’m OK, I have clarity in what I want to do.”

He says Evans’s support has never wavered: “I’d hate to have that call where he rings me up and says, ‘By the way I’m fully behind you, you’ve no chance of being sacked’. That’s the last thing I ever want.

“I come into these press conferences and you end up talking about or your position and it’s a bit disconcerting.

“I understand it because they’re the questions you all want to ask, but I never have that discussion with Marcus at all.

“He wants to get back to winning, just like I do, he wants to get back to playing well. Actually, if you’re winning everybody thinks you’re playing well.

“It’s about winning for us and getting points. And he’ll support me the best way he can by not being negative and not putting any more pressure on me than is already there.”

He added: “I think it cuts both ways. When I was having a great time here and apparently Aston Villa, Ireland and everybody else were wanting my services, I never courted that at all. I never went looking for it.

“And, by the way, if I had, Marcus would know about it because it’s a small old world is football.

“That’s when I gave my support in a lot of ways. We’ve had a good relationship all the way through.

“And do you know what, if it does end up that I do leave the club at some stage, because ultimately I will whenever that might be, I don’t think that will be acrimonious at all, it might just be the time.”

Photo: TWTD

Rentaghost added 06:05 - Dec 30 I think its more than ten per cent and a small minority now. Yes we all want to win but a change needs to happen now.
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The_Romford_Blue added 06:12 - Dec 30 I'd hope when the time comes and town and mick do part ways, our fans remember that mick has been a major positive for us and he is remembered for the good times. Instead I fear he will be remembered for one bad season instead of three of overperforming on a tiny budget.
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BrettenhamBlue added 06:28 - Dec 30 Then try to win fans back Mick with a 5 point plan 1- sign a RB and stop playing Chambers there, play Sears in the right position 2- play creative, flowing football 3- buy a target man who isn't 35 plus 4- stop playing Douglas. IMO Douglas and Coke need to move on for the good of their careers 5- bring in a creative midfielder who can dribble, pass and score goals This would be a start and might appease a few fans. A start is better than no start at all.

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christiand added 06:33 - Dec 30 When we continue to play long ball to srikers that haven't got a physical presence and we have a central midfield pairing that lack any creative spark and are both very one paced does he wonder why we are all so negative? Perhaps drop your favourites when they continually play poorly and give the youngsters a fair crack of the whip. This hasn't be happening this season the last 18 months has been pretty poor. Quite frankly, watching football in the Ryman league shows you can play football on a shoe string budget, but we lack the coaching staff to develop these skills. We are a club that is going nowhere fast and continue to stagnate.

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greenfinch added 06:40 - Dec 30 MM toughest year try being a fan watching this brand of football, my 9 year old daughter said to me last night I've been a good girl this week please don't take me to Portman road tomorrow night, thanks mick she now see your football as a punishment.
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Penguinblue added 06:47 - Dec 30 So sick of McCarthy's drivel. Please all show him it's not 10% who are sick of him and negative. He is the negative one who is ruining our club. Forget investment and sales for a while - you could not trust McCarthy not to ruin any decent player, and lets remember Murphy was only a one season wonder. And finally McCarthy's football has always been cr@p, even when we did win. I would love a few players to show some balls - obviously not his proper blokes who will be lost without him, but surely there are some others who could say the right thing in the right place. New Year new manager. McCarthy OUT

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Dissboyitfc added 07:10 - Dec 30 Our toughest as supporters of ITFC, Just go now!
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Suffolk_n_Good added 07:11 - Dec 30 Completely deluded..... how he has the nerve to compare us to Liverpool & Tottenham beggars belief!!! An article full of "look at me excuses" Sill wanting to live on saving us from relegation 4 years ago ❎ The "small number" of fans that want him out ❎ No one complained about our style when we were winning ❎ Aston Villa & Ireland wanted me ❎ Marcus backs me ❎ They only want me out because after 4 years people "just want a change" ❎ load of drivel.....

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tractorshark added 07:18 - Dec 30 He's not saying only 10% want him out. He's saying around 10% will turn up with a negative outlook towards him, the team etc whatever the result or performance. The rest want us to win. I don't think that's an unreasonable understatement. I suspect 70% of fans who attend games do want a managerial change but will support the players during the game until it goes pear-shaped. For me, the writing's on the wall now. Mick won't turn this around but we won't get relegated. Evans won't back him majorly in the transfer window and there will be a parting of ways at the end of the season.

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truckertractorboy added 07:38 - Dec 30 Is football that difficult i always thought u play your best players in there best positions.
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snipes added 07:38 - Dec 30 we bought Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and they made a huge difference to us Can someone please explain how Eubanks-Blake made a huge difference, I'm rather struggling with that one
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mojo added 07:59 - Dec 30 snipes- he was talking about his time at wolves.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 08:24 - Dec 30 Comparing us to Liverpool now!!!!! What a joker!!
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martin587 added 08:46 - Dec 30 Your style of play is your WORST ENEMY MM. Enough said.!!
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ABINGTONBLUEBOY added 09:03 - Dec 30 I will continue to support the team during this difficult time, but can not support the Manager or Owners tactics. This is my strategy for attending Ipswich Town games. it will remain in place until there is a change of match tactics and serious investment in playing staff. 1. I will not renew my Silver membership. 2. I will sit in a lower priced seat. 3. I will not purchase any club item from on line, the shop, the refreshment bar. 4. I will not purchase a match day programme. 5. I will not purchase a ticket any earlier than 1 day before the match. 6. I will not enter the stadium early. 7. I will not take my seat until the latest possible. This will be my peaceful protest. There are far more than 10% of fans who are disgruntled, perhaps there's more than one way of protesting.

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Azzuromark added 09:04 - Dec 30 The voice of reason tractorshark and a very fair reflection, in my eyes.
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Blandford added 09:06 - Dec 30 Sorry to say it but MM will be our manager until ME is told by his accountants that it would be cheaper to pay off his contract than suffer low attendances while he remains. I do however feel that this interview is the most humble MM has given for a long time, he seems to admit a lot of what the fans have been complaining about is justified. Just hope that he can learn from his mistakes, although history suggests his stubborn attitude and arrogance will re-emerge before too long.

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Radlett_blue added 09:14 - Dec 30 Yes, Luke Varney was injured. I'm sure that's the main reason we're having a poor season.
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warwickblue added 09:20 - Dec 30 Self-maintaining, patronising drivel from a manager that still refuses to accept the buck stops with him. The team, individual players, attendances, atmosphere and entertainment have declined under him and him alone. The really negative fans are the thousands who are not turning up at all McCarthy, you foolish man, not the ones shouting at you. They're still prepared to spend money in the vain hope of seeing some football.

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vanmunt added 09:23 - Dec 30 It's all me me me... what about the poor suckers that work 40+ hours a week look forward to a Saturday with friends going to the football, we are a simple bunch and all we ask is that we are entertained for our money. There are plenty of other things to spend your cash on and I cannot justify spending it watching the dross Mr Magoo dishes up. I have never supported another team and I will not ever support another team but when you cannot condone, accept or even enjoy watching your team play such an unattractive, negative and out right dull style of football what do you do.. never been so deflated going to a new football year.

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Wickets added 10:08 - Dec 30 Yer I'm a bit sick of his i used to be good too!
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prebsa added 10:28 - Dec 30 I turn up every week wanting the team to win Mick I don't turn up negative. I just leave negative because for some reason I think I will see something different to the negative team selection and hoofball tactics, but obviously I don't. Ever since we went top on Boxing Day away at Brentford in 2014 we have been in decline with Mick. Its time to go to give someone January to save us from a relegation fight. Mick Out

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Pilgrimblue added 10:36 - Dec 30 He needs to have a good look at himself because the problems are all his. There's so many good posts on here just a shame that he wont read them! Its about time the media got on board as their timid style of interviewing and reporting have not got the message over to MM. It's certainly more than 10% (more like 50%) that are unhappy with his strategy. And yet he could improve things very quickly by picking the players that perform in their best positions (Kenlock Freddie and Josh) and dropping those that continually underperform (Douglas Chambers). If he truly wants to get back to winning ways then he must change.

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GiveusaWave added 10:40 - Dec 30 It's only going to get tougher MM, the only way you are going to win back fans is by winning games. Ten straight wins right now will win them back. However, I don't think we are going to win 10 games the whole of the rest of season without major change in players.
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Wonky added 16:00 - Dec 30 'All those things that nobody ever complained about when we were winning'. This one (again) gets my goat,. Of course we didn't complain but plenty noted that our football was one dimensional, and we'd need to add something else to our game. Which hasn't happened.
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