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McCarthy: First Thing I've Ever Stolen From Barnsley
Saturday, 11th Mar 2017 18:19

Boss Mick McCarthy admitted the Blues “burgled a point” as Tom Lawrence’s last-gasp injury time goal saw Town grab a 1-1 draw at Barnsley, his hometown club where he started his playing career.

“It’s the first thing I’ve stolen from here,” he admitted. “I was here a long time and I never took a paper clip, a pen, a piece of paper or anything else, but we’ve burgled a point today.

“But that’s part of the game, the game goes for as long as the referee adds time on. And we were poor today, they were much better, so much better once they got the goal.

“We could have scored from the corner and we conceded, which was nonsense, that was poor on our part.

“And the momentum was with them and Bart’s made a great save [from Adam Hammill] but the game does last until the referee blows his whistle.

“I thought Adam Hammill was outstanding for them today but they’ll be beating him up because he’s let Tom Lawrence run at the far post. It happens.

“Brett Pitman’s come on, he’s been out of the team and he made a difference with a quality ball. Did we deserve it? Did we hell. But I’m going to take it.”

Given the context of results elsewhere, McCarthy agreed that it was an important point with the gap to the bottom three now only seven points.

“Absolutely,” he said. “It’s a good point and I think it’s a good point coming here and getting a point. However we’ve done it, it’s nice to be going away with a point.’

The result extends Town’s unbeaten run to eight matches, albeit with only one of those games having been a win.

“I much prefer draws to defeats,” McCarthy continued. “I’ve never said for one minute that we’re home and hosed and we’re safe, that’s been quite the opposite. But if we stay unbeaten we’ll be all right.”

The Blues boss had praise for Pitman, who was making his first appearance since the 3-0 defeat to Derby on the final day of January, his 29th birthday.

“He’s been out of the team, he’s not been happy about it, he’s other people go on, he’s not had a sub spot,” the Blues manager added.


“When you get the chance to go on you’ve got to make a difference. There are so many that don’t and yet he’s had 10 minutes and he’s made a great difference with a terrific ball. I’m pleased for him, I’ve just said that in front of everybody else.”

McCarthy also felt his other two subs Grant Ward and Freddie Sears made an impact: “It is a squad game, they’re there to make a difference being on the bench, add a bit of energy to it. I was pleased with the subs today.”

Barnsley goalscorer Marley Watkins was the subject of a Town offer last summer and reportedly interested the Blues once more in January and the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle man again impressed the Blues boss, as did most of his team-mates.

“Yes, and so did their two centre-halves and Yiadom and the left-back I thought was good,” he added.

“And I thought the two midfield players were good and I thought the two strikers were different class. I thought they all impressed me today. A very, very impressive performance.”

Regarding his own goalscorer Lawrence, who had had one of his quieter games up until his goal, he added: “You can’t play well every week, but he’s scored the equaliser. Good luck to him.”

McCarthy said beforehand it would be a day tinged with sadness with his mentor and Barnsley legend Norman Rimmington having died at the end of last year, aged 93.

“It’s 42 years since I came here as a 16-year-old and he’s been in constant in that for all that time up until now,” he reflected.

“It was strange walking in and not going to the laundry and not getting a big hug off him and seeing him.

“As much as he loves Barnsley, I bet he’s delighted for me today if he’s looking down on us.”

"Would he have been giving him stick after the match? “I’m sure everyone in Barnsley would. I think my popularity is enough that at the end of it they’ll be bitterly disappointed but they’ll not be too unhappy that I’ve nicked a point if it means a lot to us.”

Asked whether he has an affinity with his hometown and whether he gets less stick at Oakwell than elsewhere in the country, he added: “I get more stick at Ipswich than I do anywhere else at the moment!

“Have I got an affinity with it? I don’t know if you can hear me but I haven’t lost my accent in the 30-something years that I’ve been moved out of the town.

“People might not recognise me but they hear me speak and they know exactly who it is.”

McCarthy has a lot of time for Tykes boss Paul Heckingbottom, who is also from Barnsley: “I’ve said before, he’s arguably the manager of the year for me, certainly in this league.

“It’s generally the one who wins the league, although it wasn’t last year, Chris Hughton won it and Dychey didn’t.

“I’ve thought if you win the league you should get the manager of the league but maybe I’m swaying this time.

“Somebody who has done as well as Paul and sold all the players he has done and is still maintaining the level of performance he’s getting, I think that’s remarkable.

“They better hold onto to him because they’ll be queuing up for his services, if that’s what he does.”

Barnsley boss Heckingbottom felt his team should have had the game wrapped up before Lawrence's goal.

“You get what you deserve and we didn’t kill them off, as simple as that," he said.

Ipswich showed what they’re all about and why they haven’t been beaten for so long - because they’re resolute, they keep going to the very end, which I think we do.

“Our disappointment from today is that we haven’t put the game to bed earlier.”

He added: “In terms of what we wanted from a performance we delivered it. Ipswich are very difficult to play against, they’re so organised and give nothing away no matter who they’re playing.

“We had to deal with what they threw at us. They've got a good threat up top, hard-working lads behind the ball who try and deliver, wing-backs who try and get forward.

“But they’re physical as well and they don’t give anything away. Sometimes it’s a bit like a war of attrition and they just try to grind you for that mistake. I didn’t think we gave them hardly anything today but we got punished when we did.

“But I think we should have been out of sight at that point and the last three minutes of injury time should have been easier for us.”


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ChrisFelix added 08:46 - Mar 12
With the 2 home draws at home against team's we should beat I'm can't see us winning another game this season. Can see no points against Newcastle & Wednesday & if play like we did yesterday at Burton & Rotherham then we might be lucky to get a point. He continues to set the team up so negatively, May regret the day he failed to replace Murphy
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martin587 added 09:21 - Mar 12
It's obvious to me that MM has lost the dressing room and the respect of most of the players now.When he makes statements saying"I will decide if I leave or stay at the end of the season" can only cast discertantly at the club.
Loan players will look at this and wonder should I stay next season if asked or just walk away.Also players who's contracts are up at an end will also question there futures at the club.
MM clearly has a big problem with team selections i.e.; players in one week then not even in the 16 for the next match.Just look at the Brett position,was Top scorer now cannot get in the team.This also applies to quite a few other players.
If this club what's to progress and not just stagnate in the doldrums we need a change of management now so he can assess the current mess and build for next season.
Managers who perform badly in business do not survive so how can the owner keep supporting MM.Either he is happy with what he is doing or does not care about the club.
There clearly needs to be a major rethink at the club because we the supporters are fed up with this dire football and watching a team struggle week in and week out playing boing football when we are capable of doing better.
Supporters must be wondering what do do about renewing season tickets next season if we are to watch the same rubbish dished up by a manager void of any tactile ideas.
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martin587 added 09:23 - Mar 12
'Tactical ideas'😄.slip of the finger.
0

Andrew07 added 10:58 - Mar 12
Raymond if you re-read the article it states that Brett Pitman had his 29th birthday on the last day of January.
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midastouch added 11:09 - Mar 12
This is what was written in the EDP just before they sacked Alex Neil:

"Post-Paul Lambert there has been an acceptance among some supporters and the club's hierarchy that too much shouldn't be expected of Norwich City. The rhetoric has always been that it's difficult for a club like Norwich to survive in the Premier League, to compete, to achieve.
Comparable clubs, though, have shown us up on that front. Swansea were promoted with City in 2011. In the time Norwich have endured two relegations, Swansea have retained their top-flight status and won the League Cup. Southampton followed in 2012 and have one of the most enviable academies in the country.
Leicester City are the Premier League champions."
And in addition to that piece Southampton were unlucky not to win the League Cup this season also.
What is frustrating is that Norwich are bemoaning their inability to have made the most of their two most recent chances in the Premier League. We however are not even taking our chances in the Championship! We had a golden opportunity to go up the season we reached the Play Offs but Marcus didn't back Mick in January. Our rivals did back their manager and so they went up and we didn't. And now a lot of our fans seem resigned to accept our fate in the Championship. But it wasn't that long ago when we were a top Championship team, now we are a mid-to-low to barely surviving Championship team. This insidious decay has all happened under Marcus Evans' watch. It wasn't that long ago when teams came to Portman Road to defend, now they come to attack! It could well be argued they come to attack because we invite them on given Mick's negative tactics. But all this aside, isn't it sad how in a relatively short space of time we've slipped so far and I find it even more sad how a lot of our fans our resigned to our fate and think it's just normal for a team of our stature to be in such a position. It's only normal because Marcus Evans has let it get this bad. He needs to make a big statement this Summer and bring in some big changes from manager to players. If he comes at things half-hearted again this summer then the rot is only going to get worse.
First and foremost we need to stay up this season, but next season we need big changes from top to bottom! And we the fans should demand it and not just accept more of this crappy mediocrity! In fact it's not even mediocre, it's worse than that! Mediocre would mean mid-table, we can't even be sure we'll stay up this season as it stands!
If Marcus keeps with more of the same next season then it will be impossible for him to claim he cares just as much as when he first took us over because actions speak louder than words. He needs to put things right and that clearly means putting his hand deeper into his pocket. The big question remains could he trust Mick to get things right if he had more money, or would he just invest all the funds in defensive midfielders!!!??? I dread to think!
This summer could well be make or break for us. I wish I had more confidence in those up top to make it a big make and not a big break!
4

Carberry added 11:51 - Mar 12
The more opposing managers talk about how hard we are to play against the longer McCarthy will remain. The reality is it's not want we as loyal supporters want, we need entertainment but that is not part of the equation for the owner as he has asked Mick to work on a miniscule budget. Yesterday was a case in point. Difficult to play against we might have been but looking like a team that could go places - not a chance. McGoldrick didn't win a header all day and I can't remember Lawrence doing so either, so why play long balls up to them. It screamed out for one of our midfielders to be able to pass the ball. Huws showed a lot of energy but not much quality, Diagouraga was dire, immobile, pedestrian and as much passing ability as Chambers. One of the worst performances in a Town shirt I have seen for a long time. The wing-backs are kids learning their trade. In the first half there was an attacking threat but nobody to put the ball in the net. Unless you score goals you can't win games and we don't. End of.
Someone who isn't frightened of McCarthy needs to sit him down and tell him not to come out with patronising rubbish about how loved he is elsewhere and not at PR. The arrogance is growing because he believes he is fireproof. He will be telling the owner every week that there is nobody who can do the job with the budget available.
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itsonlyme added 11:54 - Mar 12
Well said talbs77 agree wholeheartedly
1

Seasider added 15:01 - Mar 12
ricardo says get behind Mick as a change of manager could see us in Div 1.

Is he aware that we are only 7 points from safety now,and are sleepwalking towards that situation anyway with him in charge;so Evans could do worse and act now before it is too late.

I re-iterate my comments previously when I said that unlike supporters of other clubs Ipswich Town supporters are 'too nice'.They try too see the best in someone when me and most on here are fed up with McCarthy.

However whilst in most clubs the supporters will stay loyal to their club,and not slink away surrendering their season tickets.Instead they would demonstrate vocally and loudly in the ground against McCarthy,which I have yet to see this season certainly not in the Sir Alf Ramsey stand about from boos at the end.

I think possibly because some of those who consider themselves to be 'the real supporters'would tell us to shut up(some sit in front of me).

A sad state of affairs;but I am not going to have this bloody Dino stop me going after 55 years,whatever happens.

I also think it was a bad call by Sheepshanks to persuade us shareholders to allow a glorified ticket tout take over this club,who then subsequently sacked Sheepy.

I say this as I fear if he stays as the main shareholder,he can control the fate of ITFC which has been in a downward spiral since he sacked Jim and the then CEO.
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martin587 added 15:12 - Mar 12
Seasider.
110 years between us then.! I agree with you 100%.👍
1

brittaniaman added 16:24 - Mar 12
SUNDERLAND saw the light, WOLVES saw the light and both sacked him!!! So is IPSWICH waiting for the light to go out or what ????
Open the curtains in your box Evans and watch the games !!!!
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surgery added 17:46 - Mar 12
Re Kingfisher49, what we need is a press conference with someone with some balls akin Jeremy Paxman asking this arrogant Yorkshire g.t some proper questions and not accept, and let him get away with his, I'm always right, and nobody dare question that fact, answers
5

surgery added 18:04 - Mar 12
Roy Keane, horrible person/ cr.p manager / but, very good player. When he's at home he has Sir Alex telling him how he wants the game played. Fast forward Ireland, and he's being taught the finer points of the game by our managerial maestro. Wonder why he jumped ship.???
1

blueboy1981 added 19:00 - Mar 12
Swn98 ........ I'm sure I know you - you're the one who walks around in reverse all the time aren't you ?
7

Charlie_pl_baxter added 19:44 - Mar 12
I can't see us being relegated under Mick but once we are safe surely ME has to consider finding someone new. Football clubs are entertainment businesses and the value of the club is linked to the quality of the entertainment. The worse we get the less the club is worth and the more money he will lose. It's pretty clear he doesn't care about the club but surely he cares about his pocket.
3

brittaniaman added 21:13 - Mar 12
Just heard Derby have sacked McClaren and they are far better placed in the league than we are ??
So I wonder who will be next !!!! I do not expect it will be Dino do you ?????
0

Safetyfirstmrwark added 23:13 - Mar 12
EVANS OUT
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 09:02 - Mar 13
This is definitely a relegation scrap now.
Teams below us gaining points on us every week, Bristol City is who we been to finish above and I think they have more about them than us at the moment
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Razor added 10:47 - Mar 13
Anybody friends with a rich chinese geezer-----anything to change things at PR.
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ipswich1992 added 18:33 - Mar 13
Your days are numbered Mick. Admit defeat it is time to go. Don't make us wait swallow your pride and admit you are finished and walk away with some dignity.

We are a laughing stock. What does a man have to do to get the sack these days.
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