Town boss Mick McCarthy says he can do nothing to affect the size of Portman Road crowds other than to get results. Saturday’s 2-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Bolton Wanderers was watched by only 14,164 fans, the lowest home crowd for a league game since 13,212 attended the 1-0 victory over Swindon in October 1998.

Following last season’s disappointing 16th-place finish and a 1.5 per cent price rise, season ticket sales dropped by nearly 2,000 to the high 10,000s, while struggling Wanderers brought only 337 fans to Suffolk for Saturday's match.

"In terms of the crowd, I can't make people come in, I can only try to affect results," McCarthy told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We're in the top six with 15 points from seven games, which is way beyond any of our expectations when we started, mine included.

"I said I don't think we're one of the best teams in the league and we're going to have to be tough and belligerent and organised - and all those horrible things people don't particularly like - but we have got a bit of something.

"I try my best to create a winning team and a good atmosphere amongst everybody, and I think we've got that. It's the club that gets more concerned about the crowd.”

In order to try to address the drop in season ticket numbers Town reduced their matchday prices and introduced a new ticket bundle scheme ahead of the start of the campaign.

The Blues, who take on leaders Leeds United, who they trail by two points with a game in hand at Elland Road on Saturday, are next in action at home to Sunderland a week tomorrow with another Portman Road fixture, against Bristol City, the following Saturday.

Photo: TWTD

Currie10 added 00:39 - Sep 19 Some of these comments about resign and leave, dino, when we are 5th in the league and if win our game in hand we're top are absolutely laughable. So lets say these fans got their wish, Mick was sacked tomorrow. We got god knows who in, who tried to play open expansive footy and results were horrific. Sure, short-term crowds would be massively up. However, say we were 19th but playing ' pretty to watch stuff with zero product ' would people still continue? Of course not. I'd imagine many a club would happily swap positions with us right now. Don't get me wrong, I've no idea how this season will go however I'm willing to find out. I don't live life in such a negative way to be able to say ' I told you this I told you that I knew it would go wrong ' Was fed up of these comments for the duration of the 14/15 season too. Unfortunately for these people, it didn't fall off a cliff and we came top 6 with on paper one of the worst midfield combinations available!

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SpiritOfJohn added 07:05 - Sep 19 Newsflash: Mick likes to win ugly. Here's another revelation: football supporters like to see their team play some football. There have been some signs of improvement this season so why did Mick choose to wind the anti brigade up with these comments?
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Dissboyitfc added 07:24 - Sep 19 Curry if you watch us then you will know we have been lucky to win the games we have won, this will soon change and we drop down the division.
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christiand added 07:45 - Sep 19 So a 'little' more money has been invested in the squad over the summer, which still equates to a poor level of football on the pitch. So the experiment of trying to play better or an expansive style of football has lasted all of 7 league games (if it ever really started)? The blame for me is a combination of ME and MM. ME's in the way he has treated fans and taken for granted the loyalty of the club's supporters and without doubt the quality served up on the pitch by MM's sides. What I can't understand is the longevity of this approach? Say by an absolute miracle MM does get us promoted, can you imagine that style of play being successful in the Premier League? The Derby County's points total of 11 would be in serious jeopardy, I doubt we'd even reach double figures!

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1RWR added 08:34 - Sep 19 Few on here have mentioned the 'squad'. I believe the squad is pretty good & capable of a top ten finish. What I cannot understand is playing so defensively at home,5 at the back against a poor Bolton side is/was inexcusable in my opinion. MM is always worried sick about the opposition, why not try a 'bu$ger them' approach, play to your strengths & just go for the jugular? If MM goes then we as fans will need a little patience [which I think we have plenty of] & I'm sure we will/would be ok, given time. I'm not a MM lover, would I like him to go......probably yes as seeing 14,350 on the attendance board on Saturday was dreadful. Like it or not, MM is the one who decides the team & the way the team play. His philosophy is, draw every game & nick a win here or there will do me!

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Bluetone added 09:06 - Sep 19 "In terms of the crowd, I can't make people come in, I can only try to affect results," McCarthy told BBC Radio Suffolk. Probably true but you can put people off coming and do so constantly with your brand of dire football.
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Gcon added 09:11 - Sep 19 What a miserable bunch! Why not get behind your team instead of sharpening your knives in anticipation of losses? Why can't people enjoy our league position? All this 'favourites', 'no respect for fans', 'hoofball' is completely unjustified pish. Of course the atmosphere is poor at PR, it's full of people that would prefer to see the manager and team fail than succeed. Take a look in the mirror next time you have the gaul to moan yourselves senseless and in the same breath complain about a poor atmosphere. Right, got that off my chest....

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Razor added 10:10 - Sep 19 We all of course know the answer----its the managers boring negative and totally unnattractive style of play that turns people off and once people leave they may never come back. Couple of obvious examples, the lineup against the bottom of the table club on Saturday and not picking your best player and going back to last season refusing to play Jonny Williams after it took him ages ages to get fit. Look at yourself Mick and you will find all your answers.

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blueboy1981 added 11:29 - Sep 19 Gcon .......... ever crossed your mind that it is YOU that needs to look in the mirror - man up and expect a bit more from the Club you supposedly love. Maybe - like the rest of us do, that YOU continuously brand as 'moaners'. ITFC has always been a proud, reasonably successful Club over the years - renowned throughout the game, for playing the beautiful game, and it's respect for Supporters and followers. We want that back - so maybe the so called 'moaners' are the ones that really do love our Club.

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Surco72 added 11:35 - Sep 19 As I have stated numerous times MM just doesn't get it , we are an average mid sized club in the second tier of football and have been for a long time . We will have good seasons and bad seasons but most of all we want to pay our money have a good afternoon out with good entertaining football to watch win or lose . MM thinks that all that matters is 3 points at any cost , personally I do not it is about playing football the right positive way . We pay to see the likes of Celina , Lawrence , Fraser , Bullard etc not 5 defenders and a holding midfielder or 2 at home to poor teams . MM makes wins feel bad with our display at times and defeats even worse by our negative approach , with one or two shots on goal in a game , this does not attract supporters back even if we are near the top at present which I find highly commendable to MM and his team ,but ever decreasing crowds and people who were criticised for "only moaning when we lose " still staying away when we are winning proves that MM's football philosophy is maybe not a match with Towns ?

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Hoofball added 15:51 - Sep 19 Mick you are deluded !
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Bert added 19:36 - Sep 19 In a spare half hour I looked at the number of posts and ascertained that we'll over 50% are from the same dozen or so people who are always negative and ridicule either MM or the club whatever the facts. Does this suggest that this site is almost irrelevant or is it that it has just become the home of those who lack any balance? Whatever the answer it is clear that on matchday there are far more people happy with the season so far than those who regularly come on here as if MM has personally hurt them. They need to move on and find a balance not just in their comments but perhaps their lives.

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mikepc added 19:39 - Sep 19 players , read and watch telly. What kind of thought does it create in a players head when he hears his manager saying they are not the best ?
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sereneblue added 19:47 - Sep 19 From 24k at the start of McCarthy's reign to 14k to the present day. You've destroyed our club.
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thebeat added 20:12 - Sep 19 Goon what a load of tosh you talk, if you are saying he's never played favourites, had a dig at the fans or played hoofball then I can only presume you are a very deaf Stevie Wonder. Your'e backing him for the sake of it there knowing full well what you are saying is incorrect. He HAS picked favourites. He HAS produced awful one dimensional Hoofball. He HAS dug the fans out regularly. Everybody has seen and heard all of the above. I'd get your eyes and ears tested if I were you Mr Superfan

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Bert added 23:33 - Sep 19 I have made my point and repeat that most supporters take no notice of the silly nonsense said by some people on here. Both club and manager have made attempts to repair the damage but if folk want to shut their minds to that then they are the poorer for it.
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madmouse1959 added 02:20 - Sep 20 Ya got one out of two McCarthy......You certainly can,t make supporters come to games !!! This club has lost some dam good hard-core supporters over the last few years. Supporters who simply said "enough is enough". Untill Evans wakes up and makes more effort to build a stronger squad and McCarthy can supply entertaining football I can,t see those fans returning anytime soon.

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bobble added 04:50 - Sep 20 the only way the club can make people come to the games is by playing exciting football or having very very cheap tickets.....and mick is responsible for 1 of those, so yes he can make people come to the games..
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peewee added 07:11 - Sep 20 Problem is the football has been bad, tactics and team choices. When we win micks digging at the fans and when we lose hes telling us how good the other team is and that we put a shift in. All adds up with Evan's belief that fans had to opt out of the £10 amonth youth academy thing. spends next to nothing for years selling off the best players and not buying like for like to replace what is sold.

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blue75 added 07:47 - Sep 20 Bert I'm not always negative but McCarthy's tactics are if you're happy with I look forward to hearing you and all McCarthy's biggest fans make some noise singing his name. I can't remember the last time his name was sung you might get it on derby day then again you might not.
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1RWR added 08:02 - Sep 20 Blue75.......strange you said about fans not singing MM's name, I think it was at the Brentford game in the North Stand [still call it that, sorry] earlier this season, things were going well & "up the football league we go" started & when it got to what should have been "McCarthy is our King" it went very muffled and his name wasn't actually heard & fans started to snigger. Fan's are fickle & I'm one of them but I don't think you'll hear anyone singing his name for a very long time....if at all.Surely that tells the story & feelings within the general fan base. Like you, I don't even think a derby result would change anything.

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martin587 added 11:54 - Sep 20 When I travel to all the away games our support is fantastic and we have one of the biggest following in this league.We get behind the team because we Support and love them. The support at home is completely the opposite. Yes we all want good attractive football,but you won't get it with the non investment and the players we have.So get over it and either support the team or don't bother coming to watch. 5th in the league two points behind the top team and a game in hand.What more do you miserable moaners want,and by the way,thanks for all your down marks.Sometimes I think the truth really hurts with some of you.🤔

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Bluetone added 12:23 - Sep 20 @martin587 1 Your version of the "truth" 2 "don't bother coming to watch." this is exactly the option a couple of thousand season ticket holders have taken. I am at a loss to understand how those that disagree with you staying away would improve our club's financial position. Also have you seen the recent attendance figures?
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BlueArrow added 12:52 - Sep 20 I agree with Martin 587 the support and noise at away games is far and away better than at the home ones because the fans want to get behind the team. The reason I go to away games rather than home is purely down to the price of the ticket is 60+ concession and of course to SUPPORT the team through thick and thin.
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corfu72 added 12:55 - Sep 20 Blue tone, My point is,why moan about every game whether we win or loose then post on here just how bad the manager and players are. So best to stay away .Just my opinion, just like yours is different to mine.Know harm ment,🤔
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