Town boss Mick McCarthy said he apologised to his players at their impromptu post-match on-pitch meeting as he felt it was his presence which led to the toxic second-half atmosphere during the Blues’ dismal 3-0 defeat to Hull City and impressed upon them the importance of sticking together.

Asked what he said at the meeting of players and staff after the final whistle at an again fractious Portman Road, McCarthy said: “That we’ve got to stick together, absolutely. You just make sure everybody knows that. I don’t doubt that for one minute, they’ve got my support and I’ve got theirs.

“And it was a tough old evening but it really is a matter of sticking together and not fragmenting because if we do then it’ll really go pear-shaped and I don’t the atmosphere represented the way we’ve been playing, to be quite honest.

“A bad night tonight, but we’ve played against a bad team with good players. And fundamentally it’s a disgrace that they’ve been down there all season long with those players, so fair play to Nigel Adkins, he’s finally got them going and he’s got a good team.”

McCarthy said his side started well with Jordan Spence hitting the post in the eighth minute: “We did. We conceded a soft one but it looks like a good strike but I don’t think he should have got a shot as free as he did on the edge of our box.

“[Allan McGregor] made a good save from Wardy and I think it was from a goalkick which should have been a corner that they scored their second from.

“We just got out of shape, to be quite honest, and they picked us off. And they were a good side then, they were better than us tonight.”

The Blues boss explained his six changes in the third game of four in 12 days: “And we’ve got Saturday to go. Waggy and Callum were probably the bigger changes but both have played the games, both are on nine bookings, if they get another booking they’d both be suspended for two games.

“They’re the squad, the squad I’ve got and I made the changes and I thought that we could compete with the players I put on the pitch.”

Asked about the toxic second-half atmosphere, McCarthy said: “It was horrible. It was awful.”

Did it make it difficult for his players? “It’s dreadful, as I said to them at the end. To their eternal credit they kept going actually, not one of them stopped. The heads didn’t go down, they kept running, they kept tackling, they kept chasing, they kept trying to play.

“And I thanked them for that and I apologised because it was probably my presence there that caused that atmosphere and they shouldn’t have to play in that.

“But that’s the way it is at the minute. I just thanked them for their efforts and made sure they all stick together and that everybody saw that we are as one, which we are.”

How does it feel on the touchline when chants are being aimed in his direction? “It feels lovely, of course it does. It’s a lovely feeling.”

Does it get to you? “It’s not nice but I can stand that. I can stand it so long as the lads are with me I can stand anything.”

Does he feel it’s undeserved? “I don’t think it represents how we’ve played recently and the results that we’ve had.

“But it does seem like unless we win that’s always going to happen now. Not a lot I can do about that except win, try and win.”

Is winning now enough to get fans back on side? “You tell me, you’ve got the ear of them better than me because I don’t listen to them or take a great deal of notice.”

After the opinion was offered that it probably wouldn't be, given the impasse has gone on for so long, he responded: “If that’s the way you think. But that might not change my opinion.”

Hull manager Nigel Adkins was delighted with his side's victory which sees them move nine points from the relegation zone.

“It was an excellent away performance from the players,” he said. “That’s back-to-back victories. We’ve come away from home, got a clean sheet and three goals.

“We did all the things you’ve got to do to win a game of football. Our performances have been consistently good.

"There’s no flukes when you get the result. Yet, you take nothing for granted, we have to keep building.”

Photo: TWTD

hulltractor added 13:09 - Mar 14 I have tried to be patient and try and look at the positives about MM years in charge but enough is enough now. The players try every week and I don't think it is a case of losing the dressing room but its MM that trains the team all week and lays down his "Must not lose first and foremost" philosophy so the buck stops with him. The current trend of performances and results are not going to change with him in charge. God forbid what it would be like next season if he gets more time in the dugout. I keep refreshing the TWTD page hoping for good news but so far today none has appeared sadly.

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Europablue added 13:11 - Mar 14 SuperBlue67 I thank Mick for what he has done for the club. At the same time, I think that he doesn't fit the club and he has achieved his purpose of steadying the ship so it's time for him to go. I almost feel sorry for Mick. It's not his fault he is who he is. I think he has always been honest and worked hard for the club, his behaviour is frustrating at times and he should work harder to get the fans onside. I even agree that sometimes you have to ignore what the moaners have to say and make sure you get results. There's a high value involved in not getting relegated, but most fans would rather stay up and be entertained than end up 7th and play poorly.

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brendanh added 13:28 - Mar 14 "That's where they should expect to be. It's that type of club." It's all well and good George Burley spouting off about our "rightful place" (see itfcserbia's comment), but it was him that started our demise from which we have never recovered. Burley jettisoned Jamie Scowcroft and spunked over £6m on the useless Finidi George and Marcus Bent. Plus, he failed to convince Richard Wright not to ruin his career by joining Arsenal, then blew £5m on a rubbish keeper: Sereni. From the moment he won Manager of the Year, Burley barely made a correct decision at Ipswich. Good coach, very limited manager.

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TheCurly added 13:36 - Mar 14 When asked "Is winning now enough to get fans back on side?" His reply was “You tell me, you've got the ear of them better than me because I don't listen to them or take a great deal of notice.” I think that sums up the mans contemn for the fans. Please just leave MM, you are ruining the ethos of this club and you are breaking my heart
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inghamspur added 13:50 - Mar 14 Been one of those standing up for Mick whilst he's been getting all the vitriol......but he didn't help himself at all last night with the team selection plus a change in formation. OK, some may have been forced on him by injury, but to have 6 changes since the last game and expect a coherent performance is expecting a lot. He's just piling the pressure on the players. That was the worst I've seen at Portman Road last night since becoming a season ticket holder some 4 years ago and I think that is pushing me towards thinking that is change is required, whatever the consequences, as surely it can't get any worse.

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Jonaldo added 14:25 - Mar 14 Honestly, I think Mick saved us. We would be in div 3 if not for him. He has a good squad now. It hasnt worked this season but I would give him one more year. Controversial I know. Thiughts?
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gunnerblue added 14:36 - Mar 14 Jonaldo NO.
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Seasider added 15:16 - Mar 14 Apparently MIlne didn't seem worried;but then he isn't an Ipswich supporter,just an Evans placeman employee. Important thing is what Evans thinks about it all,which we don't know;but hope he doesn't consult this Arsenal supporting clown. Expect McCarthys supporters,who despite what Mick thinks,are in a minority now;must think bless about this show of togetherness in the centre circle after the match.Whilst others wonder whether this was partly to avoid he rath of the crowd,had he walked straight off.Presumably only the Happy Clappers were left when they left the pitch.

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planetblue_2011 added 16:01 - Mar 14 It was an awful game last night one of the worst games I've seen in a long time. Then again the entertainment value is terrible & surely Mick has to go the end of season. The team Mick started with was strange, not sure why he started with that team. It clearly didn't work. We need a change in personal the crowd surely shows Marcus Evans that. Never known such a low crowd as this at Portman Rd for years. It spells out for change at the club.

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RegencyBlue added 18:59 - Mar 14 Personally I think it's already gone pear shaped, big style!
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Bluesaway added 21:32 - Mar 14 Exclude the first four games (which now seem a distant memory!) and our 'form' is 33 games played, 40 points. Scored 38, conceded 43. Over the course of a season, that amounts to 56 points, and only 53 goals scored and 60 conceded. Enough to stay up but actually only one point more than last season and five more goals scored whilst conceding two more. So the question is, are we going to settle for 16th place and mediocrity each season or is there a desire for something more? Rather surprisingly, prior to the Hull game we had got 12 points from the last seven games. So if you exclude the first four, plus that run of seven games, we have been averaging less than 1.1 points per game, which got Blackburn relegated last season. To make sixth place the average required over the season is at least 1.6 points per game, often significantly more. We have not put a sustained run of that sort together for a considerable time, so we are clearly some way short from being a promotion contender. So the question is, do we want to stick with being in the bottom half every season or change the formula? It will be three seasons since we made the play-offs, with no sign of that changing any time soon. Where is the ambition to at least make a go of it and compete at the top end for another season? Does the club have the belief any more after so long outside the top flight? Are we makeweights in the Championship, stuck in a rut with no appetite to challenge or try something different?

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madmouse1959 added 14:36 - Mar 15 As "Gunner" said on page 2.....IT HURTS to see the club fall apart like this. It goes a lot deeper than McCarthy though. The cut backs and austerity measures at this club is crippling it. The feel good factor has disappeared from most of the staff at the club and it is only McCarthy & the players trying to hold it together unsuccessfully. When we were in the top 6 , it was Marcus Evans big chance to recruit a couple of good players to really give it a go to get promoted. Instead, the right investment did not come and we got duly walloped in the play-offs to Norwich. Now, Evans has made another mistake . Ignoring the supporters and public opinion. He will find it hard to get back the lost supporters once they have broken their bond with the club. No little sales gimmick or an Ian Milne fluffy 5 point plan will count anymore.

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