Midfielder Cole Skuse says the Blues’ improved performance against leaders Coventry City illustrated that the players haven’t thrown in the towel despite Town falling to a 1-0 defeat.

Matty Godden netted the game’s only goal in the 16th minute to send the Sky Blues five points clear at the top of League One with the Blues now down in 10th, their lowest position since Boxing Day 1956.

Town were significantly better than they were during Tuesday’s loss to Fleetwood by the same scoreline even though they were unable able to turn that display into three points.

“I think everyone saw that today,” Skuse said. “Again, the fans came out in their thousands and at the end of the first half and at the end of the game they could see that the lads have not thrown the towel in by any stretch.

“I thought it was a positive performance against a good, well-organised side who are sitting top of the league for a reason.

“They’ve had one shot, one goal. I’ve just said to our media guys, I’m really struggling for words. It’s not as if I’m coming out trying to hide away from questions or anything like that, I’m struggling for words [as it's] a really tough one to take today because I think we played really well and maybe on another day it would have gone another way.”

Town were without three of their senior frontmen, Will Keane having joined James Norwood (recovering from his groin operation) and Kayden Jackson (serving the third game of his three-match ban) in the stands, and Skuse conceded that the Blues struggled up front in their absence.

“Yes, because you’re missing quality players,” the 33-year-old added. “But you’ve still got Freddie Sears, who has played in the Premier League. We’ve got Tyreece Simpson, Dobs [Armando Dobra], Bish [Teddy Bishop] can play in a forward position, Judgey [Alan Judge], an international. You’re not talking about players with no calibre. They’re, top, top players that are playing.

“And it is just that spell at the minute where we’re just not getting that rub. I think the lads up top today were very good. I thought Gwion [Edwards] had a great game, Judgey especially was very good.

“I’m not trying to hide away from anything, I’m not making up excuses, it’s a really tough one to swallow. It’s a tough one.”

Skuse admitted that it’s currently a very tough period for the Blues, who are bottom of a League One form table calculated over the last nine games having lost seven during that period, including the last four.

“After 12 games we were sitting top of the league. Everything looked rosy, we’ve gone on a bad spell and now we’re sitting in [the] position [we are],” he reflected.

“I’m not speaking just on behalf of the players, I speaking on behalf of fans, staff members, the club as a whole, no one wants to be in the position we’re in.

“But that doesn’t mean we’ve thrown the towel in by any stretch, we’ve still got a chunk of games to go and as you can see today it was a very spirited performance from everyone.

“We’ll be trying our utmost to finish the season as well as we can and who knows where it will take us.”

Skuse, who will be back in his home city next Saturday when the Blues face Bristol Rovers, says there was an in-depth post-mortem at Playford Road following the Fleetwood defeat.

“We’ve regrouped over the few days,” he said. “We’ve had meeting after meeting and if I could come in front of you now and pinpoint one thing that was going wrong, then we wouldn’t be in this position, that one issue would have been eradicated weeks, if not months ago.

“It’s not for the want of trying to find what’s going wrong, it’s just isn’t happening for us at the minute. Like I said, we’ve given a positive display, there were some great performances but it just wasn’t to be.”

The Blues’ vice-captain insists the squad will keep fighting for a play-off place during the final eight games with the top six now seven points away with the four sides above them having two matches in hand.

“We’re realists, we’re not in the position we want to be by any stretch, we wanted to be sitting top of the league, rosy like Coventry and our fans singing ‘We’re top of the league, we’re going up’,” Skuse continued ruefully.

“We’re not hiding away from anything, like I said, the lads who came out today didn’t shirk anything, they didn’t shirk the responsibility, they were brave, everyone got on the ball, everyone was trying to make things happen.

“Me, as a senior player, and the other senior players were drumming it into the lads throughout the week, it happens in football, you go through rough patches. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth but you have to be bold, you have to be brave, you have to keep getting on the ball and trying to make things happen, and we will continue to do that.”

One of the few positives during the recent spell has been the impression made by 18-year-old youngsters Tyreece Simpson and Armando Dobra from the bench, while Brett McGavin, 20, made his league debut from the start against Fleetwood.

“It gives us a breath of fresh air,” Skuse added. “Brilliant for the lads because they’re great kids. They’re like sponges as well, they hang on every word, they’re looking to improve themselves.

“They train really hard, they train really well, so it’s brilliant for them to get their chance.

“Maybe not in the position that we’d want them to get their chance, as I said, we want to be sat top of the league and them coming in with the whole place buzzing, but it is what it is. We’re in the position we are now and they’ve got to take their chance.”

Photo: TWTD

midastouch added 12:55 - Mar 8 Belgium's blueprint that gave birth to a golden generation, a coaching revolution that started in 1998: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jun/06/belgium-blueprint-gave-bir They went even closer in 2018. For a country of their size and population they are certainly punching well above their weight.
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therein61 added 12:58 - Mar 8 The man just beggars belief as a senior pro he should set an example not point fingers at (except his mate) other players for his errors as he continually fails to keep up with the game
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Tony88 added 12:59 - Mar 8 I am sure that if the team were to read all the comments made on this site (good or bad) they would say why do we have to read the same boring comments day in day out.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:05 - Mar 8 get shot of all the cant plays wont plays ,liabilities and under performers and not bother'ds [that takes 95 % out] that frees up money to find some that may achieve something, at present everyone is being paid to fail .
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Michael101 added 13:07 - Mar 8 Well Mr skuse,you would know if players are making a effort.you spend all match watching .
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midastouch added 13:10 - Mar 8 The other things about playing young players is those that flourish become worth a lot of money. Old journeyman like Skuse are worth virtually nothing and his value and worth is only going to decrease. Too many of our experienced players have had it too comfortable for too long. They have used up their 9 cat lives like 9 times over and the rest! Time to get in some young hungry players who will fight tooth and nail to prove they are worthy of a place in the professional game. I'd rather we just played Morris and Simpson up front for the rest of the season. The other strikers are not scoring so why not!

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Cakeman added 13:13 - Mar 8 Currently on holiday in Tenerife which is where my money for not renewing season ticket next year will be spent. Life is about enjoyment. Sadly I have not enjoyed much football at Portman Road for three or four years. Our club is a shambles. Enough is enough, decision made I can get more enjoyment watching local football at the likes of Mutford and Wrentham!
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cooper442 added 13:18 - Mar 8 I don't think it would make difference if everyone was fit ,Coventry don't have any world beaters in their team but are top of the league, simply because they have an astute manager something we do not have ..
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Nobbysnuts added 13:22 - Mar 8 Has mr excuse been taking something???? What a croc of sh#t
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Dolphinblue added 13:23 - Mar 8 Wise words Skusy.....ignore....thenegcrew 🐬
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r2d2 added 13:29 - Mar 8 Utter drivel again. Saying they are trying. If some of the football on show has been trying their best. Christ knows what it would look like if they weren't. Chambers, Skuse, Lambert and Evans get out of our club. Useless.
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therein61 added 13:32 - Mar 8 Skuse is negative on the field Dolphin, and blindingly arrogant off it.
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ITFCsince73 added 13:34 - Mar 8 I think #Cat has summed up this story in 7 lines.
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Carberry added 13:36 - Mar 8 'A bad spell, not getting the rub of the green, isn't happening for us at the minute, going through rough patches, there were some great performances'. Firstly, nobody has great performances in League 1, maybe in a Champions League Final, get real. Secondly, this is not a blip, that's 2 or 3 games, this is terminal decline which you seem to have no control over. Coming out with the must win games nonsense is just an embarrassment - we can only assume you are collectively just not good enough to be challenging anywhere near the top of League 1, with the mighty Fleetwood, Rotherham, Wycombe etc. Face it Cole you are playing out the end of your career in the basement , enjoy the cheque while it lasts, let's hope no one sees you as the answer to our coaching woes.

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blues1 added 13:47 - Mar 8 Phil1969. "We have a manager with multi pro option experience"? Really? Since when has 2 pro orions with norwich counted as multiple. Other than that hes got wolves, stoke and villa relegated, or well on their way to relegation before getting sacked. Hardly a great record is it?
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alfromcol added 13:54 - Mar 8 Players sticking their heads up on here is like poking a wasps nest with stick. Better that they keep out of the way until we start winning again. But then a section of the crown will moan that no one is reporting back after the games. The main problem this year is not Evans, Lambert, Tom, Dick or Harry, but the fack that no player takes goal scoring chances. Nolan's tame header into the keepers hands sums up our lack of a goal scorer all season. Norwood, Jackson and Keane have all been guilty of missing relatively simple chances. Had these chances been put away our league position and the atmosphere around the place and confidence of the players would be totally different. But they didn't, and sadly we are where we are.

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Phil1969 added 13:56 - Mar 8 Midas good point if it were that straight forward I'ld put myself forward as Manager for free! I think we still lost that game against Crystal Palace youth.
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midastouch added 14:02 - Mar 8 Well it worked for Belgium. Why not us? Getting rid of the experienced deadwood from the wage bill will ensure we are well within the confines of FPP. The average age of the outfield players against Palace was just 19! They played a blinder against numerous experienced international players. It took two late stunning strikes from James McArthur (32 caps for his country) to break their resistance. Given our youngsters then could compete with a Premier League side imagine what they could do now in League One!

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martin587 added 14:23 - Mar 8 I was just about to go for a nice refreshing walk along Southend Pier with my wife and three grandchildren when I received an email with your comments”we haven't thrown in the towel yet”. You must be joking as from the performances the team is churning out I thought you had done this ages ago.God give me strength.! I'm Off come on kids let's get an ice cream and dream on.🤫🤫

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Wooly74 added 14:25 - Mar 8 It's very simple for me and I called this out back in October when we were picking up wins by the odd single goal, we don't have enough quality in the last third. Jackson, who couldn't hit a cows a**e last season was made to look a World beater early on, but teams have worked him out, yes he can run and beat most centre halves in this division, but he doesn't convert enough to convince me that he could be a long term option to get us up and score the goals we need. Norwood, equally promised so much at the start, his hat trick against Colchester had most Town fans excited, finally we thought we had someone who could finish inside the 18 yard box, but again a typical confidence player, we have seen that sucked out of him over the course of the season with Lamberts inabilities to have a settled side for more than two or three games in a row. The lad is crushed now and battling with an injury. As for Keane, I think at 45 I could offer more up front, as a season ticket holder in section 5 of the North stand, I don't think I have seen him win a single header in the last third all season. He just hasn't got the quality and it's easy to see why he has dropped as fast down the leagues as we have as a team. I'm really hoping others have seen this and he is given his thanks but no thanks come the end of this faltering season. Freddie for me is still the best we have, although he is best when playing off a large target man who actually wins the ball in the air. Murphy was available again at the start of the season and apparently was eager to return once again and he has proven at bottom place Bolton that he could have done twice the job that Keane has tried to do. In the midfield, who is the out and out ball winner and man to hit the target from outside the 18 yard box, because sadly I don't see him. I have been a long admirer of Huws who could be that man, but he is softer than a snow flake and even my patience has finally run out. If Downes is worth the apparent £5m then please seek him and go after a couple of creative midfielders for next season. Yes he is good, but his contribution of shots and goals ratio is poor, I appreciate that's not his game, but if he is as good as some suggests even he should be able to do it at this level. Skuse now sadly past it, Nolan is poor at best and again has failed to show any of the form he had at his previous club. Dozzell needs a few nights in the nearest Steak 🥩 house to beef him up a bit and please Andre, try and look a little interested. Judge, too inconsistent, looks great one week out of six, so not good enough again for this level. Edwards is another one who promised so much when he first came, has been played largely out of position this season but still doesn't hit it enough when given plenty of opportunities to do so. So a combination of all that puts us about where we should be (10th). Goals win matches and shots creates goals or at least chances for others to convert!!! Simply not good enough lads sorry..

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ITFCsince73 added 14:40 - Mar 8 Great post Wooly74. Although no mention of the skipper in your assessment?
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runningout added 14:56 - Mar 8 Bristol Rovers will be looking forward to an easy ride and 3 points next game. All they need to do is show an once of effort and little football intelligence. We are GONE as a football club! Believe it!
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Linkboy13 added 15:14 - Mar 8 Completely agree with Cole any ex player can see the players gave one hundred percent, the players just are not good enough.
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PSGBlue added 15:29 - Mar 8 The only predictable thing this season is that a load of tosh which comes out of a different players mouth each week. This time its the turn of Cole Skuse! Who are these top top players - Sears, Judge & Bishop! Does Skuse really believe this dribble? Honestly Sears (will never be the same again), Judge (when has he ever been top!) and Bishop (when does he even turn up?). At least with the closing of football grounds following the spread of Corona virus, it will give us a good excuse not to have to watch this farce of a team!

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herfie added 15:42 - Mar 8 The received wisdom following our relegation: strong squad, top end League 1 wage bill, strong supporter base, experienced manager, our overall quality and power will cause other L1 teams significant problem etc etc, was largely bought into by most of us. Warming initially to PL's astute media offensive, ST sales held up and average attendances were exceptional, given our demise. However, whilst early season results were positive, the same couldn't be said about our ability to put in consistently convincing performances. For some, watching on, alarm bells started to ring, albeit faintly, following the away defeat at A Stanley. Today, we need industrial standard ear protection to drown them out. PL wearing Emperor's New Clothes, ME's non-laying investment chickens coming home to roost. Players now clutching at non-existent straws, rather than admitting to the harshest of truths: the multiple factors that led to our relegation were far more toxic and deep-rooted, affecting all areas within the club; but, principally, the serious lack of first team quality. Results, tables and performances ultimately don't lie. In truth, we're probably a League 2 club, that over-achieved in those first games of the season. So let C Skuse and others try to hold up hard working defeats as signs of improvement, whilst clinging to a never say die attitude, as the benchmark for remaining games. At least we know what to expect: don't expect too much from us against well organised, good footballing teams - and we'll be working extra hard not to disappoint.

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