Boss Paul Cook pulled no punches in his post-match press conference following Town’s humiliating 3-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon admitting the Blues are “a million miles from a good team” and added that fans must be “tired and bored of it now”.

Asked how much the defeat, Town’s first ever loss to the Dons under the AFC name, hurt him, Cook said: “I can’t. I just can’t. I’ve watched football for years and years, I’ve been around football. I’ve always put myself in the supporters’ position. Our supporters are tired now, bored of us. Let’s have it right, that’s what they are.

“I lucky enough and privileged enough to probably have a chance hopefully to try and change a lot of what’s gone on. And that’s what’s going to have to happen now.

“There’s no throwing players under the bus, no excuses offered. We’re a million miles from a good team, and that includes myself and the staff tonight.

“You win together, you lose together, we travel away together, we have each other. But, like I say, I have been managing for a long time now.

“The best feeling when you’re a manager when you put a team on the pitch that you trust. I don’t trust our team, I’ve got to be open and say that. That doesn’t mean everyone’s a bad player, it doesn’t mean everyone’s doing something wrong but we’re miles off it. We’re just miles off it for the club.

“And again, I keep going back to our supporters. They’re tired and bored of it now. We have to be better because if we’re not, the changes will keep being repetitive. I’m not so sure that keeping changing gets you to where you want to be because somewhere along the line, the anchor has to go in and the badness has to stop and we have to start taking steps forward.

“We’ve taken a massive step back tonight as a club, and that’s so disappointing for me, for you guys that travel and everybody else.”:

The Blues have won only two of Cook’s first 10 games and he knows that’s far from what was hoped for when he came in just over a month ago.

“Oh come on, as a football manager coming in, two wins out of 10, it is what it is,” he reflected. “I’m big enough and I’ve been around the game well long enough to be able to shoulder criticism. Like I say, when you’re a manager and you stand on the touchline, you are as good as your team.

“So tonight if you’re suggesting that [having won] two out of 10, I’m not a very good manager and I haven’t got a very good team.”

The game hinged on a 10-minute spell in which Wimbledon scored twice and Josh Harrop was sent off. Asked about that period of the match, Cook added: “You’re now going to go into more negative questions about more negativity. I’ve told you, we weren’t very good, it’s not good enough and it has to change. I don’t think I need to add much more.”

What does he say to fans losing heart? “I’ve said enough. I’m surprised we’ve still got any. We are what we are, we flatter to deceive, so the questions you can ask me will continue to be negative, I can’t change my answers. I can’t.

“We’re not good enough, we know that. On a pitch you’re supposed to do the right things, score goals, defend well. We don’t do any of it.”

After the break the Blues briefly showed some threat, however, Cook appeared not overly impressed by that spell: “Well done us. Well done us.”

Asked whether he’s now got a job to lift the players ahead of Saturday, the Blues manager said: “They have to lift themselves now, don’t they? In sport, in general, if you don’t feel pain, you will never do anything about it. We need to feel pain, we to travel home tonight and if it’s doesn’t affect you tomorrow and the next day, there’s something wrong.

“I’m not so sure it affects our players a great deal. The reality for us going forward is things must change.”

Cook has given plenty of different players a chance since coming to the club and has used several different systems.

“You’ve asked me enough,” he added. “Two up front tonight. We tried our best. I’m not going to be drawn into giving players criticism.

“Like I said to them after the game, they’ve been kicked from pillar to post at times and they’re probably now tired of being kicked from pillar to post.

“The reality for us is we had a big week last week, there’s a lot of change going on at the football club and the supporters are the ones that I only feel for. They’re the ones who have supported us for a period of time where they’re not happy and the eventually the sun’s got to start shining on the club. It’s not shining on the club in any shape or form.”

Cook spoke to new chairman Mike O’Leary, who was with Bryan Klug, Lee O’Neill and club secretary Stuart Hayton, after the game. Quizzed on how O’Leary felt, Cook said: “I think Michael’s a very experienced gentleman, isn’t he? I’m sure Michael and the people who are coming in see, I’m sure they’ve been watching lots of Ipswich games and I’m sure they’re well-versed for what’s coming.

“As experienced people, what can we do about it tonight? What can I say to make it better? Absolutely nothing. So let’s take the pain.”

Does he feel under pressure? “I’m a football manager, we feel pressure every single day of our lives, every day. If you’re not winning football matches you’re under pressure, aren’t you. So I feel it, of course I do.”

Can Town still keep talking about the play-offs? “You can always keep talking about them because while there’s life there’s hope. But unfortunately it’s a very tough night for us.

“Let’s lick our wounds, let’s get on the bus back to Ipswich, let’s keep our heads down and let the pain settle in because as a club you’re hurting tonight. I think, as I said answering some of the questions, the questions just continually get more negative. You can’t change that [tonight].”

Photo: TWTD

Kingfisher49 added 10:38 - Apr 14 A few years back we put a young side out against Crystal Palace in the league cup. They did well as a group when the Senior players were failing. Nothing has changed over the years. So come on give these younger up and coming lads a well deserved go in the last few weeks of this season. Baggott should be recalled and along with Gibbs, Simpson and others be given a chance.

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Gforce added 10:47 - Apr 14 DITCH the Tractor boys...... NEW SEASON NEW START We Are THE TOWN!!!!!!!!!
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SuffolkPunch70 added 11:23 - Apr 14 Honest assessment by Cook, as many have mentioned. Fans need to stick by him and let him build his team - he has a track record of putting good teams together and getting them playing well. You cannot be saying you want him to completely ditch this team and then only give him til October to get a completely fresh set of players gelling seamlessly - even Klopp coudn't do that in that timeframe !!! As for those who are complaining about being called the Tractor Boys - please come up with something more identifying and imaginative than the TOWN !! that really sets us apart doesn't it !?!?!? There are only another 50 Towns in the leagues !! sounds like you are stuck in the Sixties !

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Bert added 11:27 - Apr 14 Gforce -The new owners must have an engagement plan to involve supporters in things like: 1. Do we really want to be called the Tractor Boys ? 2. What makes for a good matchday experience ? 3. How do supporters want to engage with the club ? 4. What is our identity ? The new owners have experience of how Phoenix Rising was turned around so let's hope they hit the ground running. Cook is right that "we win together and lose together" but as supporters we have an undeniable need to feel a sense of belonging which right now feels a distant memory.

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algarvefan added 11:42 - Apr 14 This is an article from this site in 2012 from Richie Wellens a loan player. Seems to me to be what I said on here earlier, it's a long standing problem and will take a while to sort out, it's the club as much as the players!!! Read below, this could have been last night not 9 years ago! "Wellens, who is with the Blues from Leicester until November 10th, said: “A new manager needs to come in and put a rocket under their backsides because there are not enough people who show they care about losing or even their own careers. “One of the coaches said that the old manager got stick for bringing in loan players, but it is the loan players who are showing they care and that is a sad indication of what is wrong.” He refused to blame those coaches for Saturday's display: “There is a full week to get someone in but everything Chris [Hutchings], and Sparky [Mark Kennedy] have said and done in the days before the game were spot on. “If we are allowing balls to drop in the box and not clearing the ball or not stopping shots, or winning a header, you are going to get beat and that is not down to the coaches.” He added: “We need people to show passion, to show they care. It is difficult when you are getting the ball and no one else wants it. It is human nature when you are under pressure to go and hide but we need a better attitude, and to act like men. “I have always thought of Ipswich as a nice club and that was confirmed when I got here. It is a little too easy, too cosy.” The 32-year-old former Manchester United trainee continued: "Defensively we were a bit of a shambles. We did not compete with their physicality and they won every headed ball in both boxes."

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trncbluearmy added 11:52 - Apr 14 Tractor Boys is a great nickname no one else has got it and you can still refer to ITFC as Town no problem, and probably more important the only thing the national press like about ITFC is the unique Tractor Boys nickname
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Unhinged_dynamo added 11:56 - Apr 14 I keep thinking back to when Paul Anderson scored against Norwich, people then said he wasn't good enough and we were average.... What does that make us and our crop of players now
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bingboast added 12:08 - Apr 14 Carlo88, Not wishing to support The Tractor Boys then we know were you stand, try following the Canaries, the history of the Tractor Boys is well respected when they are doing well, the problem is the team, manager etc, etc, not the nick name.
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BettyBlue added 12:14 - Apr 14 Paul Cook, the worst ITFC manager ever.
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sotd78 added 12:19 - Apr 14 I quite like having a nickname that the World recognises my club by. Before the Tractor Boys was coined for us by a journo we were often subjected to songs by other fan bases; "I can't read, I can't write, but I comedown from Ipswich Town and I can drive a tractor" It's certainly a sight better than the Blues or Towen.
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Westy added 13:01 - Apr 14 YEP.
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ImAbeliever added 13:08 - Apr 14 Ditch the Tractor Boys poll required
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BeattiesBackPocket added 13:18 - Apr 14 Like most on here If I don't hit my targets at work I'm out of a job but given a chance to prove different these players for the most are out of contract you would think that's incentive enough but clearly not. It's honestly crazy how poor the state of the club all the way through is! These new owners, CEO, chairman and cook have the biggest job in our clubs history it really is a joke how long this has gone on for and how people still don't like to hear how evans running of the club was poor at best. I shall be getting a season ticket again next season but let's not expect miracles over night it's a huge tough job they've all got.

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1RWR added 14:00 - Apr 14 I am a proud tractor boy & I support the Tractor Boys.....end of. It's an endearing nickname that's honest, not unpleasant & slightly humorous.....what on earth can anyone disagree with that? Just leave it be and concentrate more on the more serious problems that surround ITFC.
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Marinersnose added 14:09 - Apr 14 Cook is spot on with his assessment. He can see that some of these players just want to take their cash without having to work. I think some of this squad will be playing their last few games as a professional footballer as no other club will be interested in players who are mediocre and have no heart for the fight. Rumours that Huws walked out on the club weeks ago ? Another talent who couldn't stay fit and who has stolen a living at this club. Cook will get it right but this isn't a quick fix. I'm in a bad mood when we lose, probably affects me more than some of this squad. Where is our great captain on the pitch ? Another stealing a huge wage.

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HarleydavidsonBlue added 14:16 - Apr 14 What has the name Tractor Boys got to do with the way this useless bunch of so called footballers played last night ? lets get the team sorted first, and then we can carry on with this nickname
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TB42 added 14:56 - Apr 14 Surprised, with everything else that is going on with the club at present, the name "Tractor Boys" has suddenly become an issue for some people? I appreciate that it is impossible to please all of the people all of the time. However, personally, I have always been quite happy with the nickname, reflecting our rural origins. Does it really matter? Also, if too many object, as with all names, the likes of the Canaries will only use it even more often just to irk. Having said that, our new American benefactors may well decide that they want something more upmarket or commercially dynamic so I guess the adage will be .... watch this space LOL !!!!

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planetblue_2011 added 15:29 - Apr 14 Tired & bored is an understatement Cooky🙈
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ESSEX75 added 15:30 - Apr 14 PC youve given the key board warriors of TWTD news site more ammunition be warned their poisoned chalice will bring you down
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Lower_North added 17:09 - Apr 14 I don't think its anything to do with motivation, they've had enough chances to get pumped up for this. I think they genuinely have not got the ability to raise there game upwards when its needed. Lets be honest most of these would not cut it at League 2 level. I fell sorry for Cook, he's working with overpaid inferior standard players, that think they are on easy street..

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dude added 18:09 - Apr 14 Do not offer ambassador roles for anyone. Chambo away from itfc please.
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brendenward35 added 19:33 - Apr 14 Just watched the actual video PC is so annoyed his struggling to contain himself. If those players had half the passion as him we wouldn't be in this mess. No wonder he ignored them after the game he must have been foaming at the mouth. I can't wait to see who get told to take a hike at the end off the season won't be many of last nights players around at the end of the season. Would have loved to have been a fly of that dressing room wall last night guy was fuming and boiling up inside.

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brittaniaman added 20:46 - Apr 14 It is a great pity you did not bring home Wimbledons front line players and left ours there ? To score 8 goals in 2 games where as ours could not score that many in a month ?
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