Manager Paul Cook says delivering success for Town fans would probably be the highlight of his career.

Cook has had a tough start to his time in charge of the Blues with last season’s form thoroughly underwhelming and then a slow start to this campaign before last week’s 1-0 win at Lincoln City.

But despite the frustrating results, Cook says he and his staff have been given a very warm welcome by supporters.

“I think generally the welcome my coaching staff have had, myself, into the Ipswich community has been absolutely first class,” he said.

“I think you’ll always get negativity because that’s the way sport is, but in general the positivity towards us all has been absolutely fantastic and it’s something that drives us on.

“If we need more motivation, which I don’t particularly think we do, delivering success for these fans would probably be the highlight of my career.

“And it’s something that myself and the coaching staff want to do. We are prepared for pain, it’s something that I feel, in football and sport you must go through pain to enjoy the other emotions that come. And that’s what we’re working towards.

“It was great for the coaching staff, it was great for everyone, great for Mark Ashton, Michael O’Leary, great for everyone because, let’s have it right, there were games we should have won before last Saturday at Lincoln. Come on, you’ve been at the games, we should have seen the games out and we haven’t.

“With that now comes the added pressure of wanting to be at the opposite end of the league table.

“It’s not a sprint, we all know that. We’re going to walk into a really formidable opponent tomorrow. No different than Lincoln and Bolton and previous teams we’ve played, and the biggest challenge at the minute, I keep saying, is for ourselves and what team are we going to become. That’s my biggest challenge as a manager.”

While the Blues have 38 games after Saturday, Cook can see why more importance might be put on the match with Sheffield Wednesday one of the division’s other bigger clubs and fans eager to see Town build on last week’s first win.

“One hundred per cent, I’m with them,” Cook said. “We’re screaming for consistency, the supporters want consistency in team selections, I want consistency in team selections and results. Everyone wants the same goal, it’s just that we sometimes have to go about things in a different way.

“For us as a club now, we are up and running. That was a big, big win for us because of the importance, you felt it in the stadium, you felt it for the supporters and everyone.

“That’s gone now. That’s gone. It’s on to Sheffield Wednesday, you don’t have time to lick your wounds, we’ll be playing Doncaster and before you know it we’ll be up at Accrington. Nine points to play for. How many can we get? Let’s start with tomorrow with Sheff Wed and let’s try and get three.”

Photo: TWTD

TonyHumesIpswich added 13:57 - Sep 24 One game at a time and see where we are at the end of the season.
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therein61 added 17:59 - Sep 24 Yourself and staff always need motivation Paul otherwise we will stand still again, keep up the good work and motivate yourselves on and off the park to get 6 points from the next two games.
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