Town boss Mick McCarthy felt Jonathan Douglas’s tackle which led to his red card was harsh and changed the game as the Blues lost 3-0 at Birmingham City.

Douglas, who will be banned for three games, was dismissed in first-half injury time for a studs-high challenge on Will Buckley, who earlier had fouled Jonas Knudsen in a challenge McCarthy felt was comparable to the Blues’ midfielder’s.

“I thought Birmingham played well,” McCarthy said. “I thought the game was fairly even up until the sending off which changes the course of it, of course. I think the tackle looked worse than it was. I don’t think it’s a sending off.

The Town boss says he’s not ruling out an appeal: “We’ll see. He [the referee] said he jumped in with two feet, he didn’t. He went in with his foot high but I thought he almost pulled out of it. I don’t think he made any contact. It looked worse than it was.

“I think it was harsh. And I don’t want the other fella punished either, Will Buckley had a tackle on our left-back in the first half, they’re clearing it up the line and he goes in.

“I don’t want him sent off but I just can’t see the justice in the two of them and Ryan Fraser got kicked in the head at the edge of the six-yard box [towards the end]. It’s not a penalty but, wow, it’s a freekick.

“So, that’s not going to affect the game because we were 3-0 down but the sending off [did].

“I thought before half-time ‘All right, so they’ve scored, we could have scored, it was 1-0, we’ll change it around at half-time and we’ll get something’, but 10 men just [changed it].

“At half-time I wasn’t going in unhappy, at 1-0 I was thinking ‘That’s OK, somebody’s going to score in the game, maybe’ and they got their goal. But it changes it completely.

“I thought we were great in the second half, I thought our lads were brilliant and we had some great chances, but we were outdone by two complete and utter bombshells, which were fabulous strikes.

“There wasn’t a lot we could do about the shots. They hit those two and they come not very often in a season but unfortunately they came against us.”

He added: “It’s an even game and the sending off’s changed it. The scoreline of 3-0 looks like we’ve been slapped and we haven’t really been slapped at all. Even with 10 men we haven’t been slapped.”

McCarthy singled out man of the match Ryan Fraser for praise: “Fraser’s brilliant, he’s a really top class player.”

Winger Tommy Oar left the club yesterday having failed to settle following his move from FC Utrecht in Holland in the summer, but the Town boss says that’s not made a difference to his plans between now and the transfer window closing a week on Monday.

“Not really,” he continued. “Larsen’s back and is fit and Tabby’s here and he’s played on the left.

“I have to say, Tabby’s not Tommy Oar in terms of what he can do, but in fairness Tabby’s been more successful on the left than Tommy Oar was while he was here.

“He didn’t rip it up. I’m disappointed that he didn’t see it out but, you know what, if somebody’s unhappy, is finding it hard to play and wants to leave in my book, what’s the point in me trying to keep him? Unless we’d paid a million for him, but there are none of them in the team.”

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett says he plans to add to his team from a position of strength and McCarthy didn’t completely rule out making additions himself.

“If we could, it all depends on who is available,” he said. “I don’t know whether Gary got lucky with Jacques Maghoma being injured and he could put him straight in the team. Sod’s law, we’ve had a few of them who have made their debut and scored against us.

“But it does help when you can play them because you bring Will Buckley in and you otherwise keep the same team and you win. If they’d have won again and they don’t get in the team. That’s the dilemma [with loan players].”

The Town boss was delighted to have extended his contract until 2018 with an option for a further two years, and paid tribute to the Blues’ support at St Andrew’s.

“That’s nice, it’s great,” he added. “And we had great support today, it was fabulous and I’m appreciative of that. We’ve had a bad result today but things are going well for us, we’re OK.

“There are 18 games to play and we’ve all had ups and downs. It’s Birmingham’s day today, it’ll be our day another day.

"I’m not coming away from here thinking we were dreadful and we weren’t competitive, in fact quite the opposite. Circumstances have tarnished the result but not the performance, I think.”

Birmingham boss Gary Rowett felt it was a tough match, despite the scoreline: “It was a difficult game, one or two moments, one or two decisions can change the course of it.

“Fortunately they went for us and we got the win. It’s another really, really encouraging performance.

He added: “I felt we probably just shaded the first half in terms of chances and shots and play.

“In the second half, of course, we’d had the fortune with the sending off. Probably fortune is the wrong choice of word, but I wasn’t sure whether it was a sending off.

“It didn’t look a great challenge but I couldn’t quite tell from where I was the real ferocity or danger of it. But we got a little bit of fortune with that.”

Photo: Action Images

floridaboy added 19:10 - Jan 23 Buckley should not have been on the pitch if a very poor referee deemed that Douglas' tackle was worthy of a straight red The late tackle on Knudsen was as bad Hyam for the next three games is most definitely not the answer!!
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jas0999 added 19:19 - Jan 23 In fairness Mick will need to find an excuse and the red card is it. Mick has had a bad week, but the Douglas sending off was correct and actually, we were poor up to that point. The lack of investment is remarkable; we wont even replace Oar now and will make do with Tabby. Our competitors are spending and strengthening, but we wont. Time for Evans to significantly invest, or frankly I cant see us pressing on. Time for Evans to spend or go.

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Orraman added 19:31 - Jan 23 No need to worry. The different class Tabby will ride into PR next Tuesday on our white horse to rescue us and lead the charge to the play offs
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Chicago_Blue added 19:34 - Jan 23 "Probably fortune is the wrong choice of word, but I wasn't sure whether it was a sending off. It didn't look a great challenge but I couldn't quite tell from where I was the real ferocity or danger of it" ...So why did you leap up, with your hands up in the air, demanding something!!!???
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manualthetisfanclub added 19:34 - Jan 23 Good decision resting the team on Tuesday, worked well today👍. If itfc don't push the boat out this window for final push, then what is the point, another mediocre season promising much but ultimately mid table again. Not over reacting in January, just being realistic.
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Jimmy86 added 19:35 - Jan 23 Clutching at straws Mick I'm afraid. Was a sending off all day long. His terrible touch, which allowed the ball to run away from him, certainly didn't do him any favours. At the age of 34 his legs have gone and he is often a passenger. How people breeze past him in midfield is a real worry. I'd play the much improved hyam. Really come back a better player from his loan. Mick's comments about Oar tell a story... Wouldn't mind betting it's not because he failed to settle. We need to strengthen now, without question. If we don't both ME & MM should have questions to answer

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RYITFC added 19:35 - Jan 23 Whether you think it should have been a red card or not, it was clearly wreckless & you've given the ref a decision to make. So i don't think you defend Dougie there. Did the red card change the game? We were 1 down at the time & the chances are we still would have gone on to lose the game. When we've been beaten comfortably 3-0, you need to be honest & say we wasn't good enough today, we need to improve. I would have more respect for him if he did.

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Chicago_Blue added 19:37 - Jan 23 Mick is not bigger than our football club and someone needs to stand up to him and tell him that. How dare he mess around with it for cup matches. Rested all 11 players and our reserve side went out the cup. The 11 come back and we get tonked 3-0. Nice on Mick, nice one. Our football is awful and we're criticised for not treating the cup seriously. I'd love a manager like Gary Rowett. I know some here will point to the fact that we're only just outside the play offs, but let's face, it the football ain't great and nobody likes us.

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itfcserbia added 19:57 - Jan 23 Gary Monk is available I hear
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JustSpivvyChops added 20:06 - Jan 23 Gioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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sixtyblue added 20:07 - Jan 23 Trouble with town is too many players on contracts with options on both sides for extra years.so how will we ever get rid of them, like tabby who took his extra years option and took up cash that could have helped pay towards a new player.we are stuck with them even if you want to get rid of them. It will be the same with Micks new contract.
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wayway added 20:12 - Jan 23 Of course we need new blood, even a stubborn prat like McCarthy knows that but he knows it's no good going to Evans PLC (or whoever they have put in charge this week) for money because he knows he will be laughed at
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yungblue added 20:16 - Jan 23 Stated two days ago after the news about Tommy Oar broke, anyone who thinks we'll dip into the bank is deluded
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TimmyH added 20:19 - Jan 23 I wouldn't say too much Mick you have had an awful week and now your coming out with exactly what I thought you would. 'Harsh red changed game' well we were 1-0 down and almost at half time not winning when it happened. Any other time Mick would bang on about the 3 points if we scrambled a win without being pretty but today it seems the reverse, what goes around comes around.

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brendanh added 20:20 - Jan 23 The ref, Michael Bull, has shown four reds in 11 games. That is a higher ratio than any Prem ref this season http://goo.gl/d8l67j The challenge on Knudson when he cleared down the line was the same and didn't receive even a yellow. Bull is clearly not fit and should be struck off. As for the Fraser decapitation that he didn't even give a foul for... Grounds like Birmingham and Millwall demand good, strong refs. It's the easiest thing in the world to give home decisions all afternoon. No controversy, no barracking, easy life. Unfortunately as a ref it's your job to apply the laws of the game, not avoid being shouted at. Bull is clearly incapable.

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del45 added 20:22 - Jan 23 If we had won on TUESDAY this sat we would have a gate of plus 20,000 now we will have 0 loss of income no more to say MM
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hinchers1066 added 20:29 - Jan 23 We do have to face up to it, the competition is way ahead of us at this moment of time. MM has been given an extended contract along with TC. Very good manager and coach but please ME give them the support they deserve. MM and TC are taking all the flack for what is a club that cannot succeed because we lack the vision, and funds afforded to previous managers. Numerous clubs in this league are outspending us by a considerable margin. Finding exceptional talent in the lower leagues and shrewd loan acquisitions has improved our squad no end on a shoestring budget. A proven manager at this level has been left wanting in this league. MM has done his very best to put a good first 11, but he surely has proved that he can spot talent wherever it is, so it begs the question "Where is the desire and support that was afforded to our 2 previous managers now then. ITFC made an operating profit last season by the shrewd signing of Mings. It would be prudent of the top end of the management at ITFC to reward MM & TC not just with a new contracts but a real show of faith in their ability to get us to the Premier League

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itfc1981 added 21:34 - Jan 23 Looked a booking his foot slides on the ground. Hardly a shin raker is it?
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bluefeast added 21:44 - Jan 23 Douglas will miss a few games , which means a change will be forced , which will mean we get energy in midfield , which with jog paced Douglas has lacked.As for Mm when i read he had signed an extension ,i sighed as this means no modernisation in terms of being inventive and slick on the pitch ,we have concede so many goals this season ,not as we have poor defenders ,but because those in front of them can't keep the ball ,so our defence gets put under far more pressure. Interesting stat ,Gerkin has made more saves than any keeper in the top 12. Yet our goals conceded is greater ,shows how poor our mid has been at controlling the bloody football

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BlueMachines added 21:54 - Jan 23 MM is bitter over Oar isn't he!! I know for a fa t Oar wasn't home sick. The only thing he was sick of is Micks style. MM doesn't bad mouth many players, but I think the situation certainly ruffled his feathers!!
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AbujaBlue added 22:05 - Jan 23 @BlueMachines: You 'know for a fact'? How can you know for a fact? Are you a groundsman? Let's see if he goes back to Australia and plays for an A-League team before jumping to conclusions.
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truckerblue added 22:36 - Jan 23 Comment removed because some sensitive soul didn't like the truth eh. Not surprised.
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radiogaga added 22:39 - Jan 23 The red card doesn't mask that Birmingham played well and deserved to win, but we deserved a lot more than a 0-3 out of that, and the red had a huge bearing. As Mick said, Buckley's foul on Knudsen was almost identical. I seem to remember Cotterill going in much harder on Toure at PR when we were on sky earlier in the year, and that was only a red. The ref was an embarrassment today. His explanation for Douglas' dismissal doesn't add up with the incident this week. Basically played up to the home fan's protests all afternoon (you know you're in for a long afternoon when he's calling back for free kicks 5 seconds after a "foul" because the home fans put their parts on). An extremely weak performance.

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radiogaga added 22:40 - Jan 23 * that was only a yellow
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essex57 added 22:51 - Jan 23 How strange some people are I ask a simple question how did Portsmouth get on and I get 4 down arrows
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