Town boss Mick McCarthy says winning games will be the key factor in encouraging fans back to Portman Road, Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Brighton having been watched by the lowest crowd at a Championship game at Portman Road for almost three years.

Tuesday’s official attendance was 15,228, the smallest since the 14,953 recorded at the Blackburn home game in December 2013. Both games will have actually been watched by fewer fans with season ticket holders counted in the attendance figure regardless of whether they are at a match.

McCarthy said he noticed the disappointing crowd when he reviewed the game later in the week: “I thought that when I looked back at the game on Thursday morning, but I didn’t hear what it was.”

In addition to the low attendance on Tuesday, summer season ticket sales were down around 1,000 and McCarthy says the only way to reverse the current downward trend is to win games.

“Just seeing it disappointed me," he added. "I didn’t really notice it the other night. I don’t walk out onto the pitch and go, ‘It’s a low crowd’, I’m focused on the game.

“But seeing it this morning I did. The crowd looked pretty sparse. I don’t like that, I prefer to have big crowds but the only way we’ll get them is by winning games.

“And at the moment, we’re not, so we’ll have to get back to that, like we did four years ago when we were bottom of the league with seven points and the crowds were low.

“We got crowds in because we started winning games and we started to have a bit of success. If we start to do that again that’s when they’ll come back.”

Is it just winning football that gets the numbers through the gates? “If you’ve got any other reason as to why, if it’s that they haven’t got the money [that people don't go to games], which people haven’t, it’s tight, but you tell me any other reason people come to watch.”

Are entertainment and goals also factors? “When I came in four years ago and we were bottom with seven points - and I haven’t done anything different over those last four years - did the crowds increase? Why was that? [Winning games].”

He added: “Very rarely have I ever come away from a game I’ve gone to watch and I was supporting a team and they win and I go ‘Didn’t enjoy that today’, whether it’s rugby, tennis, whatever I go and watch.

“The person I see who wins it, it’s generally more entertaining than when you get beaten, isn’t it?

“I could name a couple of teams who would spin that they play some lovely entertaining football and we’re not playing them any more.

“And by the way we’re not trying not to play entertaining football, let’s clear that up. We don’t play unentertaining football, we’re not trying to do that.”

Today’s opponents Huddersfield boosted their home crowds by subsidising 15,000 season tickets - an adult seat cost £179 - in the summer, off-setting the cost against £1 million of the additional £2 million in TV money Championship clubs are receiving this season.

As a result, the Terriers their home crowds have hit higher levels than at any time since they were in the top flight in 1970/71.

McCarthy says that running that aspect of the club isn’t down to him, he’s only in control of the football side: “I don’t have anything to do with that, that’s not my bag.

“I try and create a winning team, a good environment and manage the playing side of it.”

Meanwhile, former Blues left-back Jamie Clapham, 40, has joined Barnsley’s staff as their first-team coach on what’s initially a short-term basis.

Clapham was previously first-team coach at Coventry working under his former Town team-mate Tony Mowbray until they resigned on Wednesday.

Photo: TWTD

trncbluearmy added 06:33 - Oct 1 He sounds so cock sure but I wonder. We have lost so many fans because of the boring football and pricing policy. Sure ITFC will get some back IF, and it`s a big if, we start winning but it needs a complete sea change at the club to get the Burley feel back and sustained increase in gates.
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HackneyBlue added 06:46 - Oct 1 Completely out of touch with the fans,i gave my ST up purely on being bored to death,i and many more have done that,win every game playing the way we are will not bring me back.ENTERTAINMENT will. Huddersfield have played good football and look whats happened. Those that are going today take a good book even if we are winning you'll need it.
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jas0999 added 07:01 - Oct 1 More realistic ticket prices which are in line with the quality on offer would help. Also, actually attacking the opposition on a consistent basis would be nice.
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bluehook added 07:14 - Oct 1 Why are season tickets holders added if they aren't actually at the game - anyone know?
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prebbs007 added 07:26 - Oct 1 WRONG !!!! You dinosaur idiot !!! I gave up my ST because I was sooooo bored with what was on offer. Over priced unentertaining dross, with you making the same errors week in week out and then talking total cr&p before and after games. "They're a good side, with good players" "Chambo is superb" "dougie is magnificent" "tabby is marvellous" all such drivel. You're continued stubbornness is rediculous and I will be back a) when you're gone or b) when we start to deliver a product that represents value so we either start to play ITFC football not MM hoofball and/or ticket prices are more representative of what's on show. Huddersfield have subsidised tickets with clear results (don't say it's coz they're winning coz people didn't know that before season) that will never happen with our criminal owner, and they're playing open entertaining football. You are so out of touch with what fans want Mick just do one, leave now, give a new, younger, in touch with modern football manager time to turn this rubbish around. 10 games 3 goals from open play but you still play 2 snails at CM, you still play the worst RB in the league out of position (until forced not to) you still play a CF on the wing, you still ignore our best, creative players to try to NOT LOSE rather than try to win. THAT is why we stay away you numbskull !!!!!

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Brownie added 07:26 - Oct 1 Bit of a chicken and egg interview.. Entertainment is apparently winning. To win you need to score goals. We don't score as MM said. I parked the season ticket through boredom. We finished 7th but last year was absolutely dire for the most part. I want to see them win & entertain. It doesn't have to Barcelona style but it does not to be better than Sunday league and to be frank sometimes it hasn't..

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sidtheswan added 07:41 - Oct 1 I was never ever this bored under Messrs Keane & Jewell. This man seriously needs to go now before the damage he is causing to our football club becomes permanent . Boring football = bored fans = low attendances = less money = lower wages = lesser players = relegation .
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flyingdutchman added 07:41 - Oct 1 total idiot
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Benters added 07:43 - Oct 1 bluehook i am surprised they do count them in even if they are not at the game.
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grumpyoldman added 07:48 - Oct 1 The attendance is tickets sold, not bums on seats, it will include complimentary tickets as well
4

joepublic added 07:53 - Oct 1 Mm, to bring back fans you could try to win games at home. To help you win more games you could stop lumping the ball long and giving it immediately back to the opposition. That may lead to retaining more of the ball and would mean you wouldnt need two defensive central mid fielders to try and win ball back. That would allow Bishop to move the ball forwards quicker and on the deck. If you were feeling truely brave you could try two up top and cause the opposition more problems and perhaps have more shots on goal. Or you could pretend that town fans are happy to defend a point at all cost and know little about entertainment.

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trulyblue added 07:56 - Oct 1 He's right they will come back if we start winning. Every club has glory hunting, fair weather supporters, unfortunately we have more than most.
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cobsterblue added 08:01 - Oct 1 I gave me and my boys season ticket up last year because we was both bored of the football we was watching. My sons team pass the ball better than ipswich do and don't get paid thousands for doing it. My son plays right back or right midfield and sadly I never sat there and said that is what you should do with the ball son. If mock thinks we will come back once the team starts winning he is wrong. I want to enjoy myself on a Saturday afternoon. Even shopping with my wife is now winning. Still love ipswich but lost my faith at the moment and can't put me and my son through it.

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muccletonjoe added 08:13 - Oct 1 Sidtheswan - if either of those idiots were still managing the club we would have long since sunk below championship level. As weller said "Thats Entertainment"
5

ArnieM added 08:29 - Oct 1 If I didn't know better I'd say Mick has had some words of "advice " from Mr Evans about what is expected of him now! Since when has Mick been concerned about needing to score goals and actually winning a game?
4

Spanishblueblood added 08:34 - Oct 1 Jas0999 'More realistic ticket prices which are in line with the quality on offer would help' Jas, that would mean about 50p per ticket!
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Penguinblue added 08:38 - Oct 1 I find it pathetic that McCarthy keeps going on about how he 'saved' us 4 years ago. Any half decent manager could have done that. Crowds are low now purely because of the dour, tedious, negative boring football that this past his sell by date 'manager' loves. McCarthy OUT. When we scrape a win, a goal would be nice, it just puts back the day when we can be rid of him. Like Sunderland and Wolves fans before us we wait for the day - meanwhile the crowds will fall further. McCarthy OUT Bring football back to Portmann Road End favourtism of inadequate players in wrong position. Bring back flair OUT -

20

DurhamTownFan added 08:56 - Oct 1 Im not sure it will because even when we do win were digging in for 60 minutes and then nicking wins at the end. To get people back we need to take the game to teams and try scoring before the 80th minute! I keep saying: Barnsley alone, when was the last time we won by more than one goal? It's boring stuff and yes some of our fans are a bit fair weather but that's real life-were not man united with 70,000 every game.

8

Dissboyitfc added 09:17 - Oct 1 Even when we do win, i never leave the game on a high. MM just needs to go! Its just awful and expensive rubbish. Alex Mathie, said after last weeks game, " its harsh that the fans are asking for MM to leave" (words to that effect) Mathie would not have enjoyed playing in a McCarthy team!
11

Currie10 added 09:25 - Oct 1 I guarantee under Mick if we needed a win last game of the season to guarantee promotion, we'd have a full house. Take 14/15 - not fantastic footy, but home to Charlton the gate was over 27,000. I agree with him, winning games is more important to me than entertainment. We played good footy under Jewell many a time but that didn't achieve much.
-11

oldegold added 09:27 - Oct 1 Watched this morning the Wembley 2000 match when we played real football compared to the rubbish that is served up now and my heart sunk...Burly knew how to play the Ipswich way and brought pride back to Suffolk. He has lost the plot.With a heavy heart I will not be there today and I don't know when I will return as my young son has given up on Town too, and that saddened me tremendously but the club and above all MM have brought it upon themselves. There are many reasons but one above all...TERRIBLE FOOTBALL. A bone headed one trick pony of a manger who doesn't have any aces up his sleeve and his time has run out..and he knows it but it is a lingering and slow death.

20

Mark added 09:28 - Oct 1 When you think of it Ipswich fans get a raw deal. Some of the most expensive match tickets in the league, exciting football sacrificed for results, yet results not good enough to get us promoted or anywhere near (currently in the bottom half of the league table). It makes you wonder what Evans' plan is. I know he puts a lot of money in to keep the club going, but if that is to remain at Championship level because he won't fund a real promotion push then we at least need entertainment to generate match ticket sales.

13

BlueMachines added 09:30 - Oct 1 Attendance should be those that have attended. This interview has made me decide I won't renew my season ticket next year if this season doesn't improve. He has just admitted he is not trying to entertain. I renewed this year in desperation that we would improve. If we are not trying to I won't be renewing again.
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COYB11 added 09:30 - Oct 1 Towards the end of the season we finished 6th I remember crowds of 24,000 against Forest. So I think Mick is right, and believe it or not we were playing the same style of football as we always have under MM. I find it interesting that a lot of the posters who are so negative about the style of football don't actually have season tickets anymore and therefore can't actually have as good of an opinion on the games as those who do still have season tickets. And anyone who says that under Keane and Jewell you were more entertained is just completely wrong. We were flirting with relegation and got thumped 4/5-1 regularly. Not to mention having a squad full of players who couldn't care less about the club - bar a few exceptions (Tommy Smith, Hyam) We are now a competitive team, who stay in games against all opposition. For me, this is entertainment, I don't get entertained when we are losing 4-0 at home and we score one goal. I am entertained by being in a tight/intense match and having something to play for up to the final whistle. When we get our injured players back - McG, Williams, Pitman, Webster etc - I think we'll start to see some more wins and dare I say it some more 'entertaining' football! Thank you Mick and TC, there are still some fans out there who recognise your great work.

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loudnproud added 09:35 - Oct 1 I simply say this Mr Mick.......Listen to the fans who pay good money and have or are staying away.....
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