Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy hopes today’s scintillating 3-1 home win over promotion-chasing Newcastle United has put smiles on the faces of those who ‘sneered’ at him.

%image(15388418, type="article-full", alt="Town's third goal scorer Emyr Huws celebrates with Cole Skuse after scoring in the Ipswich Town v Newcastle United (Sky Bet Championship) match at Portman Road, Ipswich, on 17 April 2017. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com")

Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy hopes today’s scintillating 3-1 home win over promotion-chasing Newcastle United has put smiles on the faces of those who ‘sneered’ at him.

Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws were all on target as the Blues produced by far and away their best display of a frustrating campaign to finally secure back-to-back Championship wins in 2016/17.

There was a bumper crowd of more than 25,000 inside Portman Road as both sets of fans paid tribute to the late, great Sir Bobby Robson and, for the first time in a long time, the place was rocking as supporters were finally given something to cheer about.

Here’s how McCarthy’s post-match press conference unfolded...

%image(15388157, type="article-full", alt="David McGoldrick scores Town's second goal in the 3-1 win over Newcastle. Ipswich Town v Newcastle United (Sky Bet Championship) match at Portman Road, Ipswich, on 17 April 2017. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com")

Q: Is that a bittersweet performance given it’s come so late in the season?

A: “No, it’s just sweet.”

%image(15345702, type="article-full", alt="Daryl Murphy, back at Portman Road for the first time since joining Newcastle and Town's Christophe Berra battle for the ball during the Ipswich Town v Newcastle United (Sky Bet Championship) match at Portman Road, Ipswich, on 17 April 2017. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com")

Q: Is that your team’s best performance of the season?

A: “Er, I would say so, especially with it being Newcastle. Yeah… it’s the best one.”

Q: Do you think Newcastle are getting a little nervous chasing automatic promotion?

%image(15388461, type="article-full", alt="Newcastle United's DeAndre Yedlin and Ipswich Town's Freddie Sears battle for the ball during the Sky Bet Championship match at Portman Road, Ipswich. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday April 17, 2017. See PA story SOCCER Ipswich. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications")

A: “You can get nervous at either end of the table at this time of year. We were nervous on Friday (at Burton), but thankfully we held it together and won.

“We deserved to win today. We’ve been better than them all round. If anyone goes away talking about Newcastle being nervous and not playing very well, I think that would be an injustice to my players and my team today.”

Q: Was it a cas eof the shackles being off your players with Championship safety all but secured on Friday?

A: “Maybe. That’s a good story isn’t it? I thought we played well on Friday night when the shackles were well and truly on.

“That is a little bit unjust to say that. It may well have happened, maybe they are feeling it a bit, I don’t know.

“I said to the lads before the game ‘there are 25,00 thousand here coming to watch’ and then I added ‘not us, by the way, I’m sure none of the f*****s are coming to watch us the way we’ve been playing here’.

“I said ‘if that’s the case I’m not bothered, but make sure they are talking about us when they go home in a positive manner and make sure they have come and enjoyed watching us’.

“For whatever reason we produced a good performance. I can’t get to the bottom of it and tell you why. Maybe it’s the fact that David McGoldrick is in his pomp and playing great? And that our front four, with Freddie Sears, Tom Lawrence and (Grant) Wardy, were great?

“Anyway, I’m not really bothered by the reason why, I’m just glad we were good.”

Q: Emyr Huws was one of several superb performers today? Would you like to keep him beyond this season? A: “I’m only repeating what I’ve said before, so ‘yes’.”

Q: Supporters haven’t always left Portman Road happy this season, but today everyone will have gone away with smiles on their faces...

A: “Good.”

Q: It was a nice tribute to Bobby wasn’t it?

A: “I think it was a great tribute to Sir Bobby. I’m not sure what side he would have been on? I think he must have favoured us today!

“I think the game was a fitting tribute to him too because it was a good game.”

Q: It was a positive atmosphere today wasn’t it? That’s not always been the case.

A: “No, because we’ve beeIt n s**t. I’m cool with saying that. It’s not been helped by a s**t atmosphere as well though. It cuts both ways doesn’t it? It cuts both ways.

“When we were struggling and maybe could have got relegated I said the crowd would have been part of that if it happens. They’ve been a great part of a fabulous victory today.

“We had 13 straight victories here on a Tuesday night at one point and the atmosphere was fab. I’ve kept the club up, had three top-10 finishes and I’ve had a bad year this year. Isn’t it great when everybody turns their back on you and sneers at you and tries to stop you coming to the game and things like that? I’m glad they’ve enjoyed it today. I have as well.”