Ipswich Town fans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the direction the Blues are headed, following another setback in the Championship, on Saturday.

On the back of the disappointing 2-1 defeat at Bristol City, almost 80 per cent of supporters polled in our web chat yesterday claimed Mick McCarthy’s men had gone backwards since last May’s play-off semi-final heartbreak against Norwich City.

Who is to blame for the apparent decline?

Many supporters believe that the owner, Marcus Evans, has to take a large portion of the blame.

McCarthy has worked wonders on a small budget since arriving in Suffolk in November 2012, relying on a whole host of loans, free-transfers and low-risk signings, eventually finishing in the top-six for the first time in a decade last season.

The team have never lacked fight or determination but have been found wanting for quality on several occasions.

The current first-team is a match for any team on its given day, however, it is incredibly difficult to maintain such high standards over a 46-game season and a lack of in-depth quality in the squad at Portman Road is now being exposed.

Evans, who received over £10m for Tyrone Mings and Aaron Cresswell during the last two summers, has been blamed for not loosening the purse-strings but, as recently as the start of this month, managing director Ian Milne said there WAS money to spend and that McCarthy was happy with his squad.

The Blues boss has done little to contradict that, claiming he prefers to work with a smaller squad and arguing that he would not be able to improve the quality of his team.

As it stands, Town remain just three points off the play-offs and sit eighth, despite missing creative duo David McGoldrick and Ryan Fraser for large parts of the season. Teen sensation Teddy Bishop, meanwhile, hasn’t kicked a ball in anger all season.

There may be cause for optimism in that case, but the feeling amongst supporters is that Town missed opportunities to bolster their squad in the summer and last month.

It must be said that you write the Blues off at your peril, and wouldn’t back against them beating high-flying Hull at Portman Road next Tuesday, but, after punching above their weight for so long, Town may finally reached an impasse.