Ipswich Town manager Paul Hurst has thanked supporters for sticking with him and the team following a nine-game winless start to the season.

The Blues go into tomorrow’s afternoon’s home game against Bolton Wanderers sat rock-bottom of the Championship table and out of the Carabao Cup.

Town do, however, remain undefeated at Portman Road following draws against Blackburn, Aston Villa, Norwich and Brentford.

It was a gutsy second half response against the high-flying Bees on Tuesday night and the players left the field to rapturous applause.

Hurst, who hailed Town fans as the ‘best I have managed in front of’ earlier this week, said: “When I make a comment like that it can be deemed as trying to get people on side or keep them on side. But it was genuine.

MORE: ‘I’ve heard the fans singing his name and rightly so’ - Hurst impressed by Gerken form“I get the impression that sometimes when there is call for a change, it’s very easy to change your mind when things don’t quite start the way that you want.

“But if that was the case here then they (the doubters) would have been a lot louder and not as supportive.

“There seems to be a genuine feeling towards what people would like to see happen at their football club – and ultimately it is their football club.”

MORE: ‘Every time we make progress it’s at least one step back, if not two’ – Hurst on injured duo Huws and BishopThere were 23,690 home fans in attendance for the visit of rivals Norwich at the start of this month, but that dropped to 14,444 in midweek. The atmosphere was far from flat though.

“I mentioned there were one or two groans (in the first half) and that’s understandable because with some of the passes,” said Hurst. “Maybe there were people sat in the stand thinking they could have made certain passes.

MORE: Potential Collins move ‘dead and buried’ as Welshman prepares to sign elsewhere“But at the same time there was some decent football played still and they clapped us off at the end.

“I went to a game last night where there more fans but there wasn’t a better atmosphere. That’s not me being biased – I genuinely thought our atmosphere was very good again.

“That’s credit to the supporters and I thank them for that. I’ve been really impressed.

“There is such a big amount of fans at this football club and to have all of that backing is good and pleasing.”