Cook makes no apologies for turning to 'boring old cliches'

Following an eight-game winless start to the season across all competitions, Cook's new-look squad has begun to find its feet in recent weeks.

A 1-0 win at Lincoln was followed up by a 1-1 home draw against Sheffield Wednesday before rock-bottom Doncaster were thrashed 6-0 at Portman Road on Tuesday night.

That midweek victory - the Blues' biggest in more than a decade - has raised excitement levels going into a game against a Stanley side that have leaked 12 goals in their last three games.

Cook, however, is keeping his feet on the floor.

“The positivity came in the summer with the signings we were making - everyone naturally gets excited," said the Blues boss.

“For supporters all around the country, pre-season is a time to be optimistic.

“We built up that optimism and then probably went a long way to flattening it if the truth be known.

“Then you’re getting written off by some and hearing ‘they’ve made it difficult to get promoted now’.

“Now, off the back of three strong results, everything looks great. That’s football.

“I’ve got belief in the squad. There are 37 league games left, so much football to be played. Optimism comes from winning. If you're not winning games, optimism gets replaced by a different type of feeling.

“My job is to stay level-headed and make sure the players stay very level-headed and just prepare for the next game. I know that’s boring, I know it’s the old cliché, but we’re walking into a very tough game at Accrington tomorrow and we’re preparing as well as we possibly can."

He continued: “I respect you have got jobs to do. We're on the back of a good win. Everything this week is about optimism and the future and the sun shining when travelling up to Lincoln it was about ‘when will you get the first win?’ I get it. I get Ipswich is a big club and you’ve got to fill those pages.

“For me, the message is still the same. These lads are still new. We’ll go into a very difficult game tomorrow.

"The last three games we’ve shown really good signs of coming together as a team.

Lee Evans has missed the last three games with a groin injury. (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

“The game against Bolton (5-2 home loss) was probably a good game for us on reflection. We could have gone in 3-2 up at half-time, if Macauley (Bonne) scores the chance, but the reality is we were giving goals away in games.

“We were coming away from games, like Wimbledon, saying ‘ah, we were unlucky’. MK Dons, 2-1 up, ‘ah, we were unlucky’. The brutal reality is we had to improve defensively. You can’t give the goals away we were giving away and expect to win games.

“It’s all we’ve concentrated on since Bolton."

Cook added: “I just want to thank everyone for the support we’ve had through a difficult period of time. I’ve felt it from a massive percentage of the fans and from you guys (the media) as well.

“This is not an easy job. Nowadays people want you to conquer the world very, very quickly. I don’t think football is like that. I think good clubs are built over a period of time on solid foundations. I think that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We just want to make those small steps.

“The questions change when you’re winning. Every feeling that you’ve had negative is replaced with positivity. My job as an experienced manager is just to go to the next game. The last game is gone.

“Winning runs don’t come from talk, or work on laptops and iPads, they come on football pitches. Tomorrow we will walk into a very, very tough, hostile atmosphere against a team that has had victories against many clubs at that ground.

“It’s a tough game, but we will be well prepared for it."