IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell has called upon his in-form players to prove that they are having more than just a purple patch ahead of today’s Championship game at Cardiff.

Blues supporters have been on a high over the international break after an impressive return of 10 points from a tough looking four-game spell.

Following a decade of anti-climaxes and false dawns at Portman Road though, Jewell is acutely aware that many are pessimistically waiting for it all to go wrong.

“I’m told that every time there has been a bit of something to look forward at this club, every time there is a big crowd, we have fallen over,” said the Town manager.

“We want to get into a situation where we get the big crowds and then they come back.”

With Ipswich looking to make it six straight wins over the Bluebirds this afternoon, potentially leapfrogging them into the top six in the process, Jewell added: “Supporters are on a high which is great but, while I don’t want to be like Scrooge, you do have to temper it a little. We are still a new-ish team, people are still getting to know each other.

“You would be a liar if you didn’t say we were making progress over the last four games. Now when you get to a situation like this, you can’t sit back on your laurels and tell everyone what a good team you are.

“It is okay Sam Allardyce [West Ham manager] and Andy Thorn [Coventry manager] saying we are the best team they have faced, but the last four games have gone – they mean nothing now. We need to kick on a bit more.”

– See today’s EADT and Evening Star for full match previews. Follow @Stuart_Watson and @davegoods on Twitter for live match updates.