IPSWICH TOWN: It’s not only manager Roy Keane at war with Blues fans – the players are up in arms as well.

“I’d love to rub their faces in it,” said key midfielder Carlos Edwards in response to the actions of Town supporters during last Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat by Barnsley.

Keane has made his point in his usual forthright way and said how disappointed he is that his team does not have a 12th man in the stands for home games like other sides.

The manager says he’d rather play away than hear the nonsense that took place last weekend – and Town legend Kevin Beattie berated fans in Monday’s Evening Star.

Edwards. who is a certain starter for today’s Championship game at Hull City (kick-off 3pm), agrees with both saying: “The lads took the cheering of Barnsley players very badly.

“They would all like to be in my position and have a chance to answer the criticism.

“Personally I’d love a chance to rub the fans’ comments back into their faces.

“Not all of them, but the 50% who cheered the opposition.

“I agree it’s not acceptable to be 3-0 down at home, but it’s also unacceptable the treatment fans gave the players and it will not be tolerated.

“It’s okay to boo – of course it is, but what we had to put up with was a kick in the teeth.

“It is disrespectful in every way and I’ve never heard anything like it, and I’ve played in World Cup finals and been around.

“We still have belief and hope to make something of this season, and supporters have a big part to play to help towards that aim.

“There is no way we deliberately played badly and hopefully the situation we found ourselves in last weekend will be just a one-off.”

Edwards is looking for good results today and at Norwich City next Sunday, and then to give the Portman Road faithful something to cheer when West Brom visit in the Carling Cup quarter-final.

“This would be the perfect riposte to those so-called fans who did not help us at all against Barnsley,” added Edwards.