PAUL Jewell is honest enough to admit he’s got his transfer policy wrong as Ipswich Town manager – but assures supporters he’s learnt his lesson.

Monday’s 3-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest leaves the Blues just three points above the Championship relegation zone.

And following a return of just seven points from a possible 36, the vast majority of supporters polled by this newspaper’s website – 79% – said it was time for a change of manager.

“With hindsight, I made some mistakes (in the transfer market) last summer and I’m big enough to admit that,” said Jewell. “There are a lot of people who wouldn’t.

“But if you look at my record I’ve got two clubs up into the Premiership, I’ve stayed there three times, I’ve got a team to a cup final, so don’t throw me to the wolves just yet.

“I know I can do this job, I know I’m decent at it.”

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup third round trip to fellow Championship side Hull City, Jewell continued: “This is a great football club, with great history, but it’s found itself in a sticky patch for a few years now.

“Maybe I just started to think that the best way to get out of that was to buy players that have been there, seen it and done it, but I think we all know now that I’ve probably signed too many of them.

“We have too many players on one-year contracts or on loan, while the balance between youth and experience hasn’t been right. I have to take responsibility for that.”

He continued: “Hindsight is the best word in life isn’t it? If we all had the power of hindsight none of us would make a mistake

“No-one was complaining when we signed the likes of Michael Chopra, Jimmy Bullard and Lee Bowyer.

“I think when Reading went 12 games unbeaten last season Ivar Ingimarsson played in every one of those matches.

“The team I’ve assembled hasn’t worked out anywhere near as well as I’d hoped – as anyone hoped.

“I know I’ve made mistakes, but I’m going to learn from them. I’m not one of these people who will say ‘it’s not down to me’.”

He added: “I’m not going to argue with the league table, the league table doesn’t lie.

“The season isn’t over yet though, there’s still 20-odd games to go. It’s never too late to get things right as long as you realise what’s going wrong.

“We are going through a tough transitional period – there’s no doubt about that.

“I do believe though that, with a few additions, who knows what could happen? It’s such a crazy division.

“A width of a goalpost, a good save from the keeper can change people’s whole perceptions on a season – not just a game.”

– For full match preview of Hull v Ipswich, see tomorrow’s EADT and Evening Star.