IPSWICH Town manager Mick McCarthy saw his side seal Championship safety with an impressive 3-1 home win over Birmingham - and then rubbed salt in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ wounds.

There was an angry pitch invasion at Molineux after a 2-1 home defeat to Burnley left the Midlands side with one foot in League One and on the verge of back-to-back relegations.

McCarthy was sacked as Wolves boss - following almost six years service - when his side were only in the Premier League relegation zone by goal difference and with 13 games still to play.

Stale Solbakken has been and gone as boss since, with Dean Saunders’ men three points adrift of safety heading into the final weekend.

“I had such a good time there,” said McCarthy. “I loved my time there and I thought that was cut short. We all know the reasons why.

“It’s like this place (Ipswich), there are a lot of people who have worked there for years. There are families that work in the club and they’re such lovely, lovely people.

“I went to see everyone one of them when I left. I knew them all and I feel desperately sorry for a lot of good people because there will be major changes if they do get relegated.

“They shouldn’t be anywhere near it, not a chance. Not with the players they’ve got.”

Asked if they’d have been in this position were he still in charge, the Blues boss - as he walked out the press conference - added: “Not a chance, not a chance, nowhere near it, not at all. They’d be at least in the play-offs.”

Town are up to 11th in the table after goals from Carlos Edwards, Luke Chambers and Daryl Murphy sealed a comfortable win, Chris Burke adding a late consolation.

The Blues can finish anywhere between ninth and 20th in the table heading into next weekend’s curtain-closer at Burnley.

“I’m delighted by the way we managed to get over the line, not having to rely on anybody else,” said McCarthy, who inherited a team who were rock-bottom with just seven points at the start of last November.

“It was a really good performance, it could have been a bigger win actually. It was a really good victory.

- See Monday’s EADT and Ipswich Star for match comment, analysis and more reaction.