Mick McCarthy has refused to blame the sacking of Graham Kavanagh for Jack Marriott’s unsuccessful loan spell at Carlisle United, and insists the young striker has to do more to establish himself.

Striker Marriott failed to find the net in three starts and two substitute appearances for the Football League’s bottom club, who dismissed boss Kavanagh, during the 20-year-old’s spell at Brunton Park.

Marriott, who has re-joined Conference Premier outfit Woking for a third time – and scored on his third debut in the 3-2 home defeat to Kidderminster on Saturday – also spent an unsuccessful spell at Gillingham last season, playing just 11 minutes of football for Peter Taylor’s side.

The youngster, who has eight months left to run on his current contract at Portman Road, scored 12 goals in 22 games for Woking last season, but is desperate to establish himself with the Blues.

McCarthy has sympathy for the youngster, who was a regular scored for Town’s age group teams, but said the player had to take some responsibility too.

“He went to Woking and was flying. He loved them and they loved him,” said McCarthy.

“He came back to us and we were trying to get him a league club. He went to Gillingham and, because of the position they were in, it didn’t work out.

“It was similar at Carlisle. The manager that took him leaves and he (Marriott) has now gone back to not quite his spiritual home, but I bet it feels like that as he has done so well there.

“I am a little bit frustrated for him, but he has to get in the team and I am a realist.

“I don’t sit here whingeing about the manager leaving. If he goes there and rips it up and is their best player, they play him, there’s no doubt about that.

“That’s what he has got to do. “We can all bemoan what might have happened, but he’s got to go there and get in the team.”

Marriott was substituted for eventual match-winner Giuseppe Sole in the Cards’ 1-0 victory over Nuneaton on Tuesday and looks set to be in the squad for tomorrow’s trip to Southport.

Frank Nouble (Coventry), Paul Taylor and Anthony Wordsworth (Rotherham) and Freddie Veseli (Port Vale) have also been loaned out by Town.