IPSWICH Town boss Jim Magilton is confident he has the full backing of owner Marcus Evans.

Derek Davis

IPSWICH Town boss Jim Magilton is confident he has the full backing of owner Marcus Evans.

Magilton revealed that during Evans' visit to the training ground last week, when he met players and coaching staff, they even discussed transfer targets that Town will try to sign in the January transfer window.

Magilton said: “I have never had a meeting with Mr Evans when it has not ended really positively.

“He was here last week and met all the players and met all the coaches and had a really lovely lunch.

“We had a chat about things and had a chat about January coming up.

“It was really helpful and very supportive. The players enjoyed meeting him and it could not have gone any better.

“There are so many assumptions and speculation but he is a top bloke who wants the club to succeed.

“You just have to see him watching games and you know how passionate he is. He is a winner and wants to win.”

Evans was not available to comment on his visit to the club last week when he watched the defeat by Wigan and draw with Crystal Palace.

Magilton is hoping he can make Evans and everyone else happy by beating second-bottom Barnsley and would be delighted if David Norris' prediction of 10 days ago that they were about to give some team a spanking, comes true tonight.

Magilton said: “I would love it to be. You give me that result and I would take it.

“That is coming from a lad whose confidence is growing and that can't disappear after one game.

“They have to pick themselves up and go again.”

Magilton appreciates that Barnsley, and many other sides, are not going to play expansive football against a Town side that had a formidable home record last season, losing just once.

He said: “Teams are going to come here and make it very difficult as Crystal Palace did. They will play with the one striker and crowd the midfield to make it difficult for us.

“We know these things but what we need to do is be better and move the ball better than we did last Saturday.

“We recognise that Barnsley will enjoy coming here and the players are a bit frustrated and looking for a result.

“Heinz Muller coming back has helped them. He is a very good keeper and they have experienced players like Darren Moore so we know they will come and try and shut up shop.

“I want us to get into the game quickly. We were building up a wee head of steam after two successive away draws and the confidence and self esteem is still growing and a win would help.

“Nobody died, we are still rolling and if we get a win against Barnsley I'm sure the place will lift.

“There is an air of pessimism around the place but I'm sure the players want to get a win.”

The Blues boss explained why he made the changes he did. He continued: “What I'm trying to do is let the players know they can trust the man beside them. They are going to know no matter who comes in they can rely on them.

“Alan Quinn gave me everything over three or four games and that's why I left him out but he is back in the squad.

“It is the same with David Norris, Jon Walters, whoever, they give me everything and I see them on a daily basis.

“I have tremendous faith and confidence in this squad to be good enough to go on a push and get a good set of results.”