Mike Bacon: We stick together, even if the hurt of recent past haunts us

I don't know of a single Ipswich Town fan who:

1. Hasn't been excited by all the comings and goings at Portman Road this summer, and.

2. Isn't desperate for this new playing squad to succeed.

Town players after losing at Cheltenham Town. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

So, let's cut out the Cook in, Cook out nonsense, Cook is rightly here to stay. He's got a job to do. He's done it before. If 12 games in we've still only won two games and are third bottom, we can chat again. Let's park it for now.

However, in saying that, let's give respect to everyone's current opinions shall we?

Because I get a bit miffed when someone suggesting we are going to get 100 points and 100 league goals is classified as 'stupid', while another who suggests Cook should be sacked is classed as knowing 'nothing about football', by people who in all truth are no more qualified.

They're opinions. Everyone is entitled to them.

So, here's my take right now.

Personally, I'm not impressed that Town have failed to beat Morecambe, Newport, Burton or Cheltenham. Four teams who, while I, and many of you, were watching George Burley's side finish fifth in the Premiership as little ago as 2001, were all, bar Cheltenham, non-league sides. And Cheltenham had only come out of non-league two seasons previous.

Matt Penney celebrates scoring early at Cheltenham Town.

The Blues have signed a plethora of very good players at this level and I have every confidence things will improve. But we accept mediocrity at our peril.

That's what we have been doing for far too long at Portman Road and it's got us no-where.

Not that for one second I think this Town squad is mediocre. Far from it. But the results so far have been. Don't accept them as being good enough and don't be completely suckered up by the 'time to gel' line. We have put out very good starting XIs.

Macauley Bonne under pressure at Cheltenham Town. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

But do you know what? And this is why my cup is more than half full. Paul Cook clearly doesn't accept it either.

"We should be doing better than what we are with the players we have available," he said after the Cheltenham defeat. Spot on!

We should be doing better. We should have high standards. We should have at least five points, not one Perhaps we should have seven.

New signing Tom Carroll warming up at Cheltenham Town. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

With the players we have signed, we should surely expect to go to Cheltenham and at least draw. We should surely expect to beat Morecambe at home. We should surely expect at least a point at Burton.

We had 1,000 superb fans travelling on a Tuesday night across country to Cheltenham to support the side. They didn't travel just to be told at the end of another game we lost they need to continue to be patient. They know that. They will be.

Town fans at Cheltenham Town before kick-off. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

But, without going stupidly bonkers, we must all raise our levels of expectation, while still giving the team 110% backing both on social media and most importantly in the ground.

Because we're a good team and have a good squad. We have superb fans and great owners.

And, let's be honest. If Scott Fraser's penalty goes in at Burton and we go 2-1 up, and Macauley Bonne's miss at Cheltenham didn't happen and he netted and we went 2-0 up, it would all feel so different.

Kyle Edwards rides a challenge at Cheltenham Town. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

So, I've seen enough not to worry about how this season is going to pan out. How the future will be. We'll be up there. We have good players and a strong squad. Indeed, the 'nice' problem Cook has is working out what his best starting XI is!

And this is where patience is perhaps needed. Because I haven't a clue what his best team is and I'm sure if 10 Town fans sat down and put down on paper their best Town XI for Cook to pick from this squad, almost all of them would look different.

Macauley Bonne muffs a great chance at Cheltenham Town. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

So, look, let's stick together.

Let those who are not concerned and confident it will all come good have their say, while those who are not impressed with the start Town have made, have theirs.

We are where we are with our feelings still shaped by the deep hurt and disappointments of the recent decade... not where we are now with this current set-up.

I would suggest most fans are probably like me. You know it will come, you just can't wait for that first win, that run of victories to arrive. You're desperate for it to succeed. you know it will.

Mark Ashton and Paul Cook. We all now stick together, despite our various opinions (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

Yes, patience is key, but as I said earlier we've settled for Mr Average for far too long.

Our new owners, chief executive, manager and players do not come over as the type of people who will settle for average. And, while as fans we've been programmed to accept 'bog standard' for way too long, we should now demand more.

I actually think our owners would want us to demand more. But we do so while still supporting the club to the hilt. It will come.

Get Portman Road rocking on Saturday. That first win is within touching distance. Like a beautiful large Mr Whippy on Felixstowe seafront, I can taste it.

And when it does arrive, we will celebrate as one - but not settle for it.

We then kick on for more and more and more....

UP THE TOWN!