IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell admits he has a point to prove at former club Derby County today.

Following a 1-0 home defeat to Town in December 2008, Jewell walked away from the Rams. During a nightmare 13 months in charge, a win rate of little over 20% had seen his side relegated from the Premier League with a record low points total and then slide to 18th in the Championship.

And while the Blues boss expects some stick off supporters of his former club this afternoon, he insists the only point he has to prove is to himself.

“I don’t want to prove myself to the Derby fans – I just want to prove things to myself,” said Jewell, who has never lost a league game at Pride Park as an opposing manager.

“When I came in there, the rot had set in and the team wasn’t really up to Premier League standard. Sometimes as a manager, whatever you do it just doesn’t work.

“If you are a Derby fan talking about a list of former managers, I will be down the bottom – I know that. I now have to prove to myself that I can still be a good manager.

“This is why I took the Ipswich job – it is a club that has a long-term vision and it gives me a chance to prove myself again.

“You have to keep trying to prove yourself every day, even if you are Sir Alex (Ferguson) at Manchester United.”

Both Derby and Ipswich have swung erratically from promotion to relegation form throughout rollercoaster campaigns.

They meet today with just a point separating them in the Championship table at 13th and 14th respectively.

– See today’s EADT for full match preview.