Emotion got the better of Jordan Rhodes on Tuesday night.

The scorer of Blackburn’s solitary goal in their 3-1 defeat at Ipswich Town slotted the ball into an empty net, before taking his frustration out on the corner flag having run, arms aloft, in front of the North Stand.

It wasn’t from the Aaron Ramsay book of subdued celebrations (the Welshman scored twice against former club Cardiff at the weekend, and refused to celebrate), but neither was it in the same league as Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo international running the length of the pitch to taunt Arsenal’s fans after netting against his former club for Manchester City.

But it did enough to rile more than a few Town fans who took to Twitter on Tuesday to criticise the 23-year-old for being disrespectful.

There were, however, those supporters who backed the player, pointing to the way he was unceremoniously shipped out of Portman Road by Roy Keane without ever having been given the chance to shine.

With fans divided, Rhodes tried to dampen any animosity after the game, the former Kesgrave High School pupil insisting he had so much to thank the club for.

“I’ve made friends for life here, completed my schooling years here and did my football education here,” said the Scotland international.

“Without Ipswich Town I doubt I’d be here today. I still hold this club very close to my heart.

“It would be nice to come back here but hopefully we’re (Blackburn) in the next division up.

“It would be nice to see Ipswich Town get promoted as well but there’s plenty of hard work from now until the end of the season.”

Booed by sections of the home crowd after his goal, Rhodes was given a decent send-off as he left the pitch, being applauded by those same fans that took exception to his goal celebration.

“It was nice,” said Rhodes of his reception from fans in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

“Win, lose or draw, I was always intending to show my appreciation and thanks to the Ipswich Town supporters that have given me support over the years.

“I enjoyed that goal for personal and family reasons, not to wind up the crowd.

“I’m still an Ipswich fan, I’m one of them.

“I can understand their frustrations and I just hope that if anyone reads the comments and reads this interview that they will understand my reasons behind it were strictly personal and for my family.”

On his Portman Road departure in 2009, the striker added: “It (leaving Ipswich) was hard to take at the time and never for one moment did I ever want to leave Ipswich Town.

“I grew up supporting this club and I always wanted to run out there at 3pm and put on the shirt but it wasn’t to be.”

As for the game, Rhodes said his team were always going to be up against it, being in such generous mood.

“Unfortunately second half we gave away two poor goals and to give away two goals at a place like this, you’re going to be up against it,” he said

“To give away two poor goals and shoot ourselves in the foot was hard to take.”