Birmingham v Ipswich: Loach believes the appointment of Mick McCarthy is just the tonic Ipswich Town need to lift themselves off the bottom of the Championship table.

The Blues’ new manager will enter the dugout for the first time today when Town travel to Birmingham City looking for their first win in 13 matches.

But despite their rock-bottom status, and the fact that even a win at St Andrew’s won’t be enough to lift them off the foot, Loach has backed his new boss to bring the good times back to Ipswich.

The keeper, and Town fan, said: “He is a big name and from what I have seen, and heard from other people, he is a great character. At a time like this, that is what we need.

“The results on the pitch have not lived up to the name and history of Ipswich. But I think the fact we have attracted someone of Mick’s calibre shows that Ipswich is still a massive club.

“For us, the season has to start today at Birmingham.”

McCarthy, below, wasted little time in telling his new squad what was expected of them after walking into a dressing room low on confidence and amid reports of unrest.

Loach revealed: “He wants us to respect him, the coaching staff and each other. We have to all pull together and work as one big team.

“We will only get out of the bottom three by working together. Training was brilliant, but it has been throughout the season, and with Terry Connor (McCarthy’s new assistant), it will be stepped up to a new level with new ideas.

“After all the rumours of the last week, the players are excited and we all just want to get up and running on the pitch.”

The 24-year-old summer bargain buy will be hoping a change of manager will see him get the nod today after he was controversially dropped following the televised home defeat to Cardiff City earlier this month.

The keeper publicly apologised for his performance after the 2-1 defeat and Paul Jewell wasted little time in bringing West Ham’s Stephen Henderson for the last three games.

Loach said: “Hendo has come in and he is a great lad to work with in training, along with Arran Lee-Barrett.

“All I can do is keep training hard and if the new manager wants to pick me, he will. But I will always give my all.”