WE love you too. That was Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell’s message to Ipswich Town’s newly excited fans after his side thrashed high-flying Cardiff City 3-0 at Portman Road.

The Blues were firmly entrenched in a relegation battle not so long ago following a return of just eight points from a possible 45. Now they are nearer the top six than the bottom three following four straight victories – the first time such a run has been achieved in over seven years.

“I think the supporters deserve a lot of credit,” said Jewell, after Lee Martin’s brace and Michael Chopra’s fifth goal in four games sealed another three points in front of a below average crowd of 17,032.

“We’ve put in some abject performances this season – at home especially – but they’ve stuck with us and you can feel the atmosphere coming back to Portman Road.

“You can feel that the fans appreciate the efforts of the players and I’ve got to tell you the staff and the players appreciate the effort of the supporters every bit as much. They’ve got us through a really, really difficult time.”

With the newly scintillating Blues now 11 points adrift of the play-off places with 45 still to play for, many are wondering if an incredible late promotion push can be mounted.

Certainly, it’s easy to reflect on a record of 21 points dropped from winning positions and think ‘what if’.

“There’s no point in looking back,” said Jewell. “It happened and we’ve got to learn from those experiences. “We’re now playing with confidence, belief and desire, but we also know we’ve got to keep our feet on the floor.

“We’re not giving up on this season and we’re not getting complacent either.”