Williams: Jim deserves the grief

Derek Davis

BELEAGUERED Blues boss Jim Magilton deserves all the grief he is getting from Ipswich Town fans.

That is the opinion of former Town midfielder Gavin Williams who is expected to be in the heart of Bristol City's midfield this afternoon as Ipswich look to put Saturday's woeful 3-1 defeat by Doncaster Rovers behind them.

Magilton was booed by fans on Saturday with many chanting 'what a load of rubbish' and 'we want Magilton out' as they slumped to their 14th defeat of the season and stay in 11th place.

Williams is not surprised at the reaction and agrees that the Blues should have done much better in this campaign.

He said: “Ipswich have under-achieved this season. They've spent a lot of money and before the season started I really fancied them to do well.

“I've got a lot of mates in Ipswich so I've kept in touch with what's going on and I know Jim Magilton has been getting a lot of stick.

“Rightly so because he's spent so much money. I don't think there are many clubs in the division who spent as much as Ipswich.

“They should be challenging for automatic promotion, let alone the play-offs.

“When you've spent the money Ipswich have spent it raises the expectation levels among the fans and the team have failed to deliver.

“This was a big season for Jim Magilton. He spent a lot of money and they've not made the play-offs so the fans are on his back.

“The fact the manager has had a lot of money to spend hasn't helped. They should have been challenging for the play-offs.

“They've never really been play-off contenders and it will be interesting to see what happens there in the summer.”

Cardiff-born Williams moved to Ashton Gate last summer in a �100,000 switch and could start for City today after coming back from a calf injury.

He said: “It's a big week for me with Ipswich on Monday and then Swansea on Saturday.

“Ipswich is a great club with first-class facilities and big support. It should be a Premier League club and it's sad not to see them in that division.

“I had a great three years there and I was disappointed to leave. But when Bristol City came in for me I knew it would be a good move for me because it's near my family in South Wales.

“I've got a lot of affection for Ipswich, it's a terrific club, and I've got a lot of friends there but all that goes out of the window on Monday.

“I'm with Bristol City now and I'll be doing everything I can to beat Ipswich.”

Former Newmarket Town manager Gary Johnson is in charge at City whose 3-2 loss at Nottingham Forest on Saturday all but ended their chances of making the play-offs for the second year running.