Town fan Karl Fuller looks back at Town’s draw at Bolton and why one of Mick McCarthy’s after-match comments was not needed

East Anglian Daily Times: New Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture PagepixNew Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

I have given up trying to analyse whether Saturday’s point at Bolton was a good one or not.

The sooner we reach the end of this season, the better for us all, if you ask me.

We’ll continue to limp lethargically to Championship safety again, coveting that oh so often visited mid-table finish.

My tank as a supporter is just about running on empty.

I was always advised not to let the petrol tank of my car get to such a state because dredging up of all the rubbish at the bottom of the tank would not be healthy for the engine and similarly, I feel that much of the rubbish games and performances dredged up over the last 18 months has not been healthy for us supporters, the team or the club as a whole.

Fair enough, we did not lose at Bolton but I doubt that there was anyone doing cartwheels over such an innocuous performance that, in my opinion, saw us lucky to snatch a point.

East Anglian Daily Times: New Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture PagepixNew Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

The same rhetoric from the manager Mick McCarthy was wholly predictable post-game as once more he talked of the opposition being a good Championship side with decent players.

At the risk of repeating myself, yes, the injuries have not helped us in recent weeks and it’s a minor miracle that we are as close to the play-offs as we are even if that gap is now six points.

MORE: Mick McCarthy’s thoughts after the Bolton draw

Mick recently conceded that we needed more bodies in and when he said few days ago that he was hopeful of getting ‘a few’ new players in, we had hoped for some much-needed signings.

East Anglian Daily Times: New Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture PagepixNew Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

Now, after just three signings, he’s telling us that his business is done.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is surely a direct replacement for the departing Tommy Smith, I do wonder how little we’ll see of Aaron Drinan and that only leaves Stephen Gleeson as an ‘extra body’.

I sincerely hope therefore that a few of our injuries are about to clear up, otherwise, the midfield area is going to continue to be stretched.

And while the January transfer window never proves to be too fruitful for us, I am also worried how our short–term thinking is going to leave us in the long run.

Everything smacks of Mick leaving in the summer but I wouldn’t be surprised if Marcus Evans gave him a new two-year contract. I really wouldn’t

Mick reckoned Saturday’s game was the worst he’d seen all season.

East Anglian Daily Times: New Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture PagepixNew Ipswich signing Stephen Gleeson at Bolton Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

Not sure about that, there have been quite a few to rival it, for me and many others, Mick.

In some ways, do you know what? I think fans would think more of Mick if he just left his comments there.

MORE: Garner earns Town a point at Bolton, match report

He’s admitted to a poor performance, he’s the man paid to put it right next time out.

But no, he couldn’t leave it there.

He just then had to do come up with a comment to anger fans.

“Do people think this is Ipswich Town with Sir Bobby Robson still involved and all those players and that we’re a top, top team who should come to Bolton and beat them?,” Mick said after the game.

Well Mick, no, of course we don’t think that we’re Ipswich Town under Bobby Robson anymore.

We know that on the pitch we’re as far away from those days as we could possibly be. We understand that.

But that doesn’t mean that off the pitch, we cannot still be that club to be proud of, the very pride that was instilled around the place by Sir Bobby.

I want to be proud of our club no matter what division we’re in and no matter how we’re playing.

Quite frankly, in my eyes there is very little to be proud of right now and very little prospect of that changing anytime soon.

I cannot remember the last time that I dared to dream of a cup run, or a consistent run of decent league performances/results, or even the day that I really, really looked forward to going to a game.

For me, we’re in a rut and I see no way out just yet.

MORE: Five observations from Town’s draw at Bolton