Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy says he has the full backing of owner Marcus Evans and believes the majority of supporters are still behind him ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Nottingham Forest.

For the best part of three years the Blues boss has been hailed for turning around the club’s fortunes on a shoestring budget – transforming them from a relegation-threatened outfit to one which finished in the Championship play-off places.

However, the mood has changed somewhat of late following a run of form consisting of just one win in eight league matches and McCarthy admitted, following Tuesday night’s 3-0 defeat at Hull City, this is his toughest period in charge at Portman Road.

A small number of the club’s supporters have even gone as far as calling for a managerial change on social networking sites, the Blues boss saying: “That’s the first I’ve heard of that. It doesn’t surprise me at all though because that’s what football fans do.

“It doesn’t disappoint me, it doesn’t surprise me, it doesn’t worry me, because that’s just the way it is.

“I guess at some stage I will leave the club, who knows when, but if there is somebody else available that can do it on what I’ve done it, then good luck to them, those that want that.

“I think the majority of them (fans) wouldn’t (want me out). I’ve never given it any concern that would be the case, but it doesn’t surprise me – it happens everywhere, look at the amount of managers that get changed.

“It’s usually down to bonkers owners and chairmen, rather than football fans, that get you out. Fortunately I’ve got a very sensible one.”

On his relationship with Evans, who was incredibly patient with previous bosses Roy Keane and Paul Jewell before wielding the axe, McCarthy said: “I spoke to him yesterday and had a good conversation with him. He’d watched the game (at Hull).

“That subject (of being under pressure) never came up though, that’s for sure. We just spoke about the game and Saturday’s game.”

With Nottingham Forest also out of form and hit by a lengthy injuries and suspension list, McCarthy added: “When things are going against you and people are on the turn, when they turn on me and they turn on players, what we can’t afford to do is turn on each other. We have to stick together and keep playing.

“I’d have been in trouble throughout my career if every time you go through a difficult patch, you get twitchy.

“We’ve had a tough time – I’m not going to shy away from that – but I’ve got faith in the lads and belief in them that we will turn it around. It’s a long old season.”