Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy says he holds no feelings of resentment towards former club Wolves and is wary they are playing better than results suggest ahead of tomorrow night’s Championship clash at Portman Road.

McCarthy guided Wolves to the Championship title in 2009 and had the distinction of being the club’s manager in 30 years to maintain top-flight status for two successive seasons.

His five-and-a-half-year reign came to an end when he was sacked following a 5-1 home defeat to bitter rivals West Brom. The team were in the relegation zone on goal difference with 13 games to play and eventually went down after McCarthy’s assistant, Terry Connor, took charge.

“If you get the sack you’re never happy with how it ended,” said McCarthy. “I’m still belligerent enough to think we wouldn’t have gone down because we’d been in that position before. There were certainly still enough games left to get out of it.

“It wasn’t like the dressing room was against me. It wasn’t like Leicester where they sack the managers and suddenly win two games and look brilliant.

“Poor old TC (Terry Connor) was left on his own. I’m sure we are better together than individually.

“That’s all history though. I loved my time there and have no resentment at all. I have nothing but good things to say about my time there. I loved it.”

Wolves ended up going down to League One the following season, came straight back up, but are again battling the drop. Paul Lambert’s side are one place and one point above the relegation zone following six straight defeats in all competitions.

“Paul (Lambert) did get them going and it looked like they would be a force,” said McCarthy. “They played very well on Saturday against Reading, after he made seven changes, and they were unfortunate to lose (2-1).

“I think they’ve been playing better than their results. We know that feeling.

“It doesn’t matter how you play, it’s about getting results – certainly when you are in the position that Wolves are in now. And that’s still the case for us – we need to get results.”

Town are unbeaten in six, but have drawn five of those games and won just one of their last 10 in all competitions. They are nine points above the bottom three.