Must keep believing - Magilton

WHILE everyone has a view on what is going wrong, Ipswich could not be accused of lack of guts and endeavour despite going down to the Hammers.

Skipper Jim Magilton epitomised the spirit with a typically sleeves rolled up, wild eyed, vein-popping, display, coupled with plenty of involvement on the ball.

The Irishman is refusing to lie down and die and has urged supporters to keep the faith.

He said: "You have got to keep believing.We have to knuckle down, believe that we have the people here that can do the job and hope things turn around for us.

"We gave everything we had but in the end it was two quality finishes by West Ham. We really had a go at them, especially second half and that was pleasing so we can take something positive out of that."

Magilton admits Town are struggling to reach the standards they met when they boasted the likes of Matt Holland, Hermann Hreidarsson, Jamie Clapham and Darren Ambrose in the ranks but insists they just have to make do with what they have. He added: "Even if we had won five out of five and you asked me do we miss players like Matt Holland and the quality players we have lost I would still say yes.

"But losing them and not being able to replace them is part and parcel of football life these days and you just have to get on with it. It is the financial restraints the manager has had to work with.

"We have had to sell and lose players since last year and it probably cost George (Burley) his job last season but we just have to get on with it.

"It is a transitional period for the club and it is not easy or nice and no-one likes losing games less than me. But this is the reality. The only way we are going to get past that is by everyone pulling together, working hard and hopefully getting results."

"We deserved something from game and there were a lot of positive things to take from it.

"We would prefer to have another match in a couple of days instead of a couple of weeks but that is the only negative thing at the moment."