For all those prats.......

[Bluemike]

Who like to boo and get on the backs of one or Two players this is exactly what I keep saying that it does affect the players and makes the bloody situation Ten times worse, its pathetic, especially the treatment of Douglas and if any possible new arrivals were aware of it I bet they would think twice before coming here. It's one thing moaning on places like this and on the way home, even after the whistle but stop being so f**king brain dead by doing it during the game or when certain pl;ayers come on as subs, nobody, myself included could believe the substitutions at QPR by my god the treatment of JD was as Chambo says totally unacceptable.

Town skipper Luke Chambers has leapt to the defence of under-fire colleague Jonathan Douglas after supporters made him the number one target of their frustration at the team’s recent lack of success

Mick McCarthy’s men go into tomorrow’s visit of Douglas's former club Blackburn Rovers having registered just three wins from their last 11 home games in all competitions, a run that has tried supporters’ patience and turned the Portman Road atmosphere toxic at times.

Things reached an all-time low when experienced midfielder Douglas, 35, was subjected to loud boos upon his introduction from the bench, with 21 minutes left for play, in the 2-1 defeat at QPR earlier this month.

Chambers said: “Jonathan has had a hard time of it. He’s getting abused when he comes on. Why would anyone ever want to play for the club again if you are running on to the pitch as a sub and you’re getting booed by your own supporters?

“I don’t get it. If that was me I’d be thinking ‘I think it’s time for me to leave now.’ How do you come back from that? The only good thing is that it doesn’t seem to have affected Jonathan because he’s such a strong character.

“He’s been here, there and everywhere, he’s been successful in his career and he’s played hundreds of games.

“But I still don’t see how that treatment of a player is going to benefit anyone. It’s just letting the frustrations of the situation we find ourselves in come through on to the pitch.”

Chambers, 31, admits he is close to Douglas, but he added: “We’re all close in there. When you’re a player, and one of your team-mates is getting that sort of stick, you think it’s unwarranted and unacceptable.

“But you’re never going to win a fight if you’re picking it with the fans. They are entitled to voice their opinion.

“The lads appreciate what Jonathan does for the team and what he’s done in a very difficult time for us.

“For me it’s very, very disappointing, and it was especially disappointing during the game at QPR.

“When he came on it was no small thing. I think the lads almost went ‘Hold on a minute, what’s happening here?’ It’s never a good thing during a game.

“We need to try to be pulling in the same direction, regardless, and I know we’re not playing well at the minute.

“We just need to try to stick together and get ourselves through this difficult period because it’s a long season and as much as everyone is getting frustrated we need to try to stick on the same page and try to get ourselves of this – it’s not a mess – difficult period that we’re having.

“Jonathan will laugh and brush it off, but everyone goes through periods in their careers where they’re singled out or become scapegoats. He hasn’t got any other thoughts on it than that and he’s probably been made to feel pretty crap.

“But we’re backing him and we know that when he’s called upon he’ll do a job for the team.

“People are going to have their opinions and that’s what football is all about. Everyone’s got an opinion, whether they’re right or not, but you generally tend to hear the negative opinions the most.”

While the fans’ frame of mind may be largely negative, however, Chambers insists there is still plenty of positivity in the dressing room. Asked about the mood in the camp, he replied: “It’s probably where it should be at the minute. We’re not overly pleased with ourselves.

“Half the season has gone and we’re not pleased with our result last week (against Lincoln) so we’re looking to put things right and try to get a sustained run together. Unfortunately, that’s something we haven’t managed to do so far.”

[hallamblue]

Sounds ( from Chambers comments) like the booing at QPR turned the game to the home teams advantage.

[marko69]

Yes, it was not good to read that about the travelling support at QPR. I thought the majority of the arseholes only went to home games and it was "party time" travelling away.

Booing is bad enough, but there are people who TRAVEL to boo?! Sad times.

[Charnwood]

I've never in my life understood why anyone with even the smallest amount of intelligence would ever boo anyone in their own team and expect a positive outcome. Of course it affects individual players and team performance and furthermore stops players wanting to be selected especially when playing at home. It also means players feign injury to prevent being picked and stops players shooting at goal for fear of missing a half chance.

Low life thicko's who participate in this sort of behaviour should be encouraged to find something else to do on match days, or if they're too dim to find another interest try popping up the road to Carrow Road and start supporting the budgies.

[Mr.Punch]

It's my view that it is not Douglas that is getting booed but MM.
We all know that MM plays Douglas in a defensive role.
Douglas has become the outward sign of what MM is thinking - why did MM bring Douglas on against QPR? ... because he wanted to hold out for a point, what did the travelling fans want? ... for MM to go for the win. and the result was = boos.

[hallamblue]

Punch. Spot on.

[Bluemike]

It's my view that it is not Douglas that is getting booed but MM.
We all know that MM plays Douglas in a defensive role.
Douglas has become the outward sign of what MM is thinking - why did MM bring Douglas on against QPR? ... because he wanted to hold out for a point, what did the travelling fans want? ... for MM to go for the win. and the result was = boos.

Trust Me Punch it was both, MM got a lot of stick yes but I had the displeasure to be very close to a particular group of fans who were vile towards Douglas from the second he got stripped off ready to come on, it got worse and worse and grew to a lot of the town support. Lets not keep making us fans out to be so bloody marvelous when in fact a lot of us are anything but.

[jeremy rusher]

There is just too much going wrong at this club right now.