Welcome back to Portman Road for a fixture that is always very special in the football calendar - derby day.

I loved the games against Norwich when I was a player here. They are fantastic occasions for the supporters and the players alike.

Local bragging rights are up for grabs, the supporters create a wonderful atmosphere and that adds some extra spice to the game.

There is no hiding the fact that today's match is a massive one for us in more ways than one. We need the three points to keep us right in there fighting for the Play-Offs.

What I do want from my players though, more than anything else is a real performance from them, one I know they can give.

If they give me everything and come off that pitch out on their feet, then I will take that every time. I want a display full of tempo, full of energy, full of desire. If I get that, win or lose - I will back them all the way.

What I won't tolerate is the sort of performance we got for the last 15 minutes or so against Cardiff in the first-half.
We lost our shape, our confidence and our ambition and I was very disappointed to see that.

Second-half we were much brighter, showed some real enthusiasm and deservedly got back in the game.

The players came off at half-time under a chorus of boos and came off at full-time under a chorus of applause and they deserve credit for turning things around in the second-half.

We needed a goal obviously after we gifted them one with some poor defending and that's why we put Jordan Rhodes on at half-time.

The lad is a predator and he took his chance very well. I'm delighted for him and he deserved his opportunity.
We could have gone on and won the game after that. The supporters really got behind the team and if we didn't have another poor decision go against us, we would have taken the three points.

It was a terrific strike from Danny Haynes and I have no idea what the referee saw that resulted in a free-kick against us. Jason (De Vos) went up for a header with Glenn Loovens. Neither player would have expected to receive a free-kick yet the referee sees something that wasn't there.

That's the third bad decision we have had in the last three games - fourth if you count Pablo's red card at Scunthorpe. They say that decisions even themselves out over the season. Well I wish they would hurry up!
As I said, the fans were magnificent in the second-half against Cardiff and played their part in giving the players the confidence to drive on. Confidence is the magic ingredient in football.

We have one or two lads who are a little low on that magic ingredient at the moment. Alan Lee is one, the goals are not going in for him like they were at the start of the season and that happens.

The big man carries the line for us though and takes a right battering in games. He can make life awkward for defenders, even when he is not scoring.

Alan will be in contention to play today as will Pablo who is back from his suspension. Shefki Kuqi and David Norris are closing in on a return from injury so we will have more options.

The supporters, as always, will have a part to play today and I'm sure they will get right behind the team and turn up the volume. But while the fans can lift the players - and make no mistake they can - the players have to lift the fans as well and that is what I'm looking from us this afternoon.

Enjoy the game.