Ipswich Town's managing director Ian Milne has said that the club is standing by manager Mick McCarthy after their FA Cup exit to fifth-tier Lincoln City last night.
A 91st-minute goal from Nathan Arnold was enough to send the hosts through at the expense of the Tractor Boys, 10 days after the sides played out a 2-2 draw at Portman Road.
After the game McCarthy admitted that he had been left "embarrassed" by the result, compounded by the club's sub-par performance in the league this season.
"Over the two matches Lincoln City were clearly the better organised team. That resulted in them deserving to win and we should, and have, congratulated them," Milne told BBC Radio Suffolk.
"We clearly did not perform to the standard we can do and an example of that is the good win we got against Blackburn last Saturday. However, nobody in the squad takes any pleasure in producing that type of football in front of our great away fans or indeed to the wider television audience.
"As usual Mick had been honest in his after match comments and I have nothing to add to that regarding the game. I would add that over the last few days we have added players to the squad and we have bids in for others.
"So in these difficult times we would ask our fans to stay with Mick and the boys as we make improvements to the squad and get our injured players match fit, as our aim is to return to winning entertaining football as we started to do against Blackburn."
Next up for McCarthy's men is a trip to promotion-challenging Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
Neil Wilkes
