NOW is NOT the time to give up on Roy Keane.

Carl Marston

NOW is NOT the time to give up on Roy Keane.

Ipswich Town are marooned at the foot of the Championship table, with no wins from 11 league games.

This is easily their worst start to a season in the club's history, leaving them a worrying five points adrift of safety.

And a heart-breaking injury-time winner from ex-Town loanee Jon Macken condemned Keane's men to an unjust 2-1 defeat at Barnsley on Saturday.

That's the stark reality of the current crisis at Portman Road - there's no hiding away from these depressing facts.

But what's the point in getting rid of the manager?

When he was appointed as Jim Magilton's successor in April, Keane set a target of bringing Premier League football back to Ipswich in two years.

He deserves a chance to fulfil that ambition, however desperate the current position seems to be.

And the vast majority of Town fans, especially those who have witnessed the three recent trips to Yorkshire (Doncaster, Sheffield United and Barnsley) are backing Keane to turn it around.

There are no chants of “Keane out” or “sack the manager,” at least from the Town end.

In fact, it's only the opposing fans who have called for Keane's head. Sheffield United supporters, during last Tuesday night's 3-3 draw, and a small section of the Barnsley faithful, both took great relish in signing renditions of the popular ditty - “you're getting the sack in the morning!”

In fact, it's quite unusual for supporters of a team, who are rock bottom of the league, to applaud their players off the pitch. There were certainly no boos at Oakwell on Saturday.

Keane has assembled a new team, and it's too early to just write them off.

Late goals have cost them a total of five points from their last three away games - that's why they are propping up the table.

Stick with Keane, and the situation WILL improve.

Lose patience, and the future would be uncertain.