Mick McCarthy says his managerial record is the reason for his longevity at Portman Road, not owner Marcus Evans’ perceived patience with his managers.

The Blues boss is enduring a tough campaign this time round, Town dropping to 17th in the Championship – five points off the bottom-three with eight games to go – following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at mid-table Cardiff City.

However, working on a much smaller budget than most of his rivals during his time in Suffolk, McCarthy has arguably punched above his weight as manager for the most part – the pinnacle being a play-off semi-final appearance in the 2014-2015.

Appointed when Town were bottom of the league, in November 2012, McCarthy has outlasted 88 managers in the Championship – Derby’s Steve McClaren (for a second time), Norwich’s Alex Neil and Wigan’s Warren Joyce receiving their P45s in the last fortnight.

Asked if he was fortunate to work under Evans, who is not considered particularly trigger-happy, McCarthy said: “No, not really.

“It confirms to me that for four years I have done a really good job here and this year has been tough.

“We have not spent Aston Villa money, we haven’t spent Norwich money, we haven’t spent vast sums, and we have been competitive every season, up until this one.

“It does not make me feel lucky, I have got a really good relationship with Marcus, it just confirms that I have been good at my job but I am having it tough this year.”

On the latest sackings, he added: “Steve McClaren, I thought, was brought in because he played the “Derby Way”.

“He started off on fire, got six wins on the bounce and looked like he was going to get them in the play-offs, so that was a bit of a shock.

“Warren Joyce, he didn’t inherit great things and it’s been tough for him. (Alex Neil) having been promoted and done a great job and everybody thinking he was great – 12-18 months on he is out of work again.”

McCarthy celebrated 25 years as a manager on Saturday, and revealed: “I am always sad to see it (managerial sackings) but on the other side of that, if managers didn’t go, the ones who are out of work would never get a job.

“There has been something like 80 or 90 (managers) gone since I’ve been here and I can hear a lot of them (Ipswich fans) screaming at the radio saying I shouldn’t be here, but hey-ho.”