Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town have had a pretty decent start to the season.

Despite a narrow defeat at Leeds United last Saturday, the Barnsley born manager will have seen enough in that performance to demand that Ipswich play that standard from now on.

Leeds just had the better of things in the Elland Road clash, but on another day Ipswich might well have got something out of it.

The loss may not be a disaster for the Suffolk club.

The performance was hailed by some as the best they’ve played this season which bodes well for them.

McCarthy wants his team to replicate that level of performance from now on. I agree. They showed plenty to suggest that they can challenge for at least a play-off spot.

The gulf in resources, even compared to Leeds who are not one of the highest spenders in the league, is astonishing.

By comparison with other Championship clubs, you have to admire what McCarthy has done at Ipswich.

With a budget that dwarfs practically every club in the league, he has managed Ipswich in ways that other managers would baulk on.

Effectively he is managing the club like a lower league club, relying on a good eye for talent rather than the club’s cheque book.

Most managers would have walked away.

But that’s not McCarthy’s style.

I get the impression that he would love Ipswich to win the Championship his way.