By Steve Mellen, of the Eastern Daily Times

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IN fairtales, the good characters ride smugly off into the sunset on a white steed, usually with a stunning maiden.

The bad guys either: a.) Get chopped up by a woodsman (Little Red Riding Hood) b.) Have their plans thwarted by a charming prince (Snow White) or c.) Die from eating too much of their gingerbread house (Hansel and Gretel).

Well I made that last one up, but you get the picture. How sad that real life doesn't have the same balance of goodover evil. Why do the bad guys win sometimes?

Last season was often called a fairytale for Ipswich fans, and it's true. This time round we're reading from a slightlydarker script.

The evil goblins at Carrow Road are prospering, our own heroes have fallen a bit flat, and Sam Allardyce - one ofour favourite villains - is being allowed to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Yes, plucky Bolton are doing so well on their meagre resources, that big fat Sam has even appeared on Questionof Sport - the classic seal of approval from the world of British sport.

But down here in Suffolk, we look at ol' Sam a bit differently. We know, if I can paraphrase Darth Vader, not tounderestimate the power of the 'Dark Side'.

We remember the hysterical wailing from the Reebok Stadium after the play-off defeat, which stopped just shortof calling in the United Nations to fight Bolton's cause.

We remember preposterous complaints, including one directed at Ipswich fans because we invaded the pitch.

Apparently it stopped the Bolton players going over to applaud their fans.

Three years of play-off heartache and you want us to sit and politely applaud when we finally get to Wembley? Geta grip.

And after that game it would have been a lap of shame for Bolton, not a lap of honour.

We remember the accusations levelled at Barry Knight, when none were directed at the players in white who, let'sface it, simply lost it that night when victory was there if they could have kept their composure.

But as I said, sometimes the baddies win. Bolton are the new Norwich to many Town fans, and their success this season is salt in our wounds.

Worst of all for Ipswich fans, Wanderers have swiped our role. Last season we were the new kids shaking up the block, turning a few heads and surprising the odds. This time it's Sam's boys who are the neutrals' favourites.

But Bolton are leaving the land of plaudits this weekend, and coming to a ground where they have few friends.

And I say to the Ipswich Town players, that all that has gone before this season will be forgiven if we win tomorrow.

But don't do it for me. Don't do it for my fellow fans, even the ones targeted by Bolton hooligans when we met inthe play-offs in 1999 on a nasty Sunday afternoon in Lancashire.

Don't do it for the manager, the chairman or because of the headlines on Monday morning. Do it for yourselves

You're better than Bolton, you're better than a lot of teams in this divison, and there's no better game than thisone to show it.

PS: Sam, watch out. We're beeeehind you. For now anyway.