The fact that Town have not featured in the Premier League for 13 years surprises midfield man Cole Skuse — and adds to his determination to help engineer a top-flight return.

Victory in Saturday’s second leg of the Championship play-off semi-final at Norwich will take Skuse & Co to within one game of the Premier League, the final at Wembley on May 25th.

Skuse said: “I am surprised it has been so long since Ipswich were in the Premier League. When I first came here two years ago the structure, the set-up, seemed geared for a Premier League club.

"I speak to a lot of the fans and they say they may not have found the right man to be in charge at the time.

“It could be a number of things but everything is in place and the whole set-up is geared for the Premier League.

"I’m a little bit surprised that they haven’t been there in the last 13 years but it would be great to be a part of getting them back there next season.

“Have I thought about being a Premier League player? Of course I have. When you’re this close, just two games away, you are thinking about ifs, buts and maybes.

"But it’s all down to this coming weekend and if you go there and fail to get the job done it’s a cloud sort of popped. I know people say it but we really are just focusing on the next game and hopefully getting the job done.

“We don’t lack belief. There’s always belief in our squad. I’ve touched on it before, about the atmosphere in the changing room being so close and the fact that we have such a great set of lads.

“If you witnessed our training session this morning [Thursday] you would see how confident and buoyant the lads are. Within ourselves we’re going there to get the job done.”

Asked about the mood in the camp Skuse responded: “The manager has been trying to keep everything the same and not stray off the path that has got us to where we are now.

“The lads have been chirping away at certain people in the squad — there are always a few who come in for more than the others — and it has been very much the same as it has been for the whole of the league campaign. We’ve not done anything different.

“It wasn’t overly different last Saturday at Portman Road. The players all approach games differently. Some are quieter, others are louder, but the difference was when we got out on the pitch and the game got going it felt like there was an extra bit of spice about it. In the dressing room it wasn’t too different.

“I’m not a massive shouter or the type that gees others up. I’m kind of mellow and plateaued, relatively quiet and just doing my own thing.

“We know what to expect at Norwich. When the game is going on you are wrapped up in a bubble but if you pick up a bottle to have a drink or you take a throw-in you hear what the fans are calling you.

“There will be pressure on all the players from both sides but it’s not something we have spoken about this week.

“We’ve not sat down and had big meetings about them but they were the favourites going into the play-offs, they’ve come to our place and got a draw and a lot of people saw them getting a win in that game.

“Now they’re at their own place, their own stomping ground, and their fans will be expecting to beat us again after beating us in both the league games earlier in the season. But we’re going up there to give it a good go.

“The first game last weekend had that extra bit of spice in comparison to the two league games. It just seemed to have a little bit extra of everything, really.

“Just after we scored we got a corner and our fans let out this massive roar. It was the first time in a game when I was taken aback by the atmosphere.

“I had never felt that in a game before — it was unbelievable really. Their fans were just as good, brilliant and very noisy, so it’s left it wide open for the game on Saturday. It’s going to be exciting.”

Photo: Action Images

MaySixth added 16:11 - May 15 Love Skusey but his comments on Norwich fans are media fluff. Quitest fans I've heard at Portman Road this season.
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happybeingblue added 16:56 - May 15 play like last week Cole and we may just do it ......UP THE TOWN!!!!
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therein61 added 18:23 - May 15 This is it!! go out and do the business you boys and make us proud and send us to Wembley C.O.Y.B
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TimmyH added 21:43 - May 15 Yes we are geared up for the Premiership - our stadium, practice facilities etc. but unfortunately not our squad...a long way off Premiership standard.
3

Walk_the_Wark added 01:49 - May 16 Or manager..
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