Defender Harry Clarke is hoping history can repeat itself and that Town can replicate the scintillating form of last season when an unbeaten 15-game run steered them to automatic promotion from League One.

The Blues won 13 and drew two of their final fixtures following a goalless draw at Bristol Rovers exactly a year ago, a major turning point after a run of only one win in eight league games, near-identical to their current form, which has seen them win just one of their last nine in the Championship.

Clarke, who will turn 23 early next month, said: “Anything’s possible and we all believe we have a good enough squad to put another good run together.

“It’s not like we’ve been playing badly and it’s the main thing I want to say. We’ve been playing well and I thought we were the better team in most of our recent games. Sometimes results don’t work out and we all know you don’t always get what you deserve in football.

“It’s just the way it goes in football. I think that what we did at the end of last season was something very special, but there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.

“The run of one win in eight last season was almost exactly the same as what we’re doing now. It’s just football; you’re not going to win every game and you must make sure you stick together, do the basics right and fight for the wins that make such a difference.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion, which leaves Town in fourth, Clarke added: “The feeling afterwards was that we had played well and I think we were the better team.

“We didn’t play particularly well at their place back in November when they beat us 2-0 and they were the better side, so to come from behind twice and play well against a good defensive team is a positive.”

The Blues have conceded the first goal in each of their last five outings, including the embarrassing FA Cup fourth round exit to non-league Maidstone United pf the sixth tier, but in their four league games they at least recovered to win [Sunderland] and draw with both Leicester and West Brom.

“It’s something we’ve spoken about a lot,” Clarke admitted. “Last season we found it quite easy to start well and get an early goal in games, but it has been different this season.

“It’s just football, really. You don’t always get the early goal and you have to find a different way of winning games and picking up points. But coming from behind and not losing shows the character in the squad and we’re doing well.”

Clarke agreed that the squad assembled by manager Kieran McKenna does not lack spirit, adding: “It definitely is our main strength. It’s a great group of players we have here and we never give up. We keep on going right to the end and it has paid off a number of times, like at the weekend.”

Asked for his assessment of the season so far, Clarke added: “We’re still doing okay and we’re right in the thick of the promotion race. In terms of results, we may not be on the best of runs right now, but there are 46 games in the season and we haven’t lost many – only four – and there are no teams in the Championship who have lost fewer.

“It’s not wrong that we have only won once in our last nine games but at the same time we’ve only lost twice in that run, so it’s nowhere near as bad as it might sound.

“You know that in a long season you’re not going to win all the time and that there will be adversity of some sort along the way. The key is always how you react when things aren’t going according to plan but we have an opportunity now to put a decent run together.”

Including tonight’s visit to Millwall, the Blues face a run of nine games against teams who were in the bottom half of the table after the weekend results, and Town will be favourites to win these fixtures.

However, Clarke warned: “It may look like that on paper but the Championship is a very tough league and there’s nothing we can take for granted.

“Every single game is tough and throws up its own problems, difficulties and challenges, but of course we would like to put a run of wins together and try to strengthen our position in the table.

“But we’ll have the same approach to all our remaining games and it’s essential we have the same attitude we’ve had up until now.”

Former academy player Clarke is within two games of making his 50th appearance in all competitions for the club since returning to Portman Road in January last year, having initially left in 2015 to join Arsenal, where he signed a professional deal three years later and went on to join Oldham, Ross County, Hibernian and Stoke on loan, clocking up 80 first team appearances.

Asked how much he had improved as a player in his 13 months as a member of McKenna’s senior squad, the former East Bergholt High School pupil said: “Loads, I would say. Under the boss and the staff we have here, I’ve definitely improved as a player in that time.

“But there’s still room for so much more improvement and I’m excited for the future and for what I can do to improve my game.

“Perty [Martyn Pert, assistant manager] works well with the defenders most of the time but I’ve worked closely with the boss as well over the last year or so. They’ve both been amazing and I can’t wait to see where we can go from here.”

Photo: TWTD

Saxonblue74 added 06:31 - Feb 14 Let's get the win tonight first and see where that takes us. We've then got to deal with Swansea who will be locking their wounds and looking for a reaction after Leeds last night. Anything can happen (Bristol v Southampton) in this league, we just need to keep doing our thing and hope for an upturn in fortune as decisions have definitely gone against us recently. It'll take a monumental effort, but the ability is there.

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bobble added 06:53 - Feb 14 the teams above us all have to play each other so what he says is correct, but we have to stop the farcical slow playouts from the back, if what i have viewd on highlights is the norm for every game...we should mix it up so the other teams doesnt know what we are going to do in advance...
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sussexblue22 added 08:11 - Feb 14 No 0-0 tonight please
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baxterbasics added 09:33 - Feb 14 Don't tease us now Harry. Let your boots do the talking.
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JewellintheTown added 09:34 - Feb 14 I'm hoping the slow playouts from the back, especially when were goals down, are purely tactical, maybe to frustrate the opposition as well as to draw them out, and not just to frustrate the fans. But its the unnecessary mistakes at the back that cost us, not the idea. I don't buy into the "these things will happen if we play from the back" mentality. We can still play from the back but the mistakes can be cut out too with focus, practice & discipline, but I know KMc will have it ironed out soon & so will the players, keeping his tactics cards close to his chest. I'd like to see us mix it up like the 2nd half with West Brom, and use Moores strengths like Hladky started to do with direct balls up top. Got the Baggies flustered and confused and worked, so more of that at times. Getting on players and managers backs doesn't work in reality, just gets them worn down. They're people, just like us, so as 12th man its our job to support and lift like we've been doing and leave the Norwich and Leeds fans to lead the way of the opposition pulling us down. Plenty of positives to continue our team punch well above its weight. A ride we're all enjoying more than we've done so for decades - well, mostly. Keep the faith.

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Billysherlockblue added 09:36 - Feb 14 If ye give 100 per cent from START to finish. I believe we can do it but if we start like we have been for the last 10 games we are playoffs at best. Just my opinion guys. Coyb
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Linkboy13 added 10:36 - Feb 14 Being local to me i would luv Harry Clarke to be a massive success at Ipswich but his defending at times leaves a lot to be desired a large percentage of goals coming down the right side not helped by not having a real quality centre back pairing.
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Bobbiesboys added 10:38 - Feb 14 Having been to all our home and most of our away games this season both league and cup I know what I prefer and that is exactly what I am watching game in game out. Its a team that controls and retains the ball from the back to front which has resulted in Ipswich having the third highest number of shots and shots on target in the division behind Leeds and Southampton. As for changing things. If you were at the game on Saturday you would have seen the use of the long ball up to Moore on several occasions. Now that's what I call changing things up or plan B or what ever you want to call it. The other observation on Saturday was how the atmosphere in crowd in the second half was at fever pitch which must have been such boost for the town players and extremely intimidating for the WBA players. I have never before, seen the upper north stand standing en bloc screaming the players on! See you all at the Den tonight. COYB!!!!!!

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ThaiBlue added 11:30 - Feb 14 If we want success we have to drop Clarke Wooley and burns sorry 2 say
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ArnieM added 12:19 - Feb 14 THE best way to go on an unbeaten run is to stop gifting early goals to the opposition!
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eddiespearitt03 added 19:23 - Feb 14 As long as we keep conceding soft goals because of poor defending and caught out of position it will be even tougher to win games. Need more input from the midfield and the defenders have to defend.
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Suffolkboy added 20:21 - Feb 14 Come on you Blues ,let’s just stay positive ! Hindsight is the only exact science ,and far too many are willing to exact criticism ,rather than build on observation for strengthening . Every weakness defines a challenge — and I’d defy any true ITFC supporter to say we don’t try to overcome ! COYB
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