Boss Paul Jewell says there’ll be no meaningless games between now and the end of the season despite Town’s campaign already appearing certain to end in another mid-table finish. The Blues face Leicester City at Portman Road today with the play-offs eight points away and seemingly out of reach.

Despite this, Jewell says he will insist his players give their all in the final five games of the season: “While there are paying customers and while we’re getting paid, there’s no such thing as a meaningless game.

“I know what’s meant by that, but for me every game counts and I want that to be the case for the players.

“We owe it to ourselves and more importantly we owe it to the people who come and watch us.”

Pre-season favourites Leicester sit in ninth in the Championship on 59 points, six places and three points above the Blues. Despite their season not going to plan, the Town manager says they still present a significant threat: “Every game’s tricky in this league, I think that’s why it’s such a tough league.

“They’ll still think they’ve got a chance of getting in the play-offs and I still think that on paper they’ve probably got the best squad in the league. They’ll be coming to our place with all guns blazing.”

Jewell, who has a fully fit squad, seems likely to tweak his side for the second of two Easter fixtures in three days and said on Saturday that he planned to assess the condition of his squad yesterday: “I keep on saying there will be changes and then when I get to naming the team I don’t. We’ll have to see how everyone is on Sunday.”

Whatever the Blues boss decides, there are unlikely to be changes at the back. Arran Lee-Barrett will continue in goal with Aaron Cresswell at left-back and skipper Carlos Edwards on the right. Tommy Smith and Damien Delaney will be in the middle of the defence.

In midfield, Jewell could switch Andy Drury for Lee Bowyer with Grant Leadbitter likely to keep his place, while Josh Carson may come into his thoughts for one of the wide roles, probably Daryl Murphy’s position on the left rather than Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s on the right.

Jewell may be considering giving Ryan Stevenson a first start in Lee Martin’s role behind the lone striker but will probably stick with the ex-Manchester United man.

Michael Chopra has had a quiet couple of weeks and hasn’t scored for four games, while Jason Scotland was again impressive from the bench at Derby and the Trinidadian may have done enough to win a start against the Foxes.

Leicester strikers Darius Vassell (knee) and Martyn Waghorn (hamstring) aren’t yet ready for a first team return, while midfielder Neil Danns is suspended for his red card against Hull City.

Foxes assistant boss Craig Shakespeare believes Saturday’s 4-0 home victory over Doncaster means they can still make the play-offs: "That win keeps us in with a shout. It seems like one week we are saying we are totally out of it and the next week we say we could be in with a chance.

"We know we are running out of games and understand what we have to do. We have to take each game as it comes. I know it is an old cliché, but it is true. I still think there will be one place available come the last game.

"It is difficult to put your finger on why we have been poor away from home [having won five, drawn six and lost nine]. We have spoken about being inconsistent before.

"We have to go to Ipswich, take the game to them and play on the front foot, and we have to come away with a result."

Foxes manager Nigel Pearson, who was interviewed for the job as Town boss in 2006 but lost out to Jim Magilton, may also look to utilise his squad with one or two unspecified players having minor knocks from the weekend.

Defender Sean St Ledger, who was close to joining the Blues in January, may be amongst those who could come into the reckoning having been on the bench on Saturday.

Town have had the upper hand historically, winning 26 games between the sides (26 in the league), drawing 18 (17) and losing 22 (20).

In December, Lee Bowyer netted his second goal for Town as the Blues stretched an unbeaten run to three games with a 1-1 draw at Leicester.

Michael Chopra had already missed a penalty by the time Bowyer scored in the third minute, Paul Gallagher converting a Foxes spotkick for handball against Jason Scotland in the second half.

Unusually, Foxes striker David Nugent wasn’t on the scoresheet, the former England frontman having netted eight goals in nine games against the Blues. Ominously he has scored in every match he has played at Portman Road.

Last time the Foxes were in Suffolk was in December 2010 when first half goals from Scotland (2) and David Norris saw Roy Keane's Town to a 3-0 home victory over Leicester and ended a six-game league losing run.

Heavy snow started to fall around an hour before kick-off and continued throughout the game with the players taken off for a 14-minute spell in the second half while the pitch was cleared.

Town defender Damien Delaney is the only player in either squad to have played for the opposition, the Irishman spending two years with Leicester, who he joined for £50,000 from hometown club Cork City in October 2000, making seven starts and four sub appearances.

Today’s referee is Tony Bates from Staffordshire, who has shown 86 yellow and no red cards in 34 games so far this season. Bates’s most recent Town match was the 2-0 victory at Cardiff in March 2011 when he booked only Lee Martin. On the opening day of that season, he was in charge of the Blues’ 3-1 win at Middlesbrough.

Squad from: Lee-Barrett, Wright, Edwards, Cresswell, Smith, Delaney, Sonko, Ainsley, Drury, Hyam, Leadbitter, Bullard, Bowyer, Stevenson, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy, Carson, Martin, Chopra, Scotland.

Photo: Action Images

Hamish1979 added 10:21 - Apr 9 Maybe not for you Paul
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brendanh added 10:27 - Apr 9 In reality, they're all meaningless. Need to bed in the youngsters. So why not give priceless experience to the likes of Carson and Stevenson? Playing the likes of Lee Bowyer or Jimmy Bullard in this situation would be idiotic.
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WarkyWonderLand added 10:35 - Apr 9 Why bowyer and leadboots? So frustrating when we should be giving games and experience to the future of team. As a paying customer with nothing to lose I know who I would prefer to see.
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tractorboy2434 added 10:46 - Apr 9 Amazing, just why are Leadbitter and Bowyer playing, both should be left out and should be first out the door come July, but whatever Jewell says it is a meaningless game for us but not for Leicester and for that reason I take them to win it, not sure exactly where we go from here as to strengthen the squad will take money which we don't have, can only see more cheapies and freebies and another mid table season, another reason why I won't be renewing my 3 seats

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darren_cox added 10:49 - Apr 9 Couldn't agree more brendanh. This is the time to stop playing the flops that are going to be here next season. Lets see the likes of Hyam, Carson and Stevensen this afternoon.
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BehindBlueEyes added 10:54 - Apr 9 @tractorboy2434, glad you're not renewing as we don't need "supporters" like you....always moaning. Please take jas, wobbleswick and daley with you when you go. And are you that fat you need 3 seats???
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blue979 added 11:05 - Apr 9 win win win win win etc end the season with a BANG not a plop.
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Hamish1979 added 11:05 - Apr 9 Supporting Ipswich is a bit like religion, you get to the latter stages of life (the season) and realise that neither heaven (promotion) or hell (relegation) exist, just an empty, vacuous hole that used to be your hobby. 2-0 to the Town, COYB.
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tractorboy2434 added 11:07 - Apr 9 Harlem Blue, no not fat, just fed up with paying good money for tripe, and that's what this season has been prior to past 2 months, after going since 1968 enough is enough, hope you enjoy more mid table mediocrity next season, I will just cherry pick my games, £500 for that sh*te, No thanks.
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Mark added 11:13 - Apr 9 Here's another big reason: it's the last match before the season ticket early bird deadline, so let's give a good display today and follow it up with reminders over the PA system that both people renewing and new applicants can get tickets much cheaper this week than thereafter. Over the speakers at Portman Road they spent a lot of time advertising other businesses, but often they don't promote ITFC as much as they could in my opinion. Keep mentioning the season tickets and don't let people forget about the 13th April deadline. Make sure new applicants realise this applies to them too.

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slowerball added 11:18 - Apr 9 Certainly as a more mature supporter - I've seen standards slip in all areas of the club, and I don't like it. That's my problem, but probably one shared with fans of a similar vintage. I don't think that any games are meaningless as players play for contracts, fans hope to finish the season on a high and - as a manager - PJ will want to finish as high up the table and as well as possible, building for next year, etc. I'd like him to play the players who will be here next year - Stevenson for example; why buy him and not play him? Give him a start. Carson needs a run. And I'd play Richard Wright - not for the reasons as stated and perhaps in contradiction to what I have just said, but ALB needs a rest in my view. Get himself out of the firing line. The lad ain't good enough I don't think - yes, he's done okay, yes, he's been messed about - but he's a number 2 at best - we all know that. Give Wrighty a few games... why the hell not - he's no worse and that's a fact. The main problem this season for me, goes back to last season and before in not getting contract negotiations underway and meaningful with players of the calibre of McAuley - now a very good CB in the Prem - and good luck to him. He was and would have been a rock for us and may have proved the difference between mid-table and a play off place? Although a very keeper would also have been required in my view - we've had too many over the past two / three seasons with perhaps Begovic being the best I've seen in that time. An area of concern that needs addressing now - not in October.

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slowerball added 11:20 - Apr 9 ...missing word = good.
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Barkerman added 11:21 - Apr 9 Hi. I make these remarks as an Ipswitch surporter sinceI was ten,1954, I am now 68, and I am aware that many will gwaff at my remarks, BUT, I think that if despite our directorship, that is our owner and manager, if we had held on to our Jorden Rhodes ( Ted Philips) and Connor Whickham (Ray Crawford) we would have been causing the media to have looked at us and not ignore us as they do. Rhodes would have been taking shots at goal and Whickham, taking into account the way he moves, would have been following up and 9 out of ten scored. Nobody follows up Chopra, nobody is there to pick up the halved saved shot. Maybe JET should should make his skillful runs down the centre with perhaps Scotland there to follow up. Many will surggest alternatives. In my opinion after watching Barnsley V West Ham two teams that my beloved Town have doubled,AND stuck here in Hampshire, they are and are playing a to a good standard. Mind you having watched the top 4 in the Premier I am not confident that a top standard is good. Barconla reminds me of Sir Bobby Robson's Ipswitch. I was there when the score was Ips 3 Barc 0 a Barca team that included the great Chruyf. O K I live in the past but all I know that the English standard of football was far better than now. Our top teams ,to me, seem to be signing those European players that that cant make it in Spain, FGrance and Italy. God bless you all

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Wickets added 11:34 - Apr 9 Report out that Leadbitter has signed for Boro!! pre contract agreement for next season.
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walberswick added 12:08 - Apr 9 “Every game's tricky in this league, I think that's why it's such a tough league."
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Andy32Cracknell added 12:18 - Apr 9 What we should be doing in these last few games of the season is assessing our squad players, (if the playoffs are so out of reach like people keep saying). So with that in mind my team would be. As below :- Give everyone a go. cropper - gk ainsley - rb sonko - cb smith - cb wright- lb peters - rw hyam - cm bullard - cm carson - lw stevenson acm scotland - st
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Kesgraveblue57 added 12:29 - Apr 9 What Darren says Lets see the likes of Hyam, Carson and Stevensen this afternoon you are so right Darren, you might just see Stevensen start but not the others far to risky for Jewell to do, could be a case of player power.
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Lightningboy added 12:47 - Apr 9 Come on Jewell..stop fannying about with the likes of "past it - Bowyer" & "on his way - Leadbitter". 5 games left - give the games to Hyam,Carson,Drury & Stevenson...ie,the future not the past.
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walberswick added 13:01 - Apr 9 ME throws another £2.6 million done the drain.
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blockb_steward added 13:04 - Apr 9 Yes, some good players coming thru (Hyam, Carson etc) but the biggest disappointment for me is seeing Bullard's career fizzle out. He should be running our midfield. It is a shame if the reports about Leadbitter are true, I actually rate him and I think certain twtd members give him a hard time. Looking forward to the game, would be good to see some changes in the line up, COYB

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walberswick added 14:03 - Apr 9 Ipswich 2 Leicester 4 (ALB sent off)
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h32 added 16:44 - Apr 9 Haarlem Blue - Diabilical comment from a 'so called real supporter' - as I guess you see yourself. We have a Mediocre Mid-Table Manager (at best) - which will always equal a Mediocre Mid-Table Team (at best). Therefore people 'pays there money' and 'takes their choice' - just that some are more prudent (and may I suggest sensible) where they throw theirs. With the current set-up - next season will be NO different.

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h32 added 16:46 - Apr 9 - should read - Diabolical - apologies for that slip of the finger .............. before some clever person points out the spelling mistake.
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