Boss Paul Jewell has hinted that there could be news on the Town contract situation sooner rather than later, revealing that moves to re-sign some of the 21 players whose terms are up in the summer have been going on behind the scenes.
Saturday's 2-0 victory over Scunthorpe all but secured the Blues’ Championship status, Jewell having previously stated that further talks with players would take place once that was the case.
But asked about the situation after the game, the Blues boss said that the process is up and running: "It’s already ongoing but you [the press] don’t know about it.”
Before Christmas skipper David Norris and key defender Gareth McAuley turned down deals, while Damien Delaney, Brian Murphy and Colin Healy are amongst the other senior players whose contracts are up at the end of the season.
Carlos Edwards is understood to have already triggered a clause in his current deal which will see the Trinidadian remain at Portman Road for a further season.
Overall, Jewell felt claiming the victory was the most significant aim against Scunthorpe on Saturday: "It’s important to keep a clean sheet and win a game. Scunthorpe are fighting for their lives and it was a potential banana skin.
"The points were the main thing today because we’ve lost the last three home games. People will look at the table expecting us to beat Scunthorpe but it’s not like that, they’ve taken points off Notts Forest and Swansea over the last two or three weeks.
"It’s all about results. People say they want to see great games and lose 4-3, but they don’t, they want to see their sides win.
"I thought we passed the ball really well at times in the first half. If you analyse the game we dominated it for large periods without killing it game off.”
The Blues boss said he wasn’t sure whether Lee Martin should have won a penalty in the second half, the midfielder receiving a yellow card for diving which took him to 10 bookings for the season and sees him miss the next two games.
"If it was [a penalty], we can’t appeal and that’s a disappointment. That’s something he’s got to sharpen up on — it’s not as if he’s a tough-tackling winger, is he?," said Jewell.
"He’ll have to be careful in the future, whether that’s dissent or silly fouls, but I thought he was good against Scunthorpe.”
Jewell outlined why he switched Connor Wickham to the lone central striking role for the first time since he’s been at the club: "I just thought he’d give us a bit more energy and directness down the side of people today, as he showed with the chance we had in the first minute when he chased the long ball down, crossed it and Lee Martin got it back.
"He gives us that but he’s still learning the game. He’s caught between the devil and deep blue sea at the moment, but I thought that with his pace and his power he was always a threat.
"I’m happy to play him there if I think it’s the best way to go. He’s nearly 18 and it’s not as if it’s a lone furrow, we’ve got three midfielders who are all trying to join him and two wingers to help him. The best way to find out if people are good enough is to stick them in the team.”
On which note, Jewell felt debutant Josh Carson had a decent enough afternoon: "He did OK. He’s a really confident lad and he’s going to be a good player. He’s hungry, it didn’t faze him, but obviously it’s a big, big step up for him and he’ll be all the better for the game.”
The Blues now have a fortnight before their next game, at Burnley, with the manager feeling that a rest is very much required: "I’m looking forward to the two-week break. I think we’ve had a lot of games, the most in the Championship with the League Cup, something like 46 matches.
"We’re looking for a break, but unfortunately the lads who are off on international duty won’t get one. Everyone else will get the odd day off and it gives us two weeks to try and catch our breath.”