Town striker Luke Varney is banking on fans pumping up the volume at Portman Road this week after the funereal atmosphere he and his colleagues encountered in recent away games at both Bolton and Cardiff.
Varney has underlined the important role that supporters have to play as Blackburn are tonight’s visitors, followed by Rotherham on Saturday, for clashes that could make or break the club’s challenge to secure a play-off finish to the season.
The 33-year-old striker said: "It would be nice to have some atmosphere because the last two games at Bolton and Cardiff have been dead.
"It was like a morgue on both occasions. Bolton are in a difficult position on and off the pitch but Cardiff also felt flat and they are pushing for the play-offs.
"It was a weird one because there were so few fans. People were saying it was because of the rugby, which I found a bit surprising.
"But as the away team we were quite happy with that in the first half, although we conceded the goal.
"I quite enjoy it when the away crowd are giving you a bit of stick because it gees you up a little bit.
"There’s no problem at our own place so it will be good to be back at Portman Road under the lights with a great atmosphere and hopefully we will get the results we want.
"The aim in most away games is to quieten their crowd and I don’t think we did enough at Cardiff.
"We didn’t have a lot to do to make it happen either. It was a disappointing return, just the one point from two away games, and when you look at them we could have had all six points.
"We are experienced and we realise from what happened last year that it’s about the amount of points you have at the end.
"As things stand we believe we are still on course to finish in the top six and we know the support from our own fans counts for a lot.”
Their meagre haul from last week’s two away games makes it all the more important that Town cash in on their home advantage against first Blackburn and then Neil Warnock’s relegation-threatened, but revived, Rotherham at the weekend.
Varney added: "The talk in the changing room is that we’re demanding all six points. We feel we need two wins after the disappointment of our last two results but if it is four points, and we’ve had two good performances, we’ll be happy enough.”
The ex-Blackburn player will be hoping to play some part and believes the fact that he can play wide or through the middle boosts his chances of being involved, either as a member of the starting line-up or from the bench.
He said: "I think it does give me a chance but when I came on at Bolton last Tuesday I think I played in about six different positions in just 20-odd minutes. Whatever the gaffer demands of me I will do. I will do everything I can to help the team.”