Despite a disappointing start to the season striker Brett Pitman is convinced Town can mount a promotion challenge between now and May.
Mick McCarthy’s men have won two, drawn two and lost two of their six league games so far, accumulating eight points to currently sit 15th in a table led by Huddersfield, who have twice as many.
Town head for Derby tonight on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Reading on Friday when a penalty deep into stoppage time, conceded by Jonas Knudsen, left them ruing the loss of a hard-earned point.
With 40 games still to be played, however, Pitman believes there is sufficient time for Town to climb the table and be in contention, at least for the four available play-off places.
The former Bournemouth striker said: "There’s no reason why we can’t be in and around the top six for sure. We’ve got to turn the points into three points and things like the other night can’t happen.
"If we take a point and come off and say we played well then we take a point. We can’t be giving points away.”
Asked if he felt the top two automatic promotion places might be beyond the team, Pitman replied: "It’s going to be tough. I think you have some big teams in this league — Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brighton — and you could probably name seven or eight that have spent a lot of money.
"At this level that definitely helps and you can’t look beyond that. It’s got to be a factor, if you’re spending money.”
Tonight’s opponents have been among the biggest spenders but they go into the game with a modest tally of five points and have yet to record a home win under new boss Nigel Pearson, their latest attempt on Saturday resulting in a 2-0 defeat by Newcastle that saw the players leave the field to a loud chorus of boos.
Can Town take advantage of the current unrest at Derby and will they be looking to add to the Rams’ woes with a bright start that could turn the frustrated fans against their team early on?
Pitman added: "Hopefully, we can. I think when you go away you are always looking to get the crowd to turn against the home team but they’re a good team with good players. They have spent a lot of money and they have a good manager.
"It will be tough but we are going there looking to win. I think Derby have to come good.
"You look at the amount of money they have spent and if they’re still not quite near the top in January they will probably spend again I would imagine. I still think you should look at them as contenders.”