Blues skipper Luke Chambers has admitted his time at Town was very much in the balance when his former club Nottingham Forest made a deadline day move for him last month. The 31-year-old was offered a two-and-a-half-year deal by the Midlanders with his Blues contract up at the end of the season with Town yet to trigger an option for a further season.
"It was in the clubs' hands really,” Chambers told Sky Sports’ EFL Weekly, speaking about the move which manager Mick McCarthy ultimately stopped from taking place.
"Obviously there has been a lot made of my situation in the summer with my contract. I never asked to leave, it’s just an opportunity came up which would have been better for my future with the club undecided what they want to do with my contract.
"It’s nothing I really want to go into, but it was a difficult day. I didn’t really know if I was going to be playing in the evening and whether I would be here or there.
"Obviously Nottingham Forest is a club where I had a tremendous time, I was there for five and a half years and played a lot of games for them and had some good times, so that will always hold a good place in my heart but at the minute I am with Ipswich and looking forward to the game at the weekend.”
The Town captain, who was praised by McCarthy after that evening’s match, the 3-0 home defeat by Derby, was visibly down at the final whistle.
"I tried not to let that affect us, I was upset the way the day had gone and also the fact that we’d just got beaten 3-0 against Derby,” he admitted.
"Times were tough at that time, we weren’t particularly performing very well but when you hear your manager talking about you in that way, it’s always nice to hear and it gives you a bit more confidence.
"I’ve never been unhappy here and the lads have always been brilliant with me, the fans and the manager.
"I am enjoying my football at the minute, I am playing centre-half and we’re performing well, so it’s all good.”
Speaking after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Leeds, McCarthy said he now expects Chambers to get a new contract with the Blues.
Chambers has been playing through the pain barrier having damaged his ribs when colliding with former Town loan keeper David Stockdale when scoring the Blues’ goal in the 1-1 draw at Brighton.
"I knew he was coming so I was expecting the impact,” he said. "It’s turned out I’ve cracked two of my ribs, broke one and stress-fractured another.”
The defender has also been under the weather this week, but says he’s on the mend ahead of Sunday’s derby at Norwich: "I’m all right now coming into the end of the week, I feel a lot better.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, he says celebrating a win with one of his traditional fist pumps would be that bit more special: "I think it would be that little bit sweeter, especially with what’s [riding] on the game and what they’re chasing for. It would be nice to go up there and upset the apple cart a little bit.”