Fans may fear the worst and unfortunately the league table doesn’t lie — but striker Kayden Jackson insists the belief in the Town camp is not starting to ebb away.
The New Year’s Day 3-2 home defeat by Millwall was the latest in a series of heavy blows to the club’s survival prospects but Jackson & Co are following the lead of manager Paul Lambert in trying to stay positive.
There are still 20 Championship games to be played and even with just two wins from the 26 that have been and gone Town are stubbornly refusing to bow to what many consider to be inevitable.
It will require a massive upturn in fortune but with several new signings expected to arrive at Portman Road this month you won’t find anyone inside the camp ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Second-half sub Jackson hit a spectacular second goal for Town on Tuesday — taking his tally for the season to four — but it came just a minute from the end and it was the Lions who stood firm in what was left of the game to claim a third successive win.
The ex-Accrington man said: "It was massively disappointing, especially with the way that we played in the first half.
"Everyone could see we completely dominated the game and could have been at least two or three goals up.
"We had really good, clear-cut chances, which we’ve not had an awful lot of this season, and that is probably one of the reasons why we didn’t take them.
"But we’ll take the positives out of it. If we can take the way we played into most games we’ll definitely pick up a lot more results than not.”
Jackson knows all about the mood of despondency among supporters, adding: "To be fair I’ve spoken to a few fans myself, and I’ve had a lot of positivity back from them.
"Just look at the way we are playing and the chances we are creating. We’re dominating most of the teams we are playing against, whether it is teams down there with us towards the bottom of the table or teams in the top six, or even the top three like Sheffield United.
"We gave them a good game recently and the brand of football we’re playing is encouraging.
"None of us, the players, are letting the belief go and we’ll be giving it our all right to the end. We’ll carry on playing the football we are right now and if we take the game we played against Millwall on Tuesday into most games I’m sure the results will come.”
Jackson’s 25-yarder that flew in off a post was one of the better Portman Road goals this term.
"I haven’t scored many better but I’ve probably scored quite a few with a lot more meaning to them,” he added. "It was disappointing that it couldn’t be the winning goal, or even the equaliser.
"But as a striker it’s obviously nice to score, although in those circumstances it doesn’t really mean anything. I’d gladly swap the goal for a scrappy 1-0 win and I wouldn’t really care how good the winning goal was.”
Jackson has appeared as a substitute more often than he has started a game this season. He said: "Like any player, I want to play and have a run of games.
"I want to help the team and I want to be scoring goals and winning games. All I can do is to give my all on the training pitch and when I get given an opportunity to start I need to take it.
"It’s been difficult for a few of us because there’s quite a bit of inexperience and especially at the top end of the pitch.
"Coming to a team in the Championship you want to ease your way in and have a good blend of experience and players like me who are hungry but new to it.
"When you have that blend that’s when most teams are successful. Our inexperience hasn’t helped us but it’s something that I was relishing from day one and I’m still relishing it now.
"Every game I get the opportunity to play in, I look forward to it, and I’m enjoying every minute.”
Is he still confident he can cut it at Championship level? "Yes, definitely,” he continued.
"I will never stop working to be a success at this level and beyond, to be honest.
"I’ll always back myself and playing to my strengths I don’t think there are many defenders who will be able to cope with me when I’m on top of my game.”
Asked about playing through the middle on his own, he responded: "It’s something a little bit different but as a footballer you always have to adapt.
"That’s life, that’s football really. I’m working hard to adapt and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
"You might possibly see the best of me with a partner alongside me up front, but it’s not for me to pick the system we play or the players I play with.
"I’m just here to work hard and whatever the gaffer chooses on the day I’ll do my best and work my hardest to make it a success.”