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Lambert: I’m Hoping More Fans Come in Because the Atmosphere at the Minute is Second to None - Ipswich Town News

Boss Paul Lambert says he hopes more fans will commit to season tickets and help build on the atmosphere which has been generated at recent games.

Earlier today, the Blues announced that they are cutting season ticket prices by an initial 12.5 per cent for most fans but with greater reductions coming if sales hit a number of targets.

"I can never tell people come and watch a game, that’s unfair on the people themselves, what I can say is the support we’ve had since we’ve been at this club has been phenomenal,” Lambert said.

"I’ve said before it’s a unique thing that’s happening here and I’m hoping more come in because the atmosphere it’s generating at the minute is second to none and I think the more people we get in, the better.

"I think people are starting to enjoy it and I think that’s important, they’re starting to enjoy the football, and they’re starting to enjoy the excitement.

"We might not win every game, but we’ll make it exciting, that’s for sure, and the more fans you have in the stadium [the better], I’ve heard it myself.

"On Saturday after the game, it was surreal what happened, but it just shows you the support the club’s got, and everybody’s buying into it now, and people are coming back, and the main thing was for people to come back and watch the team play.”

He added: "There’s no two ways about it [the crowd can have an impact]. The atmosphere it’s generating is incredible, you’d never think we’re in the position we’re in.

"I’ve had people from all over seeing it, this social media thing that does its rounds, and people from other countries seeing it, so it’s a unique thing that’s happening.

"It’s all credit to the supporters because without them you don’t have a game, I’ve always said that without the support you don’t have a game and what the Ipswich fans are doing at the minute is second to none and I think that’s great that they’re building up their own reputation and getting behind it, so that’s testament to them.”

He says that type of support can be the bedrock upon which a successful promotion campaign can be built next season.

"Home and away, not just home, in any division you’re trying to vie to get out of, it’s home and away form. You have to be consistent,” he reflected.

"One thing’s for sure, if we keep doing what we’re doing and add that little bit up top, it’ll be a helluva place to play at, that’s for sure.”

On Saturday evening at the Players’ Awards evening in Legends Lambert was handed a trophy by veteran Supporters Club committee member Irene Davey, which he says meant a lot to him.

"I won the highest accolade in Europe, and I’ve won many titles and personal accolades and I got an award on Saturday at the supporters’ function and it said ‘Thanks for bringing back a smile to the terraces’," he recalled.

"That’s right up there with everything I’ve done and that to me meant a lot more than a hell of a lot of other things I’ve done, thinking you’re putting smiles on the faces of thousands of people who come to watch this great club.

"And that’s really important to me, that people want to come back here and watch football, and hopefully with the discount with the season tickets everybody will want to come back."

He believes it was important for the season ticket pricing to serve to maintain the off-field momentum which has been generated in recent months.

"I think it’s good. I only know a little bit about it, obviously Lee and Marcus asked my ideas, what we thought,” he said.”

"Again, I say it, the supporters are the most vital people at a club. They come and watch it, they get behind it and as I’ve said before, there’s so much good here, there really is.

"It’s unbelievable what’s going on here, as I said before, I can’t quite put my finger on it, the biggest compliment I can give them is that award I got on Saturday was up there with everything that I’ve done, and I’ve done things at the highest level, the top, top level, the highest European level.

"But to get that little thing, my God, that meant so much because it’s actually [putting smiles on the faces of] thousands of people that people are thanking you for.

"And I’ve only done a little thing, trying to engage with the support, so I don’t know what it was like before, but it must have been way off it.”

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