Boss Paul Lambert was pleased that Town’s FA Cup win at Lincoln on Wednesday finally laid to rest the ghost of the Blues’ woeful record in the competition but again hit back at some of the comment on his rotation policy.
Following the win at Sincil Bank, Lambert had strong words for those that had criticised his team selection with most of those who have played regularly in League One this season rested.
"Do you know what, I kept on hearing the club hadn’t won for 10 years and I think that it must have been my fault because the crap that has been written has been unbelievable,” he said.
"And I think that’s important to say that. We’ve only been here for over a year, the Accrington game last year was not good.
"We get through a tie against Lincoln, who are a good side, they’ve had momentum, so it was a tough game.
"We changed the team, guys that needed games because of the situation with injuries, young kids getting thrown which is great and to get through was brilliant. If it lays a ghost then maybe the next manager that comes in here can get that label.”
The Blues have now gone through to the second rounds of both the FA Cup and Leasing.com Trophy. Does Lambert believe his squad, second in League One at present behind leaders Wycombe by three points but with two games in hand, is capable of competing on all three fronts?
"We’re a squad that’s developing still,” he reflected. "We’re nowhere near where I want to be. There’s a lot of young lads in the team, one or two experienced guys in the team.
"We bought one player in Kane [Vincent-Young], some lads have come in on frees and some lads have come in on loans, we can’t go out and buy players for millions.
"We’re a long way off where we want to get. It’s a team that’s still developing. It’s a club that’s developing into something that hopefully will be really really good.
"It’s just small steps for us at the minute. But what we’ve done in the last year has come a helluva long way from the negativity and apathy that were here, it’s come a helluva long way.
"I think that’s a testament to the club itself for grasping the community — which I think is important — the young guys coming through, me giving them a chance to go let’s see what you’ve got to go and do.
"The days of Ipswich Town being what they were in the 80s, that’s tough, those lads set an incredible standard, even in Matty Holland’s era, an incredible standard they set in George Burley’s time here.
"That isn’t Ipswich now, but what we’re doing is trying to get it back somewhere near there and to give it the same feeling and to get the crowd to come back, which is important.”