Town have reiterated that manager Paul Lambert retains the support of owner Marcus Evans in the wake of local newspaper calls for a change at the top at Portman Road.
This evening, the EADT/Ipswich Star joined the widespread clamour for Lambert’s exit via a comment piece from editor Brad Jones with the club responding in a statement released to the papers.
Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to Peterborough, the Blues’ fifth home defeat in six, saw them drop to ninth in the table, two points off the play-offs but now 10 from the automatic promotion spots.
The club statement reads: "While we are very disappointed that the EADT/Ipswich Star has taken this stance, we fully understand the frustrations of supporters with recent results.
"The performances and results of the opening stages of the season have not been mirrored over the last two months or so and the manager, staff and players are fully aware that there needs to be an improvement if we are to achieve the goal of promotion back to the Championship this year.
"Owner Marcus Evans has recently reiterated his support for the manager and with players now coming back from injury and the recent addition of Josh Harrop and Luke Thomas to add competition to the squad, he - and everyone at the club - remains fully behind the management and players in the challenge ahead.
"We are two points off the play-offs with games in hand on nearly all the clubs above us and we have not yet reached the halfway point in the season. There is a lot of football to be played yet, 75 points up for grabs in what is a very challenging season on many fronts.
"So yes, we understand the frustrations of the local newspaper and yes, we understand the frustrations of the supporters. The manager, his staff and the players are frustrated as well but they are determined to turn those frustrations into celebrations.”
TWTD, with reporter Phil Ham still banned from player and manager press conferences at the behest of Lambert, has also backed the calls for a change.
Despite Town’s continued public support of Lambert, we understand the 51-year-old Scot’s future is increasingly in question as the Blues drift further away from the top six with a tough home game against seventh-placed Sunderland on Tuesday and a similarly testing visit to Crewe Alexandra, who are eighth, on Saturday.
Town have beaten only two teams currently in the top 10, Accrington and Crewe earlier in the campaign when the Railwaymen were well down the table, while losing eight games against sides at the division's top end.
Former Portsmouth and Wigan boss Paul Cook and ex-Lincoln and Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley are believed to be high on the list of potential successors if and when Lambert departs, while we understand Neil Harris, who left Cardiff City earlier in the week before being replaced by one-time Blues boss Mick McCarthy, is also among those who would be considered.
Many fans have called for the job to be given to ex-Town midfielder and current U23s coach Kieron Dyer with Terry Butcher, also currently working with the U23s, as his assistant.