Town chairman and CEO Mark Ashton says he’s “beyond annoyed” by the week of refereeing woe which has cost the Blues potentially four more points and the loss of Cedric Kipre and Leif Davis to suspensions.
The referees’ body the PGMOL confirmed that the Blues should have been awarded two penalties by referee John Busby in last Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Leicester, the second in the dying seconds, which led to Kipre picking up his ninth booking of the season as the Ivorian protested he had been fouled.
Similarly, Stoke City’s last-gasp penalty which claimed them a point against the Blues at the bet365 Stadium on Tuesday was later deemed to have been an incorrect decision by referee Thomas Kirk, Kipre picking up his 10th booking and a two-game ban for the alleged foul.
Then today, it emerged that the FA has suspended Leif Davis for a clash in the Leicester game in which he apparently pulled the hair of Caleb Okoli, although video evidence suggests the initial clash was entirely inadvertent with other worse more deliberate infractions going on around the incident.
"Frustrated, disappointed, beyond annoyed at a week of officiating, which I think has clearly cost us four points,” Ashton told BBC Suffolk. "Cost us Cedric Kipre for two games and now Leif Davis for three games.
"I think Town fans who have got to know me over the four or five years of being here know I care passionately about this football club. Part of my role is to defend my manager, my players, my team and represent this fanbase to the best of my ability.
"And right now the club’s hurting. I’m hurting, my manager’s hurting, the players are hurting, Leif’s hurting.
"We are currently awaiting written details and full transparency of the decision-making process, but I am frustrated with the timing, the process and ultimately the decision. And I’m angry.”
Ashton says he has kept in contact with Davis while the matter has been ongoing in the background and that the club weren’t able to present their case in the manner they would have liked.
"I’ve spoken to Leif consistently over the last few days and I have to be tempered in what I say because I have to represent the football club, but I’d say to fans, read in the tone of my voice how I feel,” he said.
"A lot of people are working hard at this football club trying to do the right thing by this football club and trying to build something really special. And we’re all frustrated with a week of officiating, Leicester game, Stoke game and now the Leif Davis three-game ban.
"We were allowed only to make written submissions in the defence of Leif, we weren’t allowed to go and make our case face to face, and, as I’ve said, I’m currently awaiting detailed transparency on that decision-making process, and I reserve the club’s position until I’ve had that.”
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Regarding the Blues’ week of refereeing woe more generally, Ashton added: "Again, read the tone of my voice. I speak to a number of clubs consistently across the Premier League and the Championship and I think all we ask for is consistency, consistency in decision-making.
"And I think the fans, the 30,000 fans who are in Portman Road week in, week out, the amazing travelling fans [feel the same].
"The incident with Leif will be shown on social media and a variety of platforms and if you look at both penalty boxes, every time there is a corner for a home team or an away team, it’s like WWE wrestling in the box.
"And all I ask is consistency of decision-making, whether that’s in the Premier League or whether that’s in the EFL. And right now, I’m extremely frustrated at that.”
Asked whether he has now changed his mind on the introduction of VAR into the Championship, having said he was no fan during the Blues’ season in the Premier League, Ashton added: "We were subject to VAR for the first time in the Premier League last season and I don’t think that the challenge is ultimately with VAR, I think it's the implementation of VAR.
"VAR is not currently doing what it was originally set out to do. It was made very clear to us when we experienced VAR that VAR was there to deal with clear and obvious. Again, I repeat the words, clear and obvious, so that's a clear and obvious error. And the creep beyond clear and obvious is very obvious for everyone to see now.
"I do think we need to assist referees. VAR in its current format I would not support in the Championship, no chance. I think it detracts from this amazing sport and this amazing game.
"But I do think referees need assistance with clear and obvious errors, which we've talked about and what we've suffered in the last seven to 10 days.”
Meanwhile, Ashton confirmed the Blues voted in favour of extending the Championship play-offs to six teams from the start of next season.