Town chairman David Sheepshanks has admitted that the club were looking to redevelop part of the Cobbold Stand, however that work is now on hold. Sheepshanks says that the club planned to add sliding windows to the existing executive boxes within the Cobbold Stand.

In addition the boxes were to be completely redecorated while six new boxes will be added to the Britannia Stand should Town stay up.

But Sheepshanks, speaking at the Boxholders' Player of the Year dinner yesterday, says work on the Cobbold is on hold: "In the context of possible development on that site we cannot justify disproportionate investment over a short period of time."

As well as the work on the boxes the club also had plans for work elsewhere on the stand as TWTD revealed in mid-March. The club were planning to build a new block in the gap between the Greene King and Cobbold Stands.

That block, a three-storey stilted structure, would have contained refreshment bars for the away section, due to be increased in size due to the larger Portman Road capacity.

At the dinner Mark Venus picked up the Boxholders' Player of the Year while Tommy Miller was their Most Improved Player.

Despite Town's likely relegation Sheepshanks is positive about next season: "If we stay up we can be a force next season. If not, Division One of the Nationwide League had better watch out. Our simple aim would be to return to the Premiership as champions of Division One.

"If it comes to it we must not allow relegation to be a disaster, but a salutary experience. We would be bloodied but unbowed. It must be one step back followed by two, three, four and five steps forward in ensuing years. We must bounce back even stronger."

The chairman added that the club is in a "healthier position than it has ever been" with the Academy reaping dividends.

Manager George Burley also feels that the youngsters will play an important part next season: "There are different reasons why we find ourselves where we are, but there are no excuses.

"We must learn from this season and build again. Darren Ambrose, Darren Bent, Matt Bloomfield and Chris Hogg are all going to be top-class players.

"I have every confidence that next season will be one of the best for the club. I am very confident about that."

Photo: Action Images

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