Tomorrow’s visit of Derby County to Portman Road has revived memories for Town skipper Luke Chambers of how close he came to missing the game against the Rams at the start of the year and returning to former club Nottingham Forest.

The game took place on the final day of the January transfer window, with Chambers taking his usual place in the line-up despite having waited anxiously to discover whether the two clubs had thrashed out a deal for him to move back to the City Ground.

Reminded of what had been a whirlwind 24 hours Chambers was also asked if rumours he had been at the Forest training ground were true. He laughed: “Do you think I got a helicopter to take me up there and then I flew back to play here? I was never there. I was always in Ipswich and had my phone on.

“It wasn’t ideal preparation for the game but things happened behind the scenes, I’m still here and I’m happy to be where I am.

“I remember the game well and how we got beaten 3-0 by them, all in the blink of an eye. It was hard to take. It was a strange day for me but it all passed as quickly as it came and it’s all in the past now.”

Town colleagues Bart Bialkowski, Cole Skuse and David McGoldrick could all be out of contract in the summer, although in the cases of both Bialkowski and Skuse the club have a one-year option and it would be a major shock if they opted not to trigger them.

Chambers added: “I’d like to think the lads have maybe followed my story over the last 12 months and hopefully taken what they can out of that.

“You just don’t know what will happen, especially in football. You don’t know if you are going to get a contract tomorrow or in six months’ time.

“If an opportunity arises where a club tries to buy any of our players then it’s down to the people who run the club to make that decision.

“As a player, all you can do is continue to play as well as you can and do the best for yourself. At the end of the day it’s the club that makes the decisions on what happens with everyone’s future.

“It’s for the manager and the [owner] to make those decisions. As players, obviously, we know who our best players are and those we wouldn’t want to keep. It’s pretty obvious to everyone else around the club as well.”

Chambers took the opportunity to join the chorus of sympathy for midfielder Teddy Bishop, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a ruptured hamstring.

In the latest chapter of what has developed into an injury saga, Bishop made his first start of the season in the Boxing Day goalless draw with QPR and was forced off before the interval.

“I haven’t seen Teddy since he got injured against QPR and I could see how devastated he was at the time,” said Chambers.

“It’s not a good injury for anyone to have and especially Teddy after he had worked so hard to get himself back into contention to play.

“He was playing well in my opinion. He showed what we have been missing — breaking through the lines and doing Maradona turns on the halfway line — but hopefully he will be looked after and will be ready to go again next season.

“Teddy will still be involved in what’s going on here. Everyone who is injured is still involved because it’s a small building and we’re all in the dressing room together.

“No one gets left out and we’ll be doing everything we can to keep his spirits as high as possible.

“The thing with Teddy is that he knows better than anyone what it takes to get fit again.

“He’s had more than his fair share of injuries and will be fully prepared. He’ll get his head round it in the next week or two and he’ll come back, no doubt stronger.”

Bishop is another player whose current deal expires in the summer and, despite the club having the option of a one-year extension, the player’s ongoing injury nightmare casts at least some doubt over his Portman Road future.

Chambers added: “I’ve got no doubt that Teddy can still fulfil his potential. He’s not a player we should be looking to let go.

“In glimpses every day in training, even in the game the other day, he shows the ability he has. He’s a massive player for anyone to have and as long as we keep him here I’ll be very, very happy.”

Meanwhile, Chambers is eagerly awaiting young Irish striker Aaron Drinan joining the Town staff on a permanent basis from Waterford in the January transfer window.

He said: “When he starts I’m looking forward to seeing him because he has been kicking me left, right and centre, and treading on my toes, in training. He’d run through that wall if he had to.

“He’s definitely one to look forward to seeing play and I’m looking forward to seeing him involved as soon as possible.

“For some reason he’s got Christmas off and I’m not too happy about that — he’s going to get some stick when he comes back!

“Aaron has been training with us every day and we call him Murph. Hopefully he can live up to that nickname.

“I think he’s done brilliantly in training and he has shown improvement almost every day. He’s an exciting prospect alright.”

Photo: TWTD

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