Cole Skuse accepts Town are in urgent need of their first victory of the season as they look to climb off the bottom of the Championship table after an eight-game winless start to the campaign.

The experienced midfielder would like nothing more than for it to come on Tuesday evening when second-top Brentford are the visitors to Portman Road and if it does he and his colleagues would immediately dedicate to Town legend Kevin Beattie, who passed away at the weekend.

Skuse said: “It’s been a really tough one for everyone involved at the club to take. I was sitting at home with Chambo yesterday when the news came through. I can’t say I knew Kevin personally but even before I signed for Ipswich I’d heard of The Beat.

“He had such a presence about him, played around 300 games for the club and he has been voted the best player to ever play for the club, which is an absolutely amazing achievement in itself. I can only pass on our condolences to his family and friends at this sad time.

“What he and many others achieved for this club in the past should inspire us and not overawe us.

“Ipswich is quite a small place and it’s geographically challenged in that it’s not the easiest place to get to, so when you look back on Beat’s time as a player and see what that team achieved you realise how massive an achievement it was.

“You can only credit them for that and I know Beat played a massive part in that. For someone of John Wark’s stature to acknowledge Beat as the best of all time says it all I suppose.

“I’m old but not old enough to have watched him when I was growing up. He was a little bit before my time but I’ve seen clips from the club’s heyday so I know what type of player he was.

“The first three points for us this season would be massive but to do it in honour of Beat would be even better. We will be doing everything we can as a club to honour him and as far as the players are concerned we want to get a win and dedicate it to him.”

Skuse is in his sixth season with the Blues after moving from Bristol City and despite living on the other side of the country he was familiar with Beattie’s service to the club, adding: “I knew of The Beat and how he had played so many games and won trophies with Ipswich, plus his England career.

“He’s a cult hero here, an absolute legend and to hear the news yesterday was a sad moment for everyone connected with the club.

“I’m sure Chambo will mention him in the huddle. We want to win for Beat but we need the three points as quickly as possible. We don’t want to still be chasing them a few more weeks down the line.

“The sooner we get them, the weight will be off our backs and it will be much better for everyone.”

Skuse revealed that he and skipper Luke Chambers, a good friend as well as a colleague, were together on Sunday and when they did get a chance to chat the conversation quickly turned to football and, more specifically, Town’s plight at the foot of the table.

He said: “We take it a bit more to heart as older, senior players and we feel a responsibility towards everyone around the club.

“It wasn’t a relaxing atmosphere as Chambo and I sat down to our roast dinner because we had six kids charging around.

“The small chat we did have was very much on what we can do to put things right and how we can stamp our mark on things around the place.

“The new players are younger and haven’t played at this level so they’re not afraid to ask what this league’s all about.

“We can’t be jumping down their throats trying to drip-feed them but if they want to ask questions we’re more than approachable.

“On the flip side, though, they have been brought here for a reason. They are good players and I’m sure they can adapt to this level.

“We’ve not got the result we need after eight games but let’s hope things take a turn for the better much sooner than later.

“We’ve had some good performances and we’re coming away from some games scratching our heads and wondering how we have not got a draw or a win.

“That’s the wonderful world of football — you don’t always get what you deserve and the next week you could get absolutely pumped by a team yet you take the three points. That’s the way it is.

“There have been some positive signs, we’ve played some good stuff and we’ve created some good chances, but not got the rub of the green. Hopefully that will turn for us.”

Photo: Action Images

Bergholtblue added 17:09 - Sep 17 “On the flip side, though, they have been brought here for a reason." They were cheap/free!
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Cheshire_Blue added 17:40 - Sep 17 Any chance of some positivity ?
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truckerblue added 18:14 - Sep 17 Sick of this geographically challenged rubbish. An hour away from London on the train. The crap up the A140 is more challenged but they've done alright over the years!!! C'mon cole and the boys lets have a performance from you all tomorrow night and get a result for the Beat.
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JewellintheTown added 10:03 - Sep 18 Shouldn't need an event like the passing of the Beat to spur them all on for a win. Few if any on that field will have the connection us fans had to the Beat, so unlikely to be the deciding factor for them to win for him. Need to get some decent psychotherapists to instil decent, solid mentality like they had in the days of Beat though. Need the likes of Butcher, Burley et al in the club to drill that passion into them, but good to hear Chambers and Skuse as the seniors are on the case. It'll come though, but hopefully tonight in honour of our "Monster".

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