Blues boss Paul Lambert didn’t mince his words after Town’s embarrassing 1-0 FA Cup defeat at League One Accrington, stating that the “club should never be in the state it’s in”, that it “needs to be rebuilt” and that “players are not good enough and without a doubt some will go”. Billy Kee’s 76th minute goal saw Stanley into round four which Town last reached back in 2010.

"Sometimes you've got to play football with desire," he said. "We never had that. I thought we turned up and thought we were going to be [the better team].

"There was nothing really in the game. We give too many fouls away, freekicks, and balls come into our box and, as I've said before, we're not the biggest of teams. We've got to defend it better. But we give so many crazy fouls away, it just puts pressure on everybody.

"The second half was mostly us, we had most of the game and should have scored a few chances, but you can't keep making the errors and think it's good enough."

Reflecting on Town's current situation - bottom of the table by 10 points and dumped out of both cups by lower division sides - more widely, he added: "This club needs to be rebuilt. Players are not good enough and without a doubt some will go. You have to hit that level.

"I didn't say we were outfought, it was the desire, but I never said we were outfought because we had a go in the second half, but they dealt with the crossed balls better than we did.

"You have to be clinical in both boxes and that’s what they did, it's part of the game. I know exactly what will happen here."

Asked whether he learnt anything from the match, he responded: "Not overly, I know exactly who lets us down and who doesn't but that's the reality of the game. The game won’t wait for anybody, you have to step up to the plate and hopefully one or two guys will come in and help us."

Lambert reiterated that he doesn't take cup competitions lightly and aims to win every match he is involved in.

“Anybody that knows me knows I was really successful as a footballer and I know what it takes to win things, to play in big level games and any competition you go and try to win.

“It's not right, we had unbelievable support today and to go out again, nine years is the last time the club was through to [round four].

"This club should never be in the state it’s in. It should never be in the mess it's in."

He added: "It’s an absolute disgrace what’s happened here. It should never have happened, it's too big a club. But it does happen to clubs if you take your eye off the ball.

“I’m not going to stand here and say it's a bed of roses because we have to get the club out of the position it’s in, that's the reality of it.

"All the niceties sometimes go out the window. I'll certainly not put up with that.

"I certainly won't put up with some of the things [I saw today]. It’s not good enough for this club and that’s the reality of it. I’m not going to hide behind any rocks or smoking jackets. It's not good enough. That’s the bottom line.

“We have to be stronger as a football club and get more nasty with it as well.

"It’s my job to get players in here that can help us. We can't do an influx because of the way it's happened but we'll try and get one or two in that actually know what this [level of] football is all about."

Were there a few home truths in the dressing room afterwards? "I’ll always tell them the truth in the dressing room. I protect them to an extent with [the media] but I'll tell them the truth in the dressing room."

Regarding the seven changes he made to his team: “We had one or two injuries. Trevoh [Chalobah] hasn't recovered from the knock against Millwall and Luke [Chambers] has had a bit of a calf problem, had been carrying it and decided I think [he needed a rest].

“Bart [Bialkowski], I was always going to play. Myles [Kenlock] has done great for us but I had to have a look at Callum [Elder], who I thought did well.

"I think Will Keane is going to be a really good player for us. I thought Andre [Dozzell] did well in the centre of the pitch. The team is mine, I pick it, no problem. Where we let ourselves down is in both boxes."

Lambert confirmed that Flynn Downes was subbed at the break as he was concerned that the midfielder might get sent off having been booked in the first half for a clash with Accrington's Sam Finley.

“I think if you raise your hands you give the referee a decision to make," he said. "I had to watch that situation so he didn’t get red-carded.”

Why did he wait until the 80th minute to add a second striker to his attack when Ellis Harrison was introduced? “We did it at the end but then it becomes this long ball game at certain times and I don’t want to be that type of team.

"But we had chances to score not just with two up top, we had chances in the second half without a two. We just never defended the box.”

Lambert says more new additions could arrive early in the week to come with Cardiff winger Anthony Pilkington believed to be among the players currently in discussions.

“We’re trying to do a couple and hopefully they will come at the start of the week. We’ll see,” he added.

“If I need to, I’ll get half a dozen players that know what this club needs to succeed in Championship football.”

Accringtn manager John Coleman was delighted with his side's winning goal and is now eyeing a trip to Anfield in the next round.

"Billy took his chance, it's something we have worked on in training and I am delighted for the lads," he said.

"The finances from a cup run, and a good draw, can change this club not only for this season but next season too.

"It means we can strengthen for this season if we do get a plum draw in the next round.

"As a Liverpool fan, Liverpool away would suit me but I would also like anyone at home. Realistically we are never going to win the cup, although fairytales do happen."

Photo: Action Images

blueboy1981 added 20:02 - Jan 5 Another appeal to get real people - without Evans at this moment in time - we have NO CLUB. That's the reality of the situation - there has to be another way out of this - if Evans goes, the Club has GONE. If some of you calling for his blood have the dosh to step forward - PLEASE DO SO ASAP. Heart ruling the head, and being realistic.
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blueherts added 20:06 - Jan 5 Spence Chambers Knudsen Edwards Nolan Nisala Jackson goodbye Chalobah is a defender Sears and one other up top Our decline has been a long time coming and be honest if not for Bart we would now be in Div One past few seasons Lambert is the right man and as MM did I believe has the connections to get right players in Dozzell , Lankaster , Downes , Bishop , Morris , Wolfenden , Kenlock are good young players add Huws and afew new signings and we will have an ok side next season in Div One Our only way out is if Bolton and Birmingham get docked points and we manage to go on a run . As it stands cannot see it . Build for Div One with PL

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NoelTheDub added 20:19 - Jan 5 Yes pL a brave statement to make and well overdue years of very poor decisions on and off the pitch have resulted in this situation.As supporters we have been battered into submission we moaned but kept going to support the team. I stopped supporting my team of over 40yrs by not going to watch the rubbish that was dished up to me.We sold any bit of talent we have and replaced it with some other teams hospital list.If you stay Paul you have to be cruel to be kind dont praise up senior players that have been failing this team regularly over the last few years and some other lads that are not up to the standard of the club or championship for that matter.

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ChrisR added 20:20 - Jan 5 Maybe Lambert is not as good as we hope he is , or he thinks he is ? 2 wins out of 15 at Stoke , previous to 1 win out of 12 for ITFC , 3 wins out of 27 , worst record of any League Manager , so maybe not all the players fault ?
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blueboy1981 added 20:22 - Jan 5 ..... jas0999 - you obviously don't agree. Most intrigued at the possible alternative, please enlighten us.
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herfie added 20:24 - Jan 5 This defeat - and how we achieved it - has clearly hurt and shocked PL. The irrepressible positivity and unstinting praise have, in a single 90 min period, been replaced with ‘this club has, from top to bottom, declined into a shambles.....'. Adding comments about some players ceasing to pull on the shirt in the future. Now some of what he said might be to deflect potential criticsm from his team selection and tactics on the day - criticsm that's probably justified. But, in the immediate raw aftermath of the match, the mask slipped and the unvarnished truth's been revealed and made public. If should be the line in the sand from which the long road to recovery and respectability starts. But it's going to be a bumpy journey which will only succeed if ME admits his mistakes, climbs out of his bunker, speaks honestly and with humility to supporters, makes a concerted effort to repair relationships and does all within his power to keep PL, and come up with a properly funded, realistic, short and medium term plan, that will initially stabilise and then take the club forward. We've hit the bottom, no amount of fancy words, optimistic statements or vague promises and statements will help us one bit.

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Daleyitfc added 20:25 - Jan 5 Lambert has now come round to the same way of thinking as Hurst : that most things, especially the players, at the club are crap. Unfortunately, after weeks of him bigging up terrible performances from the likes of Spence, those same awful players are not now going to take any notice of him if he tried to give them a boot up the bum. He has to go too.
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blueherts added 20:25 - Jan 5 Chris - I agree is record in recent times is lousy but I think building a team in Div One he has a chance . I couldn't face another change . Give him a window or two
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Tractorboy1985 added 20:27 - Jan 5 Who is realistically ready to protest?? We are going in the same mould as Blackpool! At least they are standing up for their club! Private message me if your interested next week to protest against this pathetic man called Marcus Evans! I'm ready!
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budgieplucker added 20:31 - Jan 5 The great thing about the FA cup is it still manages to stir the emotions more than any other competition. Hence the reactions tonight. Unfortunately for many teams they see it as just another match. We seem to have fallen into that category and it was a chance for the team to show the supporters they really care and to try and repay the strength of support being shown of late and generate some excitement and give the fans some hope that we might be able to have a bit of a run!!!! PL was always going to run out of steam with his “we need a little bit of help” line and I think his frustrations got the better of him today as he knows the supporters were badly let down today with that performance , albeit he might be expressing his true feelings which for motivational reasons has tried to keep quiet in recent weeks. He wasn't in any position to defend them. ME no doubt has to have a good look at himself but I don't think we should paint him as being a villain, I believe he believes he is doing as much as he can with the level of investment he is prepared to make. Yes he has penny pinched at times when a modest amount of additional investment might have just taken us forward. There is a saying about don't wait to fix the roof until it's raining. If you sell your best striker for £5 million then the chances are unless you have a ready made replacement in your ranks you are going to have to spend a significant chunk of that money on a suitable replacement. Shortly after we sold Daryl Murphy we tried to sign Jordan Hugill who may well have been a good replacement. We reportedly offered a Million at the time where I believe we received significantly more than that for Murphy. Preston reportedly wanted nearer 2 million. We renewed interest some months later and supposedly the price had increased to 4 million. Hugill eventually generated a sum of nearly 10 million which was most definitely out of our reach. In fairness to ME the fans asked to get rid of MM which he eventually did. The fans asked for a young hungry manager and most people welcomed the appointment of PH. I think the choice was motivated by the fact that we could take good lower league players on the cheap and convert them into championship players with a much stronger work ethic. Enticing maybe but unrealistic. The young players this year have by and large been doing their bit. The seasoned pros blundering from mistake to mistake. Even to a certain extent a revitalised Freddie started looking the business again but of late has arguably in the last 3 matches had 5 really good opportunities without conversion. Just two goals out of those 5 chances may well have presented a very different story in both league and cup. Is investing in Rudy Gestede at an approx 750k for the rest of the season such a waste of money? We may be all but down but it does buy some hope, if we start winning games and scoring goals we build momentum even if we just miss out on survival, we keep supporters on board and we build a platform for next year even if we know we can't afford Gestede in the long run. But unless we start creating and converting chances and winning some matches the good will will start to evaporate. If today's result is anything to go by then we could have a tough time in Division 1, we need to start the rebuild now and whilst I don't think we can or it wise to throw in all our youngsters at this point in time we can blood and rotate some of them. We need to convert the next 4 months into an opportunity to try and get a head start. We can hold on to the miracle but if we don't show any belief or ambition then the club will slip further down with all the dangers that that brings.

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ArnieM added 20:48 - Jan 5 OMG, Paul Lambert “ gets it”, doesn't he. He really does get it. FFS Evans, back him and do your utmost to keep this man at our Club.
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Class_of_81 added 20:52 - Jan 5 Footballmad are you for real!! Youve got a manager here who has come in and trying his hardest with a squad he has inherited from hurst who has absolutely killed this club along with Evans not investing and McCarthys shocking football! This guy is trying and has said which if you were to listen to his interview the players are not up for it and are not good enough!!! Tell me one manager that is available that would come to our broken club for one, and can do better than what Lambert is trying to do!! Your a fickle fan fella that in my opinion has not got a clue what your going on about!! Get behind the bloke!! Because he seems to be giving his all to this broken club!!!

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wayway added 21:00 - Jan 5 Well said Mr Lambert, now go and back those words up, Tell Evans PLC what you want and who you need and if they don't come up with the goods, walk away. If that happens then you will see where Evans PLC is going and so will the fans
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bobble added 21:03 - Jan 5 his rose tinted glasses have cracked.....
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bobble added 21:13 - Jan 5 we should have got burley and butcher in...
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blueboy1981 added 21:32 - Jan 5 ...... bobble - you're spot on. That was my choice on a two year contract, to steady the ship - most of the squad at that time would have still been here I'm sure. In fairness, Evans went for what most of the supporters were asking for on here, what happened ? - abject failure, and a decimated squad of incapable players of Championship standard recruited. I wanted MM gone, have, and will, never change my mind on that - but he left a squad that was capable of winning matches, rather than just dragging out bore draws, and sending fans to sleep, or home early. That squad should have been improved upon, as opposed to decimated, and a more entertaining game implemented.

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rubbleblue added 21:46 - Jan 5 We will go down, I fear when we do and the money completely stops this once fine club will become what was once Accrington Stanley. A non league out of business team, look how long they took to get back, with our debts will we ever recapture even a fraction of our pride of easT Anglia? Evans sell Lambert stay or if he goes I say kieron dyer with burley to guide him. Make us proud please

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pragmatic added 21:49 - Jan 5 Let's hope the dialogue between Lambert & Evans produces desired results, plus a real statement of intent needs to be made & carried by the club to keep the fans onside & able to back Lamberts desire for itfc. Coyb!!
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Help added 21:49 - Jan 5 I have always moaned at managers who play one up front. You never win games that way, so PL I will moan at you, it is two up front or nothing. Do I accept your reason for 1 up front. I understand that you are saying we do not have the quality of players at the back & in midfield to play 4, so you look to play 5 in the Mid and hope two move up. But this is not stopping goals, nor is it scoring them. Would you change the system if you got your (players) in? Or do your players have the qualities you seek to play your way. If you see like the fans Spence is costing us with his mistakes why do you keep picking him. Do we not have anyone better? You announce a clearance sale, but what concerns me with going to league 1 is that the baby gets thrown out with the bath water. We could potentially have 11 new players next season once the decks have been cleared. I only hope that youth from our club comes through along with a few experienced players to guide and stabilise, for this club so desperately needs stabilisation. Yes it does need building from the bottom up. I believe the youth system is working in respect of play and results. But it is the first team that does not have the ability or game knowledge, the savvy or intelligence required at this level.

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bloooosman_malta added 21:55 - Jan 5 He is definitely good at PR and that is a good thing. He managed to get most of us fans behind him. He created a bridge with our past heroes He is passionate on th touch line He constantly show appreciation towards the fans especially the traveling ones He spoke his heart today- no other manager before him had the balls to do it. He's more representative of us than any other manager before him managed to be. Thanks PL

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midastouch added 22:04 - Jan 5 Evans brought himself a fair bit of good will with his fleeting (albeit scripted) interview appearance but he's gone all silent again for too long given our grave situation and now the mood has turned sour yet again as we're left in the dark wondering what he plans to do to get us out of this mess. I wonder if the report that he's looking for a buyer at £35 million wasn't so wide of the mark, even if it was subsequently denied by the club.

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Paramedic added 22:17 - Jan 5 There's not much to love at the moment, in fact hardly anything. There's not much to cling onto, there's not much hope. Play offs are a distant dream of a school boy, getting to the Premier League is about as real as meeting an alien! But there is a hope while we have Paul Lambert. I love this man, and I haven't said that since George Burley.
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sushiboy added 22:23 - Jan 5 In spite of everything, it's good to see that Paul Lambert won't be hiding behind his smoking jackets. Indeed, this seems to suggest that he owns more than one smoking jacket - surely the sign of a deeply sophisticated man.
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Taricco_Fan added 22:23 - Jan 5 This is exactly what I want to hear; the truth. Will Lambert stick around to rebuild? I hope so. He seems very passionate about the club in his short time here but maybe now the reality of the state of the squad (and the owner) has hit home.
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eddiespearitt03 added 22:30 - Jan 5 Marcus Evans simply does not have the "savvy", commonsense, football knowledge or expertise to be involved in owning a football club. He should never have been allowed to be in the football industry. He does not know or care what a football club means to a community . The bond between club and supporter is broken. Evans is only interested in passing the buck to a manager to take all the pressure. Ultimately Evans is only interested in making money and the asset stripping may not be over just yet. In all the time Evans has been at the club we have not built a strong squad or a steady club. The better players continually come and go and so have failed managers trying to run a club on a shoe string. Evans has destroyed this club.

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