Town skipper Luke Chambers says this has been the hardest year of his career, for reasons both on and off the field.

The Blues could have relegation to the third tier for the first time in 62 years confirmed this weekend even if they beat Birmingham tomorrow.

“This is the hardest time of my career without a doubt. The reality is sinking in now of where we are and what lies ahead,” Chambers writes in his column in tomorrow’s programme.

“I came here seven years ago to get promoted to the Premier League. Those seven years have gone by in a blur and now - barring a massive change around - we will be in League One next season.

"I’ve never been relegated before and it’s hurting like hell at the moment.

"It’s been a tough year generally. My mum has been very ill and in and out of hospital so there are the worries that any family has in that situation. That hurts like hell as well. I guess it’s life.

“I had a difficult season at Forest, on and off the pitch, but this past 10 months have been really tough.

“We could talk all day about the reasons why we are in the situation we are in but the simple truth is that we haven’t been good enough.”

Photo: TWTD

TractorCam added 13:00 - Apr 12 Whilst he may not be the most gifted player, it really is important to know that he will be hurting as much as we all are. More than Lambert, more than Evans. He will be as determined as both to gain us promotion next season but right now he will be hurting on our level.
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66notout added 13:15 - Apr 12 I don't think he will be hurting when Lambert goes - if we don't make the start we need to realise the promotion dream - and he and Skuse put in their applications to succeed him.
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nathitfc89 added 13:19 - Apr 12 he may not be the best player ITFC have but you can not question his loyalty and passion for ITFC. he is a superb role model for any young ITFC player coming into the first team
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warktheline added 13:25 - Apr 12 The reality is now sinking in! What a joke, a total liability on the pitch with a losers mentality! Never mind he's hurting, and loyal!!!
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warwickblue added 13:44 - Apr 12 warktheline - I don't think that's called for really. Chambers isn't responsible for the current plight of the club. He is enormously influential off the field, in ways most people don't consider, and - as he says- he has had to deal with some really hard situations in his family life this season. Calling him a joke / liability/loser is way wide of the mark and just comes over as a bit juvenile. This is a real person you are abusing.

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SouperJim added 13:51 - Apr 12 warktheline you're the liability my friend, get behind the team. Chambers gives absolutely everything for this football club and is up there with the greatest captains this club has ever had for his leadership, passion and will to win. If you can't see that then there is no hope for you and you're the type of "supporter" this club could do without. In short, do one.
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LonE17Blue added 13:54 - Apr 12 It's tough on everyone fans included. A Headline in a national newspaper today reads "Evans knows you're miserable now, Ipswich pay for decay and neglect" along with "The only crisis at Ipswich is when we run out of red wine in the boardroom" if only. TWTD
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Desertion_ added 13:54 - Apr 12 Agreed. I think Chambers is important for us and for next season, hopefully he will be used in a more rotational way as other players are more 'ready'... we have Wolfenden coming back, Nsiala showing signs of adapting to higher league football and who know another signing maybe.
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nineteenseventyeight added 13:54 - Apr 12 2 sides of looking at this, some people will fight the negativity towards Chambers, but how many goals has he cost us? how many has he scored? If you had a business would you employ a man who was costing your business and not performing? where do you get in the business world for being nice? sometimes you have to detach your heart from your brain, thats life

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Suffolkboy added 14:00 - Apr 12 Can't believe what sort of human being ‘lives ‘ inside ‘Warktheline ‘!Such a shame his world is a black ,evil coloured scenario : let's hope he never finds himself in a position to be on the receiving end of this sort of vitriolic nonsense ! Either he should go away and do some navel gazing or find another forum and sport to watch !! NOT the sort of ‘supportive ‘ companion many of us would want to be associated with ! COYB

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warwickblue added 14:01 - Apr 12 That's a very fair point but if I had someone in my business who was struggling, for whatever reason, I wouldn't resort to public abuse.
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Dolphinblue added 15:18 - Apr 12 Chambers is a legend, peace and love ❤
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BerlinBlue added 15:22 - Apr 12 I'm not his biggest fan as far as ability goes, but I see the qualities he brings, namely passion, determinatio, leadership and a will to win. He'll be a big player for us in League One. He mentioned he came to us to get promoted to the PL. I wonder how he would have fared there had we gone up at some point?
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blueboy1981 added 15:40 - Apr 12 Anyone who knows football knows Chambers is limited in ability, however, the people who continue to blame him for everything conveniently overlook his obvious other qualities to which the Club benefit, and will continue to do so for the rest of his contract. It won't take much for a promising youngster (of which we apparently have many, but yet to step up ... !! ) to dislodge him from the team next season, and he will be honest enough to know that, and accept - therefore why are the said people focussed on vitriolic comments towards Chambers ? - they can only be single minded, blinkered visioned, one trick ponies, who cannot see beyond their noses. Give the man a break from what can only be seen as vitriolic verbal bullying.

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cantona11 added 15:40 - Apr 12 All you Chambers lovers get over how nice he is!! it's a football club and if you are clearly the worst footballer at the club and if he really is a club man step down for the good of the club as you have put us in this position with constantly really bad defending and losing us games if you actually watch games live you will see him constantly out of position,losing his man,not picking his man up,weak tackling and not geeing him team mates up but getting on their back especially the youngster when it normally him that has sold them short with a bad pass and just because someone calls someone out doesn't mean they are not behind the team it means they are behind the team and want us to do well but getting frustrated with players letting the team down I for one think he is at fault

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blueboy1981 added 15:43 - Apr 12 Most likely more of a man than many of his critics will ever be. Enough said.
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blueboy1981 added 15:45 - Apr 12 Simply a good honest man - need apologise to not a single critic for being that.
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eddiespearitt03 added 16:05 - Apr 12 The sad state of this football club is obviously down to keeping poor players and selling the good ones. Sorry to say that this includes Luke Chambers. Talking a good job would never keep you in a job on a building site. Marcus Evans ran out of ideas from Day One.
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sixtyblue added 16:15 - Apr 12 Spot on cantona 11
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Gcon added 16:21 - Apr 12 Cantona. As a captain his passion and desire is unquestionable. As a player he plays to the best of his ability.If his ability is not good enough then the manager should not choose him. If he gets asked to play he obviously will. I believe your rant should be aimed at management. Weird how people find it so easy to point the finger of blame at our players yet not at our owner.

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warktheline added 16:27 - Apr 12 Rock bottom all season, and now Chambers suddenly announces 'reality is now sinking in '.....that is a joke! It also emphasises how 'easy' life is in sleepy Suffolk! The whip hasn't been cracked once all season! Chambers and 'co' should have been shown the door before the season began, maybe if he had, a 'fresh approach' could have benefitted the club and players! As regards for rest of team, each and everyone of them needs to be read the 'riot act'! It appears Lambert, like his 'trusted pros' and like so 'many' on here, has succumb to 'sleepwalking' the club into oblivion! Evans couldn't have picked a better club, a club supported by 'happy clappers'! But what do I know, 'decent and honest' wins the day all day long with sleepy Suffolk folk! It's a result business.....wake up and smell the coffee! I recall saying just as much after robbery in Wales.....oh yes, nowts changed, I got 'slaughtered' then! 'Turning a corner' and all that blah blah blah!!!

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jas0999 added 16:37 - Apr 12 Can't fault the guys commitment or the fact that he actually cares. Can't say the same for the owner. Never seen that much passion - if any.
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Saxonblue74 added 17:08 - Apr 12 This is the captain of a struggling team, as a result he has struggled himself and undoubtedly made mistakes. Warktheline, I liken him to John Wark in his final spell at town in the twilight of his career, blue through an through and a huge asset to the club but maybe seen his best years.....ironic don't you think??!! That said please don't think I'm categorising the two players together! Personal issues are difficult to deal with and have an effect working life, whatever your profession. Anyone blaming a single player for our current plight, captain or otherwise, is delusional.

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SouperJim added 17:08 - Apr 12 warktheline we're in this mess because too many experienced championship players were allowed to leave in the summer and replaced by "prospects". Your solution is we should have also shown the door to the ones who remained, because despite their best efforts they've been unable to perform miracles and fill the void? Also, by all accounts Hurst was all whip and no man management. So suggesting that we've had problems because nobody has been tough with the players is nonsense. Do you really think Lambert pulls any punches if a player isn't giving their all? You're clueless buddy. The only way up is to build the team up in every sense of the word. Lambert understands this. We're all disappointed by where we've ended up, but Luke Chambers is one of the people at the club who has consistently done everything in his power to avert the slide. He deserves your support, not criticism.

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Saxonblue74 added 17:18 - Apr 12 Nicely put Souperjim.
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