Town’s relegation to the third tier for first time in 62 years was confirmed after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City at Portman Road. The visitors took the lead in the seventh minute via Lukas Jutkiewicz before Gwion Edwards netted the equaliser a minute after the restart. The Blues had the better of a second half in which Alan Judge hit the post but were unable to find the winner which would have put off a relegation which has seemed inevitable for some months for a further week.

Boss Paul Lambert made four changes to his team with Josh Emmanuel returning for James Bree, who was among the subs, at right-back with James Collins at the centre of the defence alongside skipper Luke Chambers and Toto Nsiala among the subs.

In midfield, Flynn Downes and Trevoh Chalobah dropped to the bench with Cole Skuse back in his usual deeper role, while Gwion Edwards returned from a groin injury to take up his position on the right of the front three with Andre Dozzell returning to the central trio.

Birmingham made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Sheffield United in midweek with Kerim Mrabti and Jota taking over from Jacques Maghoma and Connor Mahoney.

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the Blues with the visitors taking the lead in the seventh minute via the first serious attack of the game.

Maxime Colin brought the ball in from the right and cut across to Lukas Jutkiewicz, who slammed his third goal against the Blues this season into the roof of the net from a matter of feet. The former Burnley man, who scored both his side’s goals in the 2-2 draw between the teams at St Andrew’s earlier in the season, won’t score an easier goal this season.

The Midlanders threatened again three minutes later, Che Adams hitting a low shot through to Bartosz Bialkowski in the Town goal.

The visitors kept up the pressure and on 11 Adams hit a cross-shot from the right of the box which the sliding Jutkiewicz was just unable to reach.

Town had still to get going and on 15 Mrabti smashed a shot against Chambers following another dangerous Birmingham move down the right.

A minute later, the Blues struck their first shot of the afternoon, Myles Kenlock bringing the ball in from the left before hitting a right-footed shot over the bar.

But it was still mainly Birmingham and in the 22nd minute a loose ball ran to Jota on the edge of the box from where he struck a powerful shot which Bialkowski did well to save across to his right.

The visitors continued to dominate and went close again just before the half hour when Adams cut back to Jota from the left but the former Brentford man shot against Jutkiewicz. In the 31st minute Edwards was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul.

On 37 Jutkiewicz hit a freekick well into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, which was more than making itself heard despite the lack of anything to cheer on the pitch.

A minute later, Judge forced Lee Camp into his first save of the afternoon, the veteran keeper tipping over the Blues midfielder’s freekick from 30 yards out.

Collins was cautioned for a foul on Adams on 42, then Skuse picked up Town’s third yellow card of the half for a late challenge on Adams three minutes later, Gary Gardner curling the resultant freekick high and wide.

In injury time Chambers joined Skuse in the book for a foul on Adams as he broke towards the area. The Birmingham number nine took the freekick himself and shot low through to Bialkowski.

That was the last action of a half in which the Blues never got going following the early visitors’ goal. It was certainly Town’s poorest home 45 minutes for a while.

Birmingham had been well in control through and had had more than enough opportunities to increase their lead with Town’s only efforts Kenlock’s shot over the bar and Judge’s late freekick.

The Blues will have to be very much better in the second half if their 17-year stay in the Championship isn’t to end with a whimper.

Town swapped Dozzell, who had had a quiet first period, for striker Kayden Jackson ahead of the second half, and a minute after the restart they levelled.

Following a throw on the left, sub Jackson sent over a sublime cross to the far post where Edwards evaded his dithering full-back to smash into the net.

The Blues suddenly looked a completely different team and within a minute almost went in front.

Emmanuel crossed from the right and the stretching Judge hit a volley back across Camp but off the post. Harlee Dean somehow scrambled it away from Bishop and behind before the midfielder could stab the rebound over the line.

Town kept up the pressure and Jackson wasn’t too far away with a shot which flew just past Camp’s left post.

The visitors, somewhat shell-shocked by the Blues’ second half transformation, eventually regained something of a foothold and conjured Adams a chance with a well-worked move which the striker hit straight at Bialkowski from the edge of the box.

Birmingham threatened again on 57 via Mrabti, who shot wide on the turn, with the game increasingly end to end and open. Four minutes later, Collins was replaced by Nsiala, presumably due to a knock or niggle.

Town had what looked a decent shout for a penalty in the 66th minute when Collin Quaner appeared to be haul back as he sought to get on to Edwards’s cross from the right but referee Jeremy Simpson - an official not usually shy when it comes to awarding penalties - waved away the protests.

Jutkiewicz headed over for Birmingham in the 78th minute, then two minutes later Kristian Pedersen was booked for a foul on Edwards on the right touchline. A minute later Nsiala joined him in the book for a challenge on Jutkiewicz.

As the game entered its final five minutes the Blues again began to put the visitors under pressure.

On 86 Judge again wasn’t far away from his first Town goal after Jackson had laid back Edwards’s cross from the right. However, Camp made an impressive save to his right.
"Seconds later, Kenlock cut in from the left and struck a shot which deflected wide off a Birmingham defender.

The Blues kept up the push to keep their Championship status alive for another week during injury times, Edwards hitting a powerful shot having been found in space which struck a defender.

The Sir Bobby Robson Stand was still singing loudly and defiantly as the final whistle and confirmation of the Blues’ drop into League One came, ending 17 years in the Championship.

And they continued to sing, if anything more loudly, as manager Lambert brought his players over to the penalty area to pay tribute to the club’s support after the most disappointing of seasons.

Having been poor in the first half, the Blues were much better after the break and would have deserved the three points had they been able to take a chance with Judge unlucky not to claim his first Town goal when he hit the post.

In the end the Blues had to be content with their 12th 1-1 league draw of the season, not enough to extend what was effectively a battle lost long ago into an additional week.

Town next travel to Preston on Good Friday for the first of four now-meaningless games from their perspective, ahead of their first season at third tier level since their 1956/57 Third Division South championship campaign under Sir Alf Ramsey.

Town: Bialkowski, Emmanuel, Chambers (c), Collins (Nsiala 61), Kenlock, Skuse, Dozzell (Jackson 46), Bishop, Judge, Edwards, Quaner. Unused: Gerken, Chalobah, Downes, Bree, El Mizouni.

Birmingham: Camp, Colin, Dean, Morrison, Pedersen, Jota (Mahoney 70), G Gardner, Davis, Mrabti (Maghoma 90), Adams, Jutkiewicz. Unused: Trueman, Harding, Roberts, C Gardner, Vassell Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire). Att: 17,248 (Birmingham: 1,582).

Photo: TWTD

barrystedmunds added 22:15 - Apr 13 Seem to remember Mr Lamberts first game in League One with the Scum finished 6-1 to Colchester, They went on to win the league that season! Half century of being blue makes today particularly hard to take. But today has been coming for a number of years. Will this be the catalyst for a new beginning or the final death throes of our great club? With ME's past record the omens are not looking good. I hope PL has the savvy to know what is needed to be done, but I'm concerned that Chambo has been given a 2 year contract, not particularly because I dislike the guy, more that I believe a clear out is required to begin the process. Saying that, if youth is the way ahead, experience is also neeeded in the mix, I suppose. As he has been saying, next season begins now! Over to you Mr Lambert.🤞🏼

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warktheline added 22:16 - Apr 13 @blueboy, so you expect all and sundry to back Evans and Co, but under relatively more success with McCarthy you non stopped slagged off the owner, manager, players and fans!
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blueboy1981 added 22:19 - Apr 13 Never have I encouraged anyone away from our Club, or suggested they support another Club. However, at this moment in time, the Club could well do with all the support it can muster, it surely needs it. Anyone who cannot do that, and continue to criticise, should perhaps look for something else to do with their time. The real fans will be back in August whatever - and that's what REALLY matters right now to the rest of us.

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blueboy1981 added 22:28 - Apr 13 warktheline - Evans owns the Club, but in my book he will never be bigger that IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB. I am not backing Evans, just asking you and your cohort critics to come up with an answer to alternate ownership - other wise what is the point of you continuously harping on ? - there is no point. I have asked umpteen times for an answer - but none of you have any, because there are none currently. At this present time - NO EVANS equals NO CLUB - other than in administration. Is it that difficult to understand ...... ??????? And for your benefit Carberry - another post, because I care about our Club staying in existence. No apologies to any critic for that, I assure you.

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blueboy1981 added 22:32 - Apr 13 Goodnight, God Bless, and Good Riddance to some. I'll be there in August - Will you ?
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warktheline added 22:34 - Apr 13 That's it blueboy hop off to bed! Unable to answer the questions asked!
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Carberry added 22:37 - Apr 13 Make yourself a cocoa and get to bed blueboy. Sweet dreams.
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blueboy1981 added 22:51 - Apr 13 .......... warktheline .... you critics should know all about having NO answers to questions - I'm STILL waiting for the answer to alternate ownership possibility. Surprise, surprise - NONE. I'll answer one for you warktheline - you won't be there in August, you'll be at Hemel, where they have the perfect owner, so don't worry about us.
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Michael101 added 23:21 - Apr 13 I am in shock,what,s hampening on here 6 pages but no posts from cgon, swn,etc. going on about there dad mad Mick . And there you got what you wanted rubbish.
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Northstandveteran added 23:38 - Apr 13 There was a post from Swn 😁 He still posts among us.
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Dog added 23:49 - Apr 13 Blueboy - keep standing your ground. You believe in Evans - good on you. Wark the line and itfc73 think Chambers is not very good - good on them too. If you believe in something, no matter if i or someone else think it is wrong then stand strong. I will attempt to give you an answer though. I would take administration than Evans. All season i have been Oyston (by this i have always meant Evans) out because they are cut from the same cloth. They have sold the best players, taken half and increased debt. Parasites the pair of them. When Homebase, were bought by Australians they really did not know what they had bought, mis-sold everything and went into administration with a number of stores closing. The same will happen to Debenhams etc. It is mismanagement. Even if we keep Evans he will continue to mismanage. A result of this relegation is that people who work at Town will be made redundant. Youth teams might be culled - not all but some. Community work will reduce. More players sold, less reinvested. If it was me, i would take administration over Evans and build an affordable Ipswich over time. Portsmouth are recovering!!. And yes, i had a Chelmsford City season when i lived there 30 years ago. They went into administration twice and recovered. Sweet dreams.

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algarvefan added 00:05 - Apr 14 To quote captain Blackadder, .......... "Quite simply bug*er!" Now stop bitching at each other like schoolgirls and do what we can to get behind the team for the remaining games and next season.
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Michael101 added 00:33 - Apr 14 Just had a look at edp website all the buggies are on cloud nine, bet lots of sisters are being sha**ed tonight
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Jollyblue added 00:50 - Apr 14 Dog. But you still need an owner. Someone who will put the money in. Someone has to show their face if you want to replace Evans. But no one is so how can administration help anyone?
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 01:08 - Apr 14 Not sure what to add to this issue, at least what hasn't already been mentioned. The name of this website is a clear indication to the halcyon years of yesterday and the great players and teams assembled but of what use is it to anyone at this stage in time. We've been a poor mediocre club side for 15 + years and despite one or two hits and misses in the play-off encounters, have never looked like making it back to the elite division. People constantly line up to kiss Lambert's ass and offer plaudits but it's hard to view the adulation sometimes. Exactly how many games has he won as manager with us since arriving last October ? Hurst takes his share of blame but was only involved for a short duration of it all. People say it's no use berating Evans and technically they're right. There's not a damn thing anyone can do other than the owner himself in aiding an exit from the club. Like it or not the owner IS a substantial reason WHY the club finds itself today where it's at. I can't entertain the idea of League One soccer right now, getting the head together over today's exit from the second league occupies enough thought, but it's a real shame this whole sorry situation has come about. Still, been involved in some fine moments over the years with great European nights and victories and for a time at least, providing the UK with one of the best club sides the country could offer. Could take a few years to get back to the Championship league - I can't even think of the possibility of EPL standard right now - but what's done is done. Needs to be some changes in the summer - starting at the very top. If not, well, no need to elaborate on the continued direction ahead.

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BlueArrow added 02:23 - Apr 14 5 point plan. Oh the luxury of 5 points . Plan B Mr Evans ?
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PMK added 03:43 - Apr 14 At least we got another possible route to Wembley in the Johnstones Paint Trophy or whatever it's called now!! Our previous managers decided Ipswich Town were way to big of a club to bother with the FA Cup maybe this could be our chance at glory if we take it seriously!!
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bobble added 04:08 - Apr 14 3rd division...maybe we can win a few there..meanwhile we always have the wallabies to support..
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warktheline added 07:30 - Apr 14 @blueboy, morning, read @dog post, there's your answer to Evans! As I've stated many times, what will be will be! We deserve so much more than this ownership, he's totally disconnected and emotionless! Anyhow no more mudslinging from me, we are down and that's that unfortunately ! All clubs have ups and downs in varying degrees, ours is no different! What I will state is if as a club we want to return it will take everybody from TOP to bottom to show direction, drive, positivity and enthusiasm to change the course of the continued downward trend! Division 1 is a very tough league and will quickly expose flaws!

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Dissboyitfc added 08:20 - Apr 14 Barrystedmunds... Lambert was the colchester manager when they beat Norwich 6-1 he took over at norwich after that.
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Wooly74 added 08:28 - Apr 14 Sorry all, I have really read some rubbish on here over the last 15 hours or so since our ultimate relegation was confirmed and it tells me everything about what is wrong with our club at present! There is no doubting that we have had a series of issues that have all come together to cause this very sorry situation, loss of scorers, key players at key times and our inability to attract anyone of any real quality in January due to our league situation even then being the three areas that means that we head to Fleetwood, Lincoln and all those other places next season. I don't also buy into the comments that we shouldn't be going to these places because of our history! These are clubs that are coming through with investment in the right areas of the club and offering fans a real reason to get behind the club if their choice. I will never stop going and supporting a club that my Father first took me to see in 1977, he very sadly passed away suddenly in November and all the fairy tale thoughts that from in heaven he would save us from relegation are a long distant memory, but what he did teach me is to never give up on anything in life (don't worry Jamie, Chris Roberts will be coming out at some stage) and I won't give up on my team, I'll continue to sit in my season ticket seat in the lower north and next season take some new trips away to support the boys away. Let's show these idiots who write in national newspapers that we aren't a club that gets what we wish for. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want MM to go and didn't share the thoughts of many, a passionate northerner who I think did magic with a shoe string budget, if he had been given the money Keane had he would have taken us up. But that's all in the past now, just like our famous history, yes that lot up the road hate us for it and always will until they win something (trust me we live up here on the border and it really gets under their skin), but now we have to focus on us and us alone. Get a spine through the team, 🐺 back from Swindon alongside ToTo, a decent play making midfielder and definitely two new younger and hungry strikers up front who can finish and have pace is a must!! I'm in for the long haul, I think real fans out there are, those keyboard warriors who don't go, jog on.....

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chalky added 08:30 - Apr 14 Noting the criticism from at least one supporter regarding Sheepshanks and Burley, all I can say is that at least in those days we played attractive football, had a production line of good youngsters (Bramble, Wright, Dyer, Bent, Ambrose etc), and could sign fine players (Holland, Mowbray, David Johnson, Marcus Stewart etc). Together they gave us several exciting seasons, with playoffs, a win at Wembley and a season coming 5th in the Premiership. Reflect on those days and weep.

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Dolphinblue added 09:17 - Apr 14 I can see looking through those tears that Itfc fans know we are worth our weight in gold. And I know that we are relegated, let me warm yr hands against the cold. A close encounter with a hard hearted man, who never gave half of what he got Has left u wishing u had never been born, well thats a shame cause u got the lot. Hey there all u ipswich fans with the sad face, come up to league one and live it up

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ITFCsince73 added 10:07 - Apr 14 To correct some. Colchester beat Norwich 7-1 not 6.
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Maltster added 11:43 - Apr 14 Clearly Dozzell wants to leave the club. If he is not bothered to work hard sell him now before his poor performances reduce his value!
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