Manager Paul Lambert has revealed owner Marcus Evans told him he has given the club its heart back which the Blues boss says is the “biggest compliment [he’s] had in many a year”.

Since taking over at Portman Road 14 months ago Lambert has gone to great lengths to improve relations between fans and the club with attendances up significantly on the previous few seasons, despite relegation to League One.

The Scot has also impressed the importance of the club's work in the community, welcoming the revival of the Community Trust, and Town's illustrious history, regularly welcoming Blues legends such as Terry Butcher, John Wark, Russell Osman, George Burley and Mick Mills to Playford Road.

However, the recent downturn in form has seen the first signs of his relationship with supporters souring with fans making their frustrations known on the terraces at recent games, both home and away.

Lambert himself called his future into question in a bizarre press conference following the 0-0 draw with Gillingham on Boxing Day.

Quizzed on whether Evans had talked to him about those comments after Sunday’s 5-3 defeat at Lincoln City, Lambert said: “I spoke to him, I speak to him every day more or less, most days I speak to him,” he said. “I spoke to after the game, he came to the game today so I saw him [earlier in] the day.

“The biggest compliment Marcus gave me the other night on the phone was ‘OK, results haven’t gone our way, but we’re still in a good place’ and that I’d given the club its heart back. That was the biggest compliment I’ve had in many a year.”

He wasn’t worried about you walking away? “I don’t think if I left me and Marcus would ever fall out. I think the way he is with me and the way I am with him, we get on well with a lot of things.

“He knows my feelings on things as well. Listen, he’s been great I couldn’t ask for any more support from him.”

Looking to the January transfer window, Lambert reiterated his earlier comment that he would only be able to bring players in if others move on.

“We can only do it if there’s money available or we sold some guys. We don’t have the money, we can’t go out and buy,” he said.

“You know that better than I do, you’ve been reporting longer than I have [been around]. That’s fine, you work within the parameters you’re working with.

“As I said, Marcus has been really good with me. He tells me how it is and I’ve got every faith in the guys to go and perform and go and get on track.

“As I said before, being a leader or being a manager, you stick with the guys, you don’t dare wilt, you go head on and you meet it and for somebody to beat you they’re going to have to put you on your backside.”

Photo: TWTD

Northstandveteran added 17:34 - Dec 30 Oh Londontractorboy, Always so negative. We can go down like Norwich, get a manager like Lambert in, get rid of the dead wood, promote our youngsters, regroup and smash small teams like Accrington and Lincoln, build confidence, lose £15 million a year opposed to £7 million, spend at least 4 years in this division then ' hopefully ' return to mid table mediocrity in the championship for the next 20 years. An 8 goal thriller yesterday. You wouldn't have got that under Mick. Are you still in touch by the way Swn O'noighty ate?

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herfie added 17:59 - Dec 30 For some reason I find PL's comments just a touch sad, and a bit desperate. Of course ME is going to put an arm around his manager who, despite his macho stance, is clearly feeling the pressure and is in need of reassurance. Totally human - but reluctant perhaps to admit it. What we're currently going through has its roots in poor decisions and inadequate management over the past decade. The decline has been inexorable, and PL rightly deserves much credit for galvanising the owner, club employees, the media and, critically, supporters - giving hope, where none previously existed. But, as we currently stand, the same on-field progress witnessed at season start has disappeared, to the point that we're pinning our hopes on somehow just somehow getting a win to reboot our promotion push. Perhaps we will. PL surely knows that his footballing/coaching credibility now rests on being able to impose strong leadership and technical nous to get this so called ‘strong squad' to function as a team - starting with getting many of the basics of the game right. We seem to have somehow forgotten that, to win physical matches at this level, we have to compete to impose our game on determined opponents. Powder puff, non progressive, tippy-tippy football, hoping that something will happen, is never going to work. The first step to recovery is to see and admit our obvious shortcomings, and for PL to use every bit of his managerial experience and strength of personality to turn things round. If he's successful, then ME will be able to say that he's appointed the best on and off-field manager since he gained control of the club. Personally I see no alternative other than to give PL continued support, hoping that he'll come through this dark period more determined than ever to prove his managerial credentials, in what are challenging circumstances. ME also needs to play his part in a couple of day's time, and give PL as much financial support as possible - however that might be achieved.

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TimmyH added 18:20 - Dec 30 @londontractorboy57 - well there was certainly a 'bounce back' period earlier in the season dropping into league one and getting results but sadly that period seems to be over whether that is down to the players and loss of confidence or Lambert over doing the rotating of the squad and being poor tactically during matches is up for question. Personally feel the squad is good enough for at least play-offs compared to others around us...so if we don't make it up this season fingers maybe pointing at Lambo...

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markytitfc added 18:26 - Dec 30 Average attendance this season is 15305. Average attendance in Jim Magiltons last season as manager 18500.plus So, under Evans watch we have tread water in championship until we eventually sank into league 1, league division 3 in old money. And attendances have dropped 300 on average. Pretty dismal I would say. The biggest mistake Evans made was sacking Magilton. Not a very successful decade I would say

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muccletonjoe added 22:10 - Dec 30 I don't know what it is with a lot of people, not wanting to admit they were wrong, or not wanting to concede a few lone voices were right. I wonder how far the club will have to slide before they change their minds ? Situation has gone way too far to be redeemed
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r1griff added 22:44 - Dec 30 I'm afraid the days are gone when our scouts got the gems we had when robson was here and will Be a long time if ever that we attract those types of players pl is not slating the players in public which is good management And yes we would love to see him play the same time but it seems at the toon that some one always get injured , oh what I would give for walky or Murren in are midfield but we haven't got them any more so he has to do the best with what we have I don't agree with his rotation policy but but you cannot polish a turd as much as you may try and as we have been told there are no funds for new players

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 06:51 - Dec 31 Herfie above makes some good points. You can be pretty successful at this level just through the use of brute force, but we are not a very physical side. We set ourselves up to be a ”footballing” team, but while the ”tippy tappy” approach could also work at this level if done well enough, we haven't shown that we are good enough to carry this off. So, we then often revert to the long ball, which with our two smallish attackers patentently doesn't work either. We need to establish our identity and stick with it as Plan A, while obviously being open to minor adjustments as conditions demand. Part of that approach probably means fewer rotations, as many on here have already argued. COYB!

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markytitfc added 09:44 - Dec 31 SCORE CORRECTION! JIM MAGILTONS LAST FULL SEASON IN CHARGE, AVERAGE ATTENDACE WAS ACTUALLY 22890. THAT IS A DROP OF ROUGHLY 8000 IN 12 YEARS 1 RELEGATION 4 FAILED MANAGERS 1 FAILING MANAGER 1 FAILED OWNER. THOUGH WE DO APPRECIATE HIS LIMITED INVESTMENT. NO VICTORIES OVER THE RIVALS IN 12 ATTEMPTS MAGILTONS LAST MATCH IN CHARGE....... A VICTORY OVER OUR RIVALS. MAKE OF THAT WHAT YOU WILL LADIES AND GENTLEMAN HAPPY NEW YEAR. ps. I know it's in capitals because I'm having a rant😀

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Razor added 10:51 - Dec 31 Surely there must be SOME money available-----the home crowds are well over what must have been budgeted for? Mind you these will soon drop if we continue like we are----the next home game should be interesting.
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DurhamTownFan added 10:52 - Dec 31 Who took that heart away in the first place, dear Marcus?
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Robert_Garrett added 15:08 - Dec 31 The long fix requires Patience and suppiort on the terraces when Things have gone wrong. Ist where we are in May that Counts not today. MM wanred be careful of what you wish. Short term support has Always been fickle - we are a club of great Tradition so lets carry on putting the great back in our daily Chores.
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