Blues midfielder Cole Skuse admits last season’s 11th-place League One finish was “unacceptable” and “embarrassing” but says it now needs to be put to one side as Town go into the new season.

“We all know in-house and out-house that to finish where we finished in the league is unacceptable and it’s embarrassing to talk about it, to be honest,” the 34-year-old told iFollow Ipswich.

“But if we were to carry that on to this year and drag that sort of embarrassment and that sort of negativity on, if that were to carry on into this season you’re off to a bad start already.

“As much as it’s terrible and it shouldn’t have happened, it did happen, but that’s done now, that’s gone, that page as been turned, so now you have to come in and put that to one side, recharge your batteries and try and be as successful and positive as you can.”

Town are expected to confirm the signings of left-back Stephen Ward, striker Oli Hawkins and keeper David Cornell on Monday and Skuse says he has been impressed with what he’s seen of Ward, who spent last week training at Playford Road, both in terms of his ability and his character.

Manager Paul Lambert is understood to have been looking to add more leaders to his squad, with former Derby captain Richard Keogh having been targeted prior to his move to the MK Dons, and Ward appears to have made his mark on that front already.

“Fantastic guy, I’ve come across Wardy a few times from playing against him,” Skuse said of the 34-year-old former Wolves, Burnley and Stoke man.

“But to have him in the building and to see him up close and personal in terms of how he conducts himself, you’re talking about a player who has played in the Premier League and the top end of the Championship for many years.

“He’s settled in really quickly, he’s very vocal, which has been massive for us. Hopefully he stays a little bit longer and we can get him on board and he settles in quickly. He’ll be a massive coup for us if we get him on board.

“A fantastic addition, not just from a playing point of view because, like I said, his career speaks for itself, his CV is brilliant, his international caps, his Premier League experience, his top-end Championship experience. But as a person he’s a real good guy.”

Skuse, who signed a new one-year contract with the club having an option for a further season in May, spoke earlier in the summer about the importance of safety once football returned with his wife Louisa a type 1 diabetic. He says all is well at home and he is pleased to have returned to training with the players working to the EFL’s Protocol for Return to First Team Training.

“All really good, myself and my family are all really good and in terms of being back with the lads, it’s nice. You can’t quite have the same banter with your wife and kids as you do at a training ground, so that’s been nice.”

He added: “We’ve come back in the small bubbles originally, which was good because my bubble was quite entertaining.

“Emyr Huws is very dry and witty, so he brought a little bit of a spark to our bubble. But in terms of building up to the contact that’s been good because the games have been at a really good tempo.”

Photo: ITFC

LWNR2013 added 19:28 - Aug 16 Have always rated CK. consummate professional and fantastic distribution. 👍
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SteveDt added 19:31 - Aug 16 Let's all pretend it didn't happen and we are the greatest team ever
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blues1 added 19:56 - Aug 16 Steve dt. Hes right tho. It's gone. What's the point of keep going on about it? Nothing to be gained by constantly harping on about last seasons failures. Need to put it in the bin and look forwards. This is an extremely important season coming up, and having g thr negativity of last seasons events hanging g over the players, would be nothing but detrimental.
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runningout added 20:01 - Aug 16 Concerns me if we were thinking about signing Keogh..
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RobsonWark added 20:34 - Aug 16 Blues midfielder Cole Skuse admits last season's 11th-place League One finish was “unacceptable” and “embarrassing” but says it now needs to be put to one side as Town go into the new season. What REALLY needs to be put to one side and not even even on the bench is Chambers and Skuse!
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heathen66 added 20:36 - Aug 16 It is all ok as long as everyone concerned has learnt from this embarrassment. Let us not just brush it under the carper and continue to do exactly the same thing and expext a different result. The signings so far do not suggest any change. There is no pace in central midfield and a lack of pace ( excluding KVY). I think Ward could be a good signing as it will be pleasant to have a leader on the pitch however at 34 will struggle with the physicality of the modern full back position

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DifferentGravy added 20:53 - Aug 16 Spot on Heathen.
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StavangerBlue added 21:03 - Aug 16 It would be refreshing to see Skuse pass forward but yet again he's putting it to one side! At least it wasn't backwards. The team should remember the feeling of absolute failure and use it as motivation.
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Lightningboy added 21:09 - Aug 16 As should your place in our starting line up.
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bobbyramsey added 21:16 - Aug 16 .....but we've been "forgetting last season" for the previous 13 plus years. This can't continue?
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Chrisd added 21:19 - Aug 16 He's right, at some point we all have to draw a line under it and move on. However much we moan about it isn't going to change anything, it's what we are going to do about it from now on that's important.
2

Michael101 added 21:29 - Aug 16 Why should we forget it,if he was any good the team won't be where they are now.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 21:38 - Aug 16 Just feels like the same old platitudes.... not acceptable blah, blah, blah. Once again we look forward with maximum hope and minimal expectation..... lets hope finally its hit home throughout the club
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ThaiBlue added 21:40 - Aug 16 Without a doubt you and chambers need to be put to one side,outside the 1st team
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dirtydingusmagee added 22:00 - Aug 16 yes it should be put to one side, along with one or two players , another season like that will kill the club.
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blue86 added 22:04 - Aug 16 Good, well let's not muck about then cole and let's get ourselves promoted then. I completely get why people are fed up with the spin/talk though, us town fans have heard to much it..... DO IT.
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blue86 added 22:06 - Aug 16 To much of it, I was supposed to say! 🤦‍♂️
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RobsonWark added 22:09 - Aug 16 If Lambert continues to pick Chambers and Skuse we are never going to get out of this league - well we will...it will be league 2!!!
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DifferentGravy added 22:10 - Aug 16 Chrisd - Yes, you do have to draw a line under things......but players and management have to learn from mistakes (lets just mark everyone down).....that has not been the case so far
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RobsonWark added 22:13 - Aug 16 If Lambert continues to pick Chambers and Skuse we are never going to get out of this league - well we will...it will be league 2!!!
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matthewwylds added 22:21 - Aug 16 Why should we forget it the stick the fans get is unbelievable he's ok getting his money every week unfortunately you should have left Ipswich 3/4 years ago the QE2 turns quicker than you move on take the donkey chambo with you
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El_Fenix added 23:02 - Aug 16 Dear Mr. Skuse, I am willing to forget the collapse that occurred last season if you can clarify: 1. The factors that caused the collapse. 2. The corrective actions have been taken. Without this information I will ignore platitudes, and will prepare for another season of decline. Thank you, A Weary Fan
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BeattiesBackPocket added 23:44 - Aug 16 Blues1 you are everything that's wrong with the club and where we are. There's too many like you supporting and working at the club who are to quick to forget. Every season for the past ten or more seasons I've heard the same old story from our club chambers Skuse and Evans have been a part of our downfall but you're ok with putting it aside every single season? Tell me What will it take for you not to? League two? National league? Another season in league one? All that with the 6th richest owner outside the premier league? You settle because it's last year every single disappointing season you settle cos it's last year. I've tried forgetting but now I'm fed up with it it's the same rubbish same excesses and same people that come out and give those excuses. Well done I'm glad you'll continue to be happy with less than mediocrity

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jas0999 added 08:35 - Aug 17 Time to move on and when we get the chance, support the lads! That said, the players and manager also need to move on, learn from last year and do a lot better.
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cat added 08:47 - Aug 17 With Chambers and Skuse as team and club captains, Evans at the top and a so far inept manager in Lambert we ain't got a prey. Tried and tested failures, so until they move on why should we.
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