Town independent supporters group Blue Action have called for the sacking of manager Paul Lambert and last night hung a banner across Playford Road’s gates to that effect.

The banner states “Lambo - Cheers for the beers but it’s time at the bar” with Lambo amended to Shambo.

In his first season at the club as he sought to build bridges with fans, Lambert bought pre-match pints for supporters in the FanZone ahead of a number of matches.

Lambert also invited members of Blue Action and other groups to the training ground to talk about improving the atmosphere at home matches.

Blue Action had been formed at the start of the 2018/19 season with the aim of enhancing the atmosphere at Portman Road via banners, stickers and the introduction of new songs and more recently have produced a fanzine. They outlined their position regarding Lambert's future in a statement.

Fans’ calls for a change of manager have increased in volume since Tuesday’s 3-0 home defeat to leaders Hull City with the Blues, who have lost six of their last nine in all competitions, having dropped to fifth in the table and fears that this season is turning into a repeat of 2019/20, in which Town started promisingly before fading into mid-table, growing.

Supporters have already begun to discuss who they would like to take charge at Portman Road on the TWTD Forum and on social media with former midfielder Kieron Dyer and ex-Portmouth and Wigan boss Paul Cook the names most frequently cited.

Fans, currently unable to attend matches, have also made contact with the club via email and tweet making their thoughts on the current position clear.

Lambert is contracted for five years having signed a new deal on New Year's Day.

Photo: Blue Action

Cakeman added 11:34 - Nov 26 It is a sad day when it comes to the banner but totally understandable. I fully respect Paul Lambert as he has done more good than harm for us in my view. However I do believe the time for change is now. It looks to me as though our manager and supporting crew have run out of ideas. Paul Lambert has had dreadful luck with injuries and if we had everyone available for selection it could be a little different. Not much different though because our squad is not technically good enough and never will be as a unit. Some of the youngsters will rise to the Championship and beyond but they need to have better quality around them for them to really progress to the next level. We are not going to have a massive cash injection so we have to make do with what we have. It may be a different management set up can get an improvement if only for a little while. Change required now to avoid a repeat of the toxic atmosphere we had in McCarthy's latter months. Paul Lambert does not deserve to be treated that way. PS I'm on the side of giving Kieron Dyer a chance. He would have plenty of good support available to him already at the club ie Terry Butcher and Bryan Klug.

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BlueMachines added 11:41 - Nov 26 Those who keep bringing up ‘careful what you wish for, MM bull***t'. We wish to be able to go to games and enjoy it. To have hope of winning a game, of winning promotion. Is that too much to ask? We've been going backwards for too long, including under ol' foul mouth and we are fed up of it.
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BlueMachines added 11:45 - Nov 26 And before anyone says we got to the play offs. I know. But when I stood at Carrow Rd for the play off game, and I saw the team and how negatively we were going to set up, I knew we would lose. I just knew it. I should have been excited that we might play well, and possibly win. But I wasn't. And that's why people got fed up of MM. And his contempt for fans during that game was the last straw.

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martin587 added 11:55 - Nov 26 I applaud BLUE ACTION for taking this step to pressure the club to release PL of his contract at ITFC.As much as I dislike this action it has to be in the interest of the club to progress.PL has done nothing to encourage me to think he will get us promoted this season and if the this were to happen I dread to think just what the future is for our club.I appreciate he has been hit with injuries but prior to these the club was still only firing on two cylinders.I could list many reasons but I'm sure we all know what they are.Having said that I await with baited breath but fear we will just plod on as usual.

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slade1 added 11:59 - Nov 26 Im sorry but the only decent comment on here is from PutneyBlue (11th post down) He talk so much sense.
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Bluearmy_81 added 11:59 - Nov 26 Diss, not at all, a new prospective owner would have to be right for the club. Your argument doesn't make sense though. Just because I have 1m then I would be happy throwing it away and, for example, pay 400k for a house worth 250k?! No.
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Bluearmy_81 added 12:00 - Nov 26 Diss, not at all, a new prospective owner would have to be right for the club. Your argument doesn't make sense though. Just because I have 1m then I would be happy throwing it away and, for example, pay 400k for a house worth 250k?! No.
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Len_Brennan added 12:23 - Nov 26 Great post from clivebleedingthomas. Blue Action should be applauded for how they have gone about this; a clear unambiguous message, while still recognising the good that Lambert did for the club in the early months. Free beers are nice, but it's the idea behind getting the spirit & atmosphere of the club back that I applaud Lambert for. His insistence on making an effort to spruce the place up, a lick of paint here & there, showed genuine understanding of what was needed to reverse where the club was going off the pitch; bringing in former players was also a positive move. That did have an effect in helping us deal with going down, by giving us some optimism about the immediate future. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out on the pitch & the is no prospect of Lambert being able to turn it around imo. We have to move fast if we are to stay on course for a playoff place at least - I still believe we are serious automatic promotion contenders with this squad, if we get the right manager in asap. I would thank Lambert for his genuine efforts & wish him well, but he has to go, and soon. Blue Action's banner may just be the nudge that Evans needed to make that call. Personally, of the realistic options available, I would go for Paul Cook. Very good record, knows how to get teams up & was doing a decent job with Wigan in the Championship before their financial problems relegated them.

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martin587 added 12:24 - Nov 26 PutneyBlue.I agree in principle but if we were not to get promoted this season I fear all the young players would be sold off then where would we be.Would you be happy to still see us in this division next season.I don't and I'm almost certain the rest of us don't.If only we could go back to the ALF RAMSEY era. I remember those fondly.
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planetblue_2011 added 12:29 - Nov 26 Excellent well done blue action👍 Much needed👍
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Lathers added 12:34 - Nov 26 The fans shouldn't need to take this action, but we have an owner who isn't a footballing man so I don't see an alternative. A well written statement by Blue Action which really says it how it is. We have to hire a Manager who knows how to get promotion out of this league and has a 'recent' proven track record so Paul Cook is the obvious choice. Can't afford to take another risk on a journeyman manager like Jewell or Lambert.

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Hiltzkooler added 12:35 - Nov 26 Spot on Blue Action.....well done ....good script that supported the event as well
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Murphys_Law added 12:38 - Nov 26 The five year contract is a red herring. There is absolutely no way that ME signs up a manager on that length of contract without there being significant performance related clauses that nullify it. I'd be very surprised if actually removing PL results in a significant payoff as a result. This squad coached well should be competitive in L1. Time for a change I think. If ME has any ambition to get out of this league this season he will have to act soon. If he doesn't.........

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BartonBluee added 12:53 - Nov 26 Anyone that thinks turning up to someone's place of work with a banner stating they should be sacked is acceptable needs their head checked. Furthermore, I would suggest jumping onto Amazon, to see if they have a moral compass in the black Friday sales.
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PutneyBlue added 12:56 - Nov 26 WHoisJimmy We had passion. We had Keane. That was worse than now.
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casanovacrow added 13:00 - Nov 26 We can keep changing the manager all we like, until the owner treats the club like a passion not an just an investment we're going nowhere but slow motion into the bin ...and no, it's not ALL about the money. Evans is always behind the curve, he needs to oversee his project personally, see what goes on as it happens, hold some feet to the fire. We also need to ditch anyone who sticks of Mick's negativity, doesn't either fit the long term plan or have the leadership to help bring out the best in those who do. We have too many quiet experienced players with zero leadership and can't organize themselves let alone the players around them.

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MonkeyAlan added 13:08 - Nov 26 People need to see Evans is the real problem.
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peewee added 13:10 - Nov 26 Biggest issue more than PL is why on earth do we get so many injurys? This has been going on right since the mick days. Town is for seasons we have had to sell and replace freebies and last chance players which has lead us to a squad of average L1 players. Not sure if tactics have been great alot of players dont show up on match days. Few players that shouldn't be in the squad are most weeks, if that's the case can't we play the youth players???? Lest if there bad there learning.

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itfcserbia added 13:19 - Nov 26 Never in my life have I called for a manager's head, not even Keane's! But did this fellow just publicly say we are "hopeless with 2 up front"? After being with the team for 2 years? There's the door, lad. Thanks for everything.
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itsonlyme added 13:27 - Nov 26 Well done Blue Action. I think we have given PL plenty of time to get things right but sadly it's not looking good. I don't like to see managers sacked as I am sure they all have their respective clubs ambitions at heart, but there comes a time when enough is enough and sadly for PL, that time is now. Would love to see Eddie Howe take over, if we could get him.
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Saxonblue74 added 13:30 - Nov 26 Kieron Dyer? really??!!
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ChrisR added 13:38 - Nov 26 Basic question is will the squad get promoted with PL in charge this year ? If we dont make top 2 I just dont see us winning play offs as our shocking cup record shows. And he is not going to change or come up with any original ideas . He is just so downbeat in interviews , can not be a motivator or leader,he does not sound interested, his pre Town record was poor.... I would bet any money we wont go up this year without management change , so do it now ,. nothing to lose .

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Dockerblue added 13:50 - Nov 26 Lambert has done a lot of good things, tidying up Playford Rd, bringing Legends on board etc but it's on the pitch where he is failing badly, the coaching is clearly not good enough, players are playing when not producing, Sears, Judge and Nsiala plus the only one to play every game, Chambers who was wrongly positioned for Hull,s second goal yet nothing said by Lambert but flagged Lankester off for giving ball away. That in my book is bad management! Also if the team play average, like most games PL is telling them they dominated/played really, really well.I don,t know if Eddie Howe would come here but why not, he,s not overrun with job offers is he? I,ve loved this club since 1965 but l won,t watch, even on iplayer, till things improve, Chambers l hear has too much influence at the club but in games where leadership is needed he goes missing, players that are nailed on starters don,t turn up even though PL claims if you play well you keep the shirt. Injuries havent helped but we must have the biggest squad in league 1 but other clubs have injuries but get by ok.

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AlanG296 added 13:57 - Nov 26 Bartonbluee, banners with this sort of message have been seen in football grounds for years. Football grounds are where managers work as well, albeit work badly in PL's case. Blue army used plenty of banners in the ground, presumably they were OK to you?
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Countryboyblue added 14:00 - Nov 26 What an absolutely awful thing to post and indulge in. We should stick together and help each other, that's the only way we'll succeed. All fans that want Lambert out, are mostly all the fans that wanted Mick out, Jewell, Keano and Jim before that. It's purely down to the Investment and quality of the players. All these managers can't be wrong!
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