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

ringwoodblue added 18:19 - Nov 26 I've lost any faith in Lambert, he is inept, deluded and a poor tactician but I'm really sceptical that changing just the manager will make much difference unless we can attract a really top manager which seems very unlikely. The players we have do have the capability to play better and in different formations with the right coaching and tactics. We also need to investigate our training and fitness regime to reduce the ridiculous number of injuries we have. I fear Lambert will stay put and become more and more alienated by the fans especially when they return as spectators. This will not help our team's results in home games which up until the Hull game was pretty good even though the performances weren't.

2

Cheshire_Blue added 18:23 - Nov 26 Countryboyblue you are spot on. McCarthy was hounded out and look what has happened since. Those responsible don't like being reminded of reality and hide behind the boring football excuse when it is and always has been results that matter. .
-8

dirtydingusmagee added 18:28 - Nov 26 Cheshire-Blue reality..... reality , you are in the Dcrew you are the one that needs to have a reality check .
6

rfretwell added 18:32 - Nov 26 Well it was always going to go this way once we lose a few matches. The most difficult thing for fans is to have patience while the manager rebuilds the squad. And guess what, some of our more vocal younger fans have already lost patience after a good start to the season! Yes I was as disappointed as anyone after the Hull match BUT half our first team is out injured. PL has played a whole host of youngsters this season already and is ahead of the clubs stated plan to provide a pathway for our brightest Academy players. There was widespread support for this from all sections of our fanbase given the financial straitjacket we are in. PL warned that youngsters will make errors along the way and we accepted that too. Now it has come to pass some of you want to ditch the whole strategy! Fans have failed the patience test at the first hurdle this season. Quelle surprise!

3

Bert added 18:32 - Nov 26 If Lambert was to produce tactics that suited what was happening during a game much of the criticism would be far less negative. There are undoubtedly extenuating circumstances with COVID, injuries etc and we need to remember that TWTD rarely has more than 200 posters on any single item. The great majority of supporters do not read these posts so with a team that has not ( yet ) been out of the top 6,many will be sitting on the fence. Evans will know this. Lambert has tried to produce a playing style that with more experienced players could be successful but it has become a tedious style with no product. Change that and the narrative could change but time is running out.

2

therein61 added 18:42 - Nov 26 Sorry Mr Lambert but you are turning this season into last season after again a promising start you have yet again been found to be regards team selection and tactically inept for the second year running and are in my opinion at your wits end as to what you do next your whole body language is of a man facing the inevitable there is no longer any confidence running through the club on or off the field, It's time to face reality and do the decent thing before you drag us further downwards.

4

Phil1969 added 18:52 - Nov 26 Len thanks for the insight I'll reflect on the error of my ways, try to be a better person and follow the herd! Thankfully this site doesn't reflect the views of the common decent ITFC supporter.
1

Nazemariner added 18:53 - Nov 26 I have not been a fan of Lambert since he was bought to the club, mainly because of his previous employment with our fiercest rivals, but I don't think now is the time to get rid. Although our defensive play has been frequently shambolic, we have been playing some decent football at times. And if we can manage to get the likes of Norwood, Bishop, Edwards, Dozzell and KVY on the pitch at the same time, we are more than capable of beating any team in this division. If you were to offer me a top manager as a replacement I would bite your hand off, but the reality is we will not attract a manager of any real calibre whilst we are languishing in the third division of English football.

1

Len_Brennan added 19:07 - Nov 26 There you go again Phil again, like a petulant child when you don't get your way. Having a pop at an excellent website, that you yourself are clearly a regular user of, is a ridiculous way of responding. Please tell us which better calibre sites reflect the appropriate view, of decent ITFC supporters, as opposed to the rabble attracted by this one?
1

BettyBlue added 19:11 - Nov 26 A lot of criticism would disappear if we thought the team were genuinely competing to win in important games When have we thrown the kitchen sink at a good side? Never. I don't mind losing if we were competing. Under Lambert we simply are not.
0

bluesince76 added 19:22 - Nov 26 Lambert out Paul Cooke in asap.
0

moggasnotebook added 19:29 - Nov 26 I'm not Lambert IN or Lambert OUT - I AM in the SUPPORT ITFC camp though and that means support and encourage everyone at the club to get us up the League. I can't see how anyone thinks hanging such a banner on training ground gates helps the players on the pitch win 3 points?!? In fact it may just add to the weight on their shoulders / pressure / expectation and throttle their performance intentionally or otherwise. I think some really good football managers in the last few years, and in the future, when doing a list of pros and cons of the ITFC Manager's job would put ‘supporters' on a list not labelled ‘pros' - that's not the way it should be, SUPPORT YOUR CLUB through thick and thin. I don't care how we get out of this division (as long as it's up! and it's sooner rather than later) but I do fear some of the younger generation supporters don't realise the foundations required to enable success to be achieved (and you could use that analogy for football club / marriage or career!). Whilst we have a chance to get out of this division in 25 weeks time SUPPORT THE CLUB AND ALL THE STAFF TRYING TO GET US PROMOTED. You think you can name any employee of the club that doesn't want promotion (and the pay rise) ?

-1

ESSEX75 added 19:32 - Nov 26 Phil dont keep digging you are absolutely correct 80%of the users of the news site are basically ante ITFC or better described as underachievers who dream of being a football coach.
-1

moggasnotebook added 19:34 - Nov 26 *UNintentionally or otherwise
0

Phil1969 added 19:50 - Nov 26 So Len please do tell we why it's ok for these supposed fans to abuse Mr Lambert who has no right of reply on here, has still to complete a full set of seasons fixtures and yet my “observations“ are deemed inappropriate! In addition please also tell me how sacking managers consistently helps the cause, how you would convince another higher league manager to work under a salary cap of £1.8m, why as we are minimal points of automatic promotion now is the time to act. There you go I can be civil.

2

Town_Jewells added 20:05 - Nov 26 How can I join Blue Action?
1

Icantbelieveyousaidt added 20:08 - Nov 26 TWTD is an excellent website - it does however attract many keyboard warriors who do not, repeat do not reflect the majority of Ipswich Town supporters. Even IF I agreed with some of the anti Lambert/Evans comments, the abuse and language directed towards them is cowardly and unnecessary. Calling someone a prick or using asterisks as often on here or the forum, says far more about the sender than Messers Lambert or Evans. Two hundred or so keyboard warriors do not represent 15000 - 20000 supporters, however frustrated we all are at times.

1

Len_Brennan added 20:12 - Nov 26 Thanks Phil. I don't agree at all with your characterisation of events there though. Who is abusing PL ? (yes I know there are some loudmouths who are abusive, they are everywhere & on all sides of all arguments) Look back through the posts that are on this thread & a couple of other recent one, there are plenty of honest constructive posts giving valid reasons why, for the good of the club, in this vital season, they think Paul Lambert is not the man to get us into the promotion picture, sndwhy it is urgent that a change is made asap. The message from Blue Action is merely articulating that urgency & is not in any way abusive. - I have other areas I disagree with you on, but I have to be somewhere in 10 minutes, so will try to get back to this in a couple of hours. Honest debate/disagreements are always positive. LB

1

Phil1969 added 20:21 - Nov 26 Len look at the banner to start with. If there were 25k baying supporters at a game fair enough but this group and indeed site don't represent the fan base. Joking aside in my posts I respect your view but really don't see who would do a better job. As the cliche goes definition of madness is keep on doing the same things in sacking managers and expecting a different result. Eddie Howe is mentioned here a few times is being touted for Celtic!

0

Pencilpete added 20:22 - Nov 26 Sorry everyone but there is no way Lambert is going anywhere, firstly hes got 4 years on his contract which Evans would never pay up. Secondly Evan's bought into the whole philosophy Lambert sold him about the style, how it would take time ETC
1

papashango87 added 20:23 - Nov 26 Blue action are clearly better at arts and crafts than they are supporting a football club. I think it's best they leave the opinions to the adults
-1

brendenward35 added 20:57 - Nov 26 Some so called fans live in cuckoo land. Eddie Howe no chance in getting him. All they do is upset the manager and he just carries on winding them up Mick was a good example of this. Why would ME sack someone who has a long contract and bring in someone who might do better. Like people have said ME made a few mistakes along the way doubt he will want to start the finding a manager again just to please the fans. Putting banners up at the training ground does absolutely nothing apart from upsetting the team. They all need support so support them through thick and thin.

0

ThaiBlue added 20:58 - Nov 26 Just get paul cook in will get stuck into this team and get them moving again and wigan played good stuff under him.forget howe that just aint going to happen for sure.
0

bluelodgeblue added 21:48 - Nov 26 Counago: I respect your point of view but PLs comments are not only delusional but also deceitful? He has an opinion which ignores reality and plays experienced players I repeat experienced players out of postion and as a result they vastly under perform yet get picked week on week and then play one forward up front at home ???????? Really?🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

-1

BettyBlue added 21:56 - Nov 26 Great to be reminded the majority of true fans support Lamberty. He has achieved wonders on a tight budget. Some say he is cowardly to butt out of Cup competitons at the first opportunity bur think how that woud have effected our main objective of promotion. We might have finished lower than 14th. He has got the team to play his style of play. Unusual in keeping possession but not attacking . But that is the genius of the man . A lot of teams can't work it out. He has been able to blood lots of youngsters and in 5 years time they will have certainly reached double figures in first team starts. His use of experienced players has helped stabilize a sinking ship and we've been lucky to hand on to players like Chambers Judge and Skuse. Who wouldn't want players like that in the Vanamara? The fans have enjoyed Lambertys sparkling personality and you can see why the players all respect him so much and give everything for their cause. Hang on to Lambert, it might not look like he knows what he's doing but 99% of the fans would be happy with a replay of last seasons 14th Onwards and upwards or sideways. Well done Paul.

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls