Town have reiterated that manager Paul Lambert retains the support of owner Marcus Evans in the wake of local newspaper calls for a change at the top at Portman Road.

This evening, the EADT/Ipswich Star joined the widespread clamour for Lambert’s exit via a comment piece from editor Brad Jones with the club responding in a statement released to the papers.

Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to Peterborough, the Blues’ fifth home defeat in six, saw them drop to ninth in the table, two points off the play-offs but now 10 from the automatic promotion spots.

The club statement reads: “While we are very disappointed that the EADT/Ipswich Star has taken this stance, we fully understand the frustrations of supporters with recent results.

“The performances and results of the opening stages of the season have not been mirrored over the last two months or so and the manager, staff and players are fully aware that there needs to be an improvement if we are to achieve the goal of promotion back to the Championship this year.

“Owner Marcus Evans has recently reiterated his support for the manager and with players now coming back from injury and the recent addition of Josh Harrop and Luke Thomas to add competition to the squad, he - and everyone at the club - remains fully behind the management and players in the challenge ahead.

“We are two points off the play-offs with games in hand on nearly all the clubs above us and we have not yet reached the halfway point in the season. There is a lot of football to be played yet, 75 points up for grabs in what is a very challenging season on many fronts.

“So yes, we understand the frustrations of the local newspaper and yes, we understand the frustrations of the supporters. The manager, his staff and the players are frustrated as well but they are determined to turn those frustrations into celebrations.”

TWTD, with reporter Phil Ham still banned from player and manager press conferences at the behest of Lambert, has also backed the calls for a change.

Despite Town’s continued public support of Lambert, we understand the 51-year-old Scot’s future is increasingly in question as the Blues drift further away from the top six with a tough home game against seventh-placed Sunderland on Tuesday and a similarly testing visit to Crewe Alexandra, who are eighth, on Saturday.

Town have beaten only two teams currently in the top 10, Accrington and Crewe earlier in the campaign when the Railwaymen were well down the table, while losing eight games against sides at the division's top end.

Former Portsmouth and Wigan boss Paul Cook and ex-Lincoln and Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley are believed to be high on the list of potential successors if and when Lambert departs, while we understand Neil Harris, who left Cardiff City earlier in the week before being replaced by one-time Blues boss Mick McCarthy, is also among those who would be considered.

Many fans have called for the job to be given to ex-Town midfielder and current U23s coach Kieron Dyer with Terry Butcher, also currently working with the U23s, as his assistant.

Photo: Matchday Images

Swailsey added 21:14 - Jan 24 YES PHIL AND GAV
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jeera added 21:15 - Jan 24 No one saw that coming!
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dominiciawful added 21:15 - Jan 24 I'm speechless.
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phillev added 21:16 - Jan 24 75 points up for grabs and if that pillock is still in charge over the next few months we might get 10 of them. LAMBERT OUT!
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Plums added 21:16 - Jan 24 They'd have been better keeping quiet. This deluded statement just drives a greater wedge between the hierarchy of the club and the fans
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SingBlue added 21:17 - Jan 24 And I'm disappointed with the clubs stance. I'm actually disappointed the media hasn't turned up the pressure earlier. We are in free fall and have been for years and the moment the paper puts a toe over the line they feel the need to answer in this way! Next time we lose (Tuesday!) is it because of this article? Is that what the club are saying here? Get a grip ITFC...what do you expect? Watsons article is excellently written and an honest view (obviously too honest for the club) but it could've been much harsher. I imagine PL has thrown his toys out of his cot and forced the club to back him. I'm hating the club at the moment

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carlisleaway added 21:18 - Jan 24 It does make me wonder what Lambert has over Evans, who else would have been given a 5 year contract when in a poor league position. Then carry on this season as if nothing has happened and continue with poor management and ridiculous team formation which leaves us struggling in mid table.
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WeareITFC added 21:19 - Jan 24 The Club have never been so out of touch with public opinion and views of the fans. The arrogance of Evans, O'Neil and Lambert is unbelievable!
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Edmundo added 21:22 - Jan 24 A Butcher-Dyer dream team, with more cohesion between Academy and 1st team. I'd pay a tenner to watch that. If Marcus won't push the button, can I suggest a storming of Portman Road. It worked for Tru- ... aah. Okay, a Bastille-style barricade of the gates of Portman Road.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 21:26 - Jan 24 If it wasn't for winning the first few games and by winning I mean other than the Blackpool game scraping result we wouldn't be anywhere near the top 8! Our current form is relegation form some fans or the club may get excited by winning 2-1 at burton who are rock bottom but we are heading in one direction and it's not promotion. Surely that form, a manager and set of players who cannot beat any team in the top 8 not just this season but last is a HUGE cause for concern? If we don't go up this season we will be stuck in this league or lower as well have to reduce our budget considerably so if we think the team we have now is poor wait till next season! This is why it is vital we challenge and we aren't. I expect nothing more from the owner who has seen us from championship promotion/play off contenders and one home loss to struggling 11th last season and currently 9th now. Forget the game in hand we have to win it for a start!! I really hope those who have been supporting evans like I did until a couple of seasons back can see what utter contempt he has for the fans, his lies under McCarthy talking about challenging for the play offs whilst his remit being to keep us up and giving him the fifth lowest wage budget the last two seasons, to the 5 point plan we cannot implement as our decent kids are sold before even making the under 23's. As Robson said the club is nothing without its fans.

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cat added 21:29 - Jan 24 The writings on the wall here thank feck.
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Suffolkboy added 21:31 - Jan 24 A totally unsurprising and almost inevitable reaction and statement from ITFC and Mr M E . It is , however ,the job of the local media to shake the tree by its roots from time to time - and the time is certainly now ! There has been little evidence of PL articulating any comprehensive plan , nor exhibiting any flexibility of thought , strategy style formation or tactics , rather he demonstrates a somewhat limited recognition of inadequacies apparent , at least to very many observers , and behaviours which bring understandable concern at large . IT IS high time ME faced the fires , did not hide behind the shield of comfortable anonymity and demonstrated he understood why the emotions and passions of long time loyal supporters are reflected by this crescendo of ‘noise ‘ ! Come forward ME , alongside PL and let the two of you together face the indignation ,and convince your public and loving customers how things will change ! We want to belong , we want to support but we also want that feeling to be mutual !! COYB

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SingBlue added 21:31 - Jan 24 Ah thought this was over Watsons article! Now read the editorial! Well my comment above still stand
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90z added 21:33 - Jan 24 How can Evans be happy with what his seeing? We don't even have consistency to get results to get us up the table. Id be happy if Paul Cook came in
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Bergholt_Blue added 21:34 - Jan 24 Evans hasn't got a clue
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CrockerITFC added 21:35 - Jan 24 LEAVE PAUL LAMBERT ALONE!!!!!!! HE'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD MANAGER!!!!!!!
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RegencyBlue added 21:36 - Jan 24 It's either the classic vote of confidence, and Lambert will be gone in a fortnight, or Evans really means it. in which case Lamberts here until the summer at least! Whichever one it is nothing will really change whilst our illustrious owner remains.
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ArnieM added 21:38 - Jan 24 Fine ITFC. You support your manager. But you'll lose your fans.......
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runningout added 21:41 - Jan 24 I'm generally not a begging person, but please Mr Evans and Mr O'Neil do the right thing. A dumb git like myself knows it's going to get worse as it is. Mr Cook could turn fortunes and he won't be without job for much longer
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dieselmorris added 21:41 - Jan 24 only one man to blame for this mess, and it started long before lambert landed in the managers chair.no investment in the playing squad, little upkeep of the stands or general areas, i watched a buddlia growing out of the sir alf stand as it was better than the football. sad to say but this club stinks and it is not the present managers fault.it started long ago in 2009.

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prebbs007 added 21:47 - Jan 24 Once again our crook of an owner shows his utter incompetence by backing this failure of a manager. He's only ever succeeded at one club which was clearly a fluke as he's been terrible everywhere else. Said it before and will say it again, it suits this crook for us to stay in this league, costs him very little with the new rules, if we went up salaries go up massive and he couldn't offset the losses against his proper business rather than this dirty money washing that is ITFC to him. Evans you're a disgrace and one day you will get what you deserve.

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Nobbysnuts added 21:50 - Jan 24 Just go lambert.... your a disgrace...you don't deserve to be anywhere near this club you clueless tw#t
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herfie added 21:51 - Jan 24 This ill-judged, clearly hastily cobbled together, vote of (no?) confidence summarises the total mess our club has become. Completely out of touch at all levels. From top to bottom, the management structure it's fatally flawed. Sadly, the one individual with the power to effect the changes so desperately needed, is himself the major problem. So whilst the clamour to remove PL gathers serious and justifiable traction, ME remains untouchable and unaccountable. That's the real issue.

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blues1 added 21:52 - Jan 24 I've never seen so many naive people. Have you ever heard a club owner respond to an article like that by saying, "Yes we're considering sacking the manager? This is just the standard type of statement a club makes at times like this. Plus, they apparently have a list of possible replacements. So hardly sounds like its not something they're considering, does it? Let's hope it is just the dreaded vote of confidence.

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JackV21 added 21:58 - Jan 24 Time to boycott iFollow until they make the right decision - losing viewing figures and money is the only way to make it happen
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