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

TimmyH added 22:03 - Jan 24 No surprise there...Evans is as bad as Lambert, problem is there are too many excuses for PL not to go, his recent illness, the continued injuries, Evans giving him the extended contract which will make himself look stupid if he sacked PL after that. The clubs standards get lower and lower after each season.
14

waldenblue7 added 22:13 - Jan 24 Games in hand mean nothing. I'm afraid that under the current regime, ITFC remain ‘on the road to nowhere'
10

MickMillsTash added 22:22 - Jan 24 If Norwood and Jackson don't play in the next 2 games we definitely won't be winning them and he will have to go. Lambert OUT
4

moggasnotebook added 22:24 - Jan 24 Of course ME not ‘happy' but you don't support your manager getting two attacking players in then sack him three days later after losing to an unfortunate own goal! I don't believe TWTD have inside knowledge from the top of ME regime of Lambert's role being ‘increasingly in question'....... but of course you can just say ‘I can't reveal my source'. As fans, TWTD want a change of manager (many do) and their journalistic privileges re-instated (understandable) but I hope their reporting remains factual (I can guess the reply). Anyone can list potential successors or someone who would be ‘understood' to be considered. Whose list are these names on TWTD? If you can't reveal your source please tell us whose list it is because it is not ME's list and he makes the decisions! Unless he is in contact with you?

4

oldbri added 22:30 - Jan 24 A change is gunna come. It might be too late for promotion but maybe we might have a new manager before de motion.
0

BlueMachines added 22:31 - Jan 24 But he has played at big big clubs....
2

RobITFC added 22:35 - Jan 24 Seriously now have proof that Evans is an Ostrich!
2

Theipswich added 22:45 - Jan 24 Evans is the root cause. I have been saying for some time he is not of the football world and ITFC is just a satellite activity of his business empire. This last statement is not worthy of a club that 40 years ago was the best footballing side in Europe. Evans should come out and be questioned about his real commitment and not hide behind these statements that read like a company balance sheet. I am at the end of my tether...and I've been a fan for a long time but I've had enough ...we are a shambles from top to bottom...we get a player in on loan and first day he's got covid...sums us up totoally

4

stiggytrunk1955 added 22:48 - Jan 24 hey whitton united next derby game then piss off lambert
0

Bert added 22:53 - Jan 24 Hardly a ringing endorsement from the club. They will have been stung by the EADT and Star's editorial hence a pretty weak statement knowing that Lambert has lost the support of its fan base. Acknowledging the frustration of it's paying customers is one thing but doing something about it is what most fans want. A Manager who serves up a formation that cannot score goals and plays at a pedestrian pace can only last so long. The media together with Blue Action and the words of former players should spell the beginning of the end but as others have hinted, will the owner sack a man who, apart from being ill, is running out of excuses with most players ready to return.

4

marco5113 added 23:01 - Jan 24 lost for words...... come on everybody lets buy the yellow and green scarfs now before its too late.
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moggasnotebook added 23:06 - Jan 24 The country is in lockdown and there are hundreds if not thousands or tens of thousands of businesses going bust and closing down. Those with deep pockets, millions in the bank or with the collateral to borrow millions for the many investment and profit opportunities that will be appearing in the next 12 months will be very UNLIKELY to be looking to purchase a football club, never mind a non Premier League club or one outside London........... Would you purchase a football club today with no crowds, no hospitality and restaurant bookings and no chance of summer pop concerts on the pitch? If readers of TWTD or any fans can find someone that stupid enough to buy the club in 2021 or any time soon then may I suggest the buyer who is that stupid would not make a good custodian of the club OR take us to a long term successful promotion and secure place. I AM HAPPY TO BE PROVED WRONG, any good suggestions and I will call them myself to try and sell them the idea.

3

Saxonblue74 added 23:31 - Jan 24 Ironic really isn't it? Lambert came in as the saviour, the white knight who was to re unite our disjointed club. Fans, players and management together for the greater good. Result? The club is now more divided than any time in our history. I hope and pray this is the classic vote of confidence and his days are numbered. Absolutely concur 100% with Mogga's comments in his above 2 posts.

4

shakytown added 23:35 - Jan 24 Unbelievable. He has clearly lost the dressing room judging by Chambers comments and someone at the club comes out with this load of rubbish. I can only hope its the usual way to say good riddance to a truly incompetent manager. LAMBERT OUT NOW!!!!!!
3

Northstandveteran added 23:37 - Jan 24 Congratulations for living in the real world Mogga. As I have been trying to say for months. Unless there happens to be an eccentric billionaire Ipswich fan from Copdock, who on God's Earth would invest in this club? And again, before this upsets people, this is in no way support for Marcus Evans. He has put the club in this position and the only hope we have is that the next managerial appointment performs the miracles of Ramsey and Robson. The 4th tier and financial ruin are a genuine possibility.

3

Northstandveteran added 23:48 - Jan 24 And this will upset a few.... If you were daft enough to buy a season ticket to watch THIS standard of football, during a PANDEMIC and continue to pay your direct debits, this is basically letting the club think that everything is fine. It's not supporting the club, it's supporting Evans. There is a very fine line between loyalty and stupidity. And it's not one I intend to cross. Down votes and abuse welcomed because I've just about had enough of the circus that this club has become and my interest is at the point of no return.

18

Pessimist added 00:02 - Jan 25 You are really being childish in asking for Lambert's head. As Frank Weston pointed out in his latest column on the Vial Ipswich website, it is much more to do with continuity than anything else, and Evans is right.
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Theipswich added 00:10 - Jan 25 the sticking point is the 5 year contract...nothing else.Evans being entrepreneurial is saddled with a 5 year dilemma and won't payout
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leroy2488 added 00:23 - Jan 25 The writing is well and truly on the wall when a manager getting it totally wrong, has no ability or inclination to do anything whatsoever to change the things which are causing the problem. No plan B, is only an option when plan A always works.
2

Bluesparx added 01:21 - Jan 25 Interesting names suggested as a replacement but what about Nigel Pearson - he rebuilt liecester?
2

oH_bluey added 01:28 - Jan 25 Paul Cook. Third time lucky with a Paul.
0

KiwiBlue2 added 01:33 - Jan 25 Nigel Pearson or Paul Cook could certainly freshen things up. A Butcher-Burley-Dyer combo could also be interesting from a sentimental viewpoint. Either way we need someone to kick the current players into life and to bring a more flexible tactical approach.
3

Bluesparx added 01:51 - Jan 25 My fear is that Evans will go along with the excuses of bad luck and injuries and continue to back PL til the end of the season, then its likely we will lose a lot of the talented younger players we do have, ward and Chambers may retire then instead of having a team that SHOULD be looking at promotion we will be left with a team that belongs in this league for years to come. Maybe paying lambert off wouldnt be so costly in comparison in the long term Evans??

0

TractorRoyNo1 added 02:03 - Jan 25 It has to be Dyer with a mentor for me, the others are just cast offs from other low-rent teams.
0

WonTheCupin78 added 05:05 - Jan 25 While we remain in contention for a play-off place, Lambert is going nowhere. One win and we could (conceivably) be back in the play-offs. We have games in hand also which must be taken into account.
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