Town boss Paul Lambert says it’s 99.9 per cent certain that he won’t be manager of the Blues if the US-backed takeover is confirmed.

News of the £30 million takeover of the Blues by the consortium emerged this week but with the club insisting yesterday that owner Marcus Evans is “not actively looking to sell”. Nevertheless, TWTD understands the deal is close to being done and Town could change hands within a matter of weeks.

Although Brett Johnson, a leading figure at Phoenix Rising and FC Tucson, has entered the spotlight having followed Town’s Twitter account in recent days, the Los Angeles-based business man is not the main driver behind the deal with former West Brom chief executive officer Mike O'Leary believed to be the leading figure. O'Leary is close to Bristol City chief executive Mark Ashton, a former board member at West Brom and one-time goalkeeper with the Baggies.

Former Portsmouth, Wigan and Chesterfield boss Paul Cook has been linked with the Portman Road hotseat currently filled by Lambert.

Asked what he knew about the takeover situation after today’s game, Lambert responded: “I’m aware of it. I have to be careful what I say as I know much as you guys, I guess the best person you have to ask is the owner of this club.

“He’s always said he’ll do the right thing for the football club and try and move it forward and [regarding] investment, it certainly needs it, without a shadow of a doubt. It certainly needs investment and help somewhere, where they’ll get it from I don’t know.

“It’s an incredible club, an incredible fanbase, 20-odd thousand people [coming to games] in this league, and Ipswich fans have been brilliant. It certainly needs that help on that side of it.

“Regarding whether I know much about it, not really, which you’ll probably think is a bit bizarre but I don’t.

“My own position? I’ve been in the game long enough to know the way things happen. What I do know about it is that when a takeover generally comes in, 99.9 per cent I’ll not be here, that’s what happens.

“If that happens, I’ve got no worry, no fear, no nothing. I’d wish everybody all the best and hopefully they can go on and do it.”

Asked whether if anything was imminently set to happen, today might have been his last game in charge, he joked: “When I came in this morning, Paul Cook was in the office up there! No, I’m only kidding.

“Listen, I don’t get involved with all of that. If you ask me if I think I’m going to be here when there’s a takeover, no, I don’t.”

Lambert, who was watched while he spoke to the media by first-team coach Matt Gill, who has been suggested as a potential caretaker boss if the manager were to move on before a new man was confirmed, met with Evans on Thursday in what’s believed to have been a frosty meeting and revealed they spoke again yesterday.

“Marcus is the one who has said he would sell it to somebody better or somebody who can invest,” he said.

“As I said before, 99 per cent of the time when a takeover takes place, I’m not here. But we have to wait and see.

“I’ve spoken to Marcus, I’ve spoken to [general manager of football operations] Lee [O’Neill], we had discussions on Thursday, discussions on Friday night. I’ve not been involved in too many situations where I’m talking on Friday night about other stuff, which I find quite bizarre, but there we go.”

Asked whether he’s got to deal with the here and now, he said: “That’s it, and we win. That’s the most important thing. The football club has got incredible support behind it, it certainly needs help.”

Quizzed later on him wanting to know the lie of the land should the takeover happen, he reiterated: “Ninety-nine per cent I won’t be here. When the takeover comes, it wouldn’t matter if I was sitting at the top of the table, 99 per cent normally the manager’s away. That’s football.”

Would he be disappointed by that? “No, that’s football. I’ve been in the game since I was 15 when I made my debut all those years ago at St Mirren. I’m 51 now.”

Wouldn’t it be a shame not to complete the project here? “You have to ask Marcus.”

Does it sound like anything is imminent? “I don’t know, ask him!”

When it was pointed out that Evans won’t speak to the media, Lambert added: “I wonder why he doesn’t speak to you! I don’t know, I’m going home for a nice beer, I think.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Michael101 added 08:48 - Feb 28 The £2.5 millions spend limit is dropped a few weeks ago .today Evans is selling up.link maybe??
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londontractorboy57 added 09:50 - Feb 28 You've wished for something better before and look what happened this could be the final step to oblivion.
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Northstandveteran added 10:15 - Feb 28 Morning Swn98 😁 Every silver lining has a cloud with you doesn't it? 😂 Come on, cheer up 😁 Oh, and if you're having a Sunday morning lay in, give Mick a nudge and send him my regards xxx
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Woodbridgian added 10:53 - Feb 28 Difficult for Lambert whatever you think of him. Equally one week when asked about newspaper reports about him being fired, he said he didn't read the papers but now says he only knows what he's read in them! Need to get your story right Paul!
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Orraman added 11:10 - Feb 28 Monkey Blue and Londontractorboy 57 have it spot on. No American consortium will keep pumping money in to keep us financially viable like ME has done and has already been mentioned what has supposed investment from foreign consortiums done for Bolton, Bury or Birmingham. What did the Venky chicken group do for Blackburn? The Americans similarly have a poor record at Arsenal and aren't the Glazers so loved at Man Utd - I think not. This could indeed be the first step to oblivion and we may well look back at the years 2020/21 as the good times. So very worrying. From the Cobbolds right through to Sheepshanks days there has always been a very strong family and community basis to ITFC and even during Evans time we have kept close to local charities and community events. Will the Americans carry this on - like Hell they will. They just want their bucks and quickly.

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Monkey_Blue added 11:59 - Feb 28 The ignorance of some people on here is stunning. The criticism of lambert and evans, whilst some is deserved is overwhelmingly moronic. This isn't a computer game and history doesn't win football games and a huge percentage of the time neither does money alone. I wish there was a local billionaire who would care only about results but we don't have one. What we do have is an owner who hasn't drained the club and sold it out, whilst also not breaking the bank. He's well over £100m in the hole for this club and I fear for us if we are taken over by a group looking to make money who will cut their losses if it doesn't work and not care a toss about the consequences for ITFC. Mick was driven out and we lost championship status, when evans is as it seems likely driven out what might we lose next? The same idiots who wanted a young lower league manager and lower league “gems” now want a bunch of money grabbers to own the club. 😡

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Bazza8564 added 13:08 - Feb 28 I agree with comments above about feeling a little sorry for PL, the die is cast for him but you cant help reading between the lines that Evans hasnt been supportive enough. Im just not very excited by Paul Cook though. Is he capable of getting us to the premiership? Would we be better off with an Older Director of Football working with younger brighter coaches. There is talk of Hodgson leaving Palace. He and Lewington would be great to reawaken this club. Think bigger you lovely people from the US! This is not a League One club, its not a Wigan or a Chesterfield. There are big people with pedigree out there that would shine here. Lets make a statement with the next appointment not just another one of the same.

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Jesney_Havoc added 20:23 - Mar 1 He was right !
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