Blues skipper Luke Chambers says there have been no talks about his future, with his contract up at the end of the season, but is in no doubt he wants to be a member of what's likely to be a much-changed Town squad under new boss Paul Cook next season.

Asked whether he wants to be part of Cook’s plans for the Blues’ future, the 35-year-old said: “Absolutely I do, yes. My ambition for the football club to be successful and be where they need to be has not changed.

“I’ve played virtually every game this season again, but we’ll just see what happens. I’m just trying to do my bit for the team and try and play as well as I can and I’m enjoying being back at centre-half.”

Has there been any hint about his future? “No, we’re not even talking about it. I don’t think anyone really is talking about it at the minute.

“At the end of the day, we’ve had two years of mediocrity at the football club so what can you say? You have to try and take your opportunities when they come and I think the lads tried to do that against Bristol Rovers and we’ll just keep focusing on every game as it comes. Yes, it’s uneasy for some players to go through but you have to handle that.”

Chambers admits that it would hurt if he left the club without having helped the Blues back into the Championship.

“Yes, absolutely and it’s never going be an easy conversation to have,” he said.

“But I’m fully behind what the gaffer’s trying to do, what the football club’s trying to do and I just think that as soon as we get everyone back in this place and see what the gaffer wants to do and if he’s allowed to do it, that’s something I really want to be a part of.”

Chambers, who has been at Town since joining on a free transfer from Nottingham Forest under Paul Jewell in the summer of 2012, says there are players worrying about their futures with 26 members of the squad out of contract come the end of the campaign.

“I think they definitely do, why maybe it’s gone this long,” he said. “It’s not the first time it’s happened at the football club, players have always found themselves in tricky situations with contracts. But if that’s the way it is, that’s the way it is. You have to handle it.

“It’s been a tough year for everyone. The football environment has changed massively. The landscape for players coming out of contract is not what you want to have but we find ourselves where we are and we just have to handle it game by game.

“We’ve got nine games to go and we’ll be looking to crack on on Monday and be really positive and try and take the game to Rochdale.”

Asked what manager Cook has tried to change since he took charge at the start of last month, Chambers said: “He’s just tried to free the lads’ mindset really and just try and believe in themselves a little bit more, take people on, get crosses in, have shots.

“Just try and be more effective, more productive, if you have to play in to the strikers early [do so], he played two up front against Bristol Rovers and we started the game brilliantly.

“As long as that quality’s in to the front we can play off that. We’ve got willing runners from midfield, we’ve got players that can cause damage, Teddy Bishop’s had one of is best games for a while, especially in the first half, he had the freedom to take people on and he’s a tremendous footballer. If we can get him in the right positions on the football pitch, he’ll make things happen for us.”

He says he and Cook have spoken extensively over the last few weeks.

“We’ve had loads of chats so far, he’s been great with me, another manager I’ve played under and I just want to keep repaying the faith that he’s showing in me," he said.

“He’s been brilliant from day one, we’ve had chats and he just tries to let me manage the group as much as possible and that’s great when you’ve got that trust from the manager.”
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Photo: Matchday Images

Billericay12 added 16:50 - Apr 4 Tractorfrog - not as good a footballer as Toto ??? Are you sure ? I have seen non league players more comfortable with the ball at their feet than Toto. Chambers has a much better first touch but admittedly is slowing up. Most of them make mistakes and Chambers is no worse than most. He definitely has leadership qualities which is why every manager we have has given him the captaincy. He is clearly passionate about ITFC and we shouldn't knock him for that. I think his playing opportunities will start to become limited but their may be a role for him at the vlub in some capacity

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spanishblue added 16:51 - Apr 4 Unfortunately LC to me has always tried his best ruined by MM maybe,but he's not Johnnie Wark positional sense is no t good enough pace is non existent thankyou but time to put your boots up
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Sixto6 added 17:00 - Apr 4 Chambers simply has to GO ! If there is to be any chance of a change, the old pro's that have oversee the demise of our team have to be released ! I just don't get how Luke has been called by some as our leader ? He seems to shout a lot but there is not much evidence that what he is saying is any good ! Christophe Berra was the organiser at the back - look how poor we have been defensively since he left ! I'm sure he'd love another year at Town, because no one else would offer him one in L1. Paul Cook - start your clearing out with the so called captain !!!

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timkatieadamitfc added 17:01 - Apr 4 Whether you like him or not ask yourselves this one question, if we were taken over and had considerable money to spend would you want him in the team? And as for club legend- do me a favour, the PROPER club legends like Cooper, Butcher, Mills, Wark,Muhren,Thijssen, Beattie, Holland to name a few will be pi@@ing themselves at that. Anyone who just blames him for our demise is equally as clueless IMO as he is just one of about 15 players who needs to be shipped out this summer if we have money or not

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ThaiBlue added 17:08 - Apr 4 Luke is 1 of many who have to go sorry but the fans have put up with to much rubbish over the years time for a big clear out and mr cook to start us afresh for next season.
4

barrystedmunds added 17:20 - Apr 4 We need a clear out and at 35 we should start with him. I like the guy and all he's done but times up, in my opinion!
5

eddiespearitt03 added 17:46 - Apr 4 Oh for crikes sake, i hope this club ends this apathy and a preference for having personalities rather than good footballers at the club. This club will remain going no where if we do not start building a fresh squad. Simple as that really.
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Gforce added 18:12 - Apr 4 Please Luke do the honourable thing and hang your boots up. Why every recent manager we've had, loves this guy so much is beyond me. If you won't hang those boots up, sign for Colchester on a free, their about your level.
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Bert added 18:27 - Apr 4 Now past his best and caught out too often but doesn't deserve the keyboard vitriol by some posters. Frankly he is no worse than a handful of players so I will leave it to Cook's judgement whether he is offered a one year contract.
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dirtydingusmagee added 18:29 - Apr 4 sorry Luke but you have going downwards for sometime, we need to be going places and cant afford passengers.
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Radlett_blue added 18:33 - Apr 4 only TWO years of mediocrity?
0

happybeingblue added 19:09 - Apr 4 hes been a good pro and servant at itfc but is very much part of our current woes i am afraid we cannot let sentiment get in the way of our club moving forward hopefully at last ...waits with baited breath, a lot of the current squad need to be moved on they seem either injury prone or lacking in the required mindset for a 90 min battle ,we are all fed up of the constant we need to do better etc its gone way past its sell by date...some of us knew the squad was not strong enough despite brenna and millsy trying to convince us weekly on suffolk radio it was.

2

tetchris added 19:39 - Apr 4 I'm sorry Luke but at 35 years old your time at the club is coming to an end! Great servant but it's about building a team for the future
2

BluedanW added 19:42 - Apr 4 My ambition for the club will be over if we sign you up. Sorry, thank.you for your time here. But we will not progress unless you leave
4

atty added 20:36 - Apr 4 Big changes ahead squad wise irrespective of whether or not we get promoted. We need to be ruthless and decisive. Too many players no longer up to it. As for Chambers and Skuse getiing into coaching, are there any vacancies? Or who's going to get the chop to make room for them?
2

arablue added 01:53 - Apr 5 A critical part of being a good leader is to know when your presence is an impediment to the progress of the team...we will see what sort of leader Chambers is...
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madmouse1959 added 03:27 - Apr 5 Thanks but no thanks. Be grateful for all the years you have collected a wage Mr Chambers. If you really want the best for this club, then step aside and take Mr Sears and Mr Skuse with you.
6

SE1blue added 03:50 - Apr 5 Any decision should be based on performances and Chambers is now struggling in League One. Being a regular who picks up few injuries is not enough of a reason to keep him for me. These characteristics do not win games. We need better and players we can build a future around.
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KiwiBlue2 added 04:16 - Apr 5 It is always difficult when a player seen as a club stalwart reaches the point where age has clearly caught up with them. Approaching 400 appearances is a great record. Some on here have called him a 'club great'. I would stop somewhat short of that although it has to be remembered that he has spent a considerable part of that time at right back when, particularly in his earlier years, he was a better centre back. For the team to progress we need K V-Y, or a player with similar attributes at right back and should be grooming a back up for him. Accepting this the fall back position for L C is centre back. However he should now be regarded as a potential back-up for Wilson, Woolfie, Toto and hopefully Ndaba. Given this scenario LC should only be offered a one-year contract as a cb non-starting back-up. He could also be funded to progress his coaching badges. In his absence I would nominate Downes to take over the captaincy. The added responsibility might help to contain some of his rasher impulses and he has the ability to hold a midfield place in the team. If we land Lee Evans then a new, proven striker and winger might be the limit of Paul Cook's summer additions with the wages being covered by unloading Skuse, Sears, Jackson, Nolan, Donacien, Ward, and a few others. Interesting to see how it all unfolds over the next month or two.... coyb

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shakytown added 06:34 - Apr 5 Would keep him but on a much reduced contract. if we have any ambition at all we need players who are actually coming up in their careers not on the downslide but he would still be useful as a backup player.
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bluesman added 07:43 - Apr 5 “He lets me try to manage the group.” Whatever you think of Chambers as a player he clearly is not able to get what is required out of the team. Since Cook arrived he appears to have presided over a training ground rebellion and there are too often points in games when you wonder if anyone in the team is trying. If Cook really thinks Chambers is an effective intermediary maybe he needs to question the assumption he has made. He seems to have a hold on the team and now on this manager too. Strange times.

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suffolkblueeye added 09:43 - Apr 5 Him, Skuse, Judge, Jackson, Toto, Ward and all the loan players need to go....Doz doesn't seem to deliver a great deal either apart from gett8ng booked and losing the ball
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stocktractor added 10:03 - Apr 5 Needs to go, never rated him and if we honestly want to get better and improve you can't have the captain in charge that has led us to league 1, with no cup runs. Him and skuse see you later
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istanblue added 13:10 - Apr 5 “At the end of the day, we've had two years of mediocrity at the football club so what can you say?'' TWO years!? Try 6 years of mediocrity/failure. This kind of attitude whereby midtable Championship was seen as success was what started the slippery slope to where we are now. Chambers was a key part of that and needs to depart at the end of the season. If either he or Skuse get new deals I'll be very disappointed in Cook.

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