Former Blues skipper Luke Chambers hit the 800-career appearance milestone for his current club Colchester on Tuesday evening and admits he never imagined that he would go on to play so many games when he made his senior debut aged 17 with Northampton.

Chambers joined the Blues on a free transfer in the summer of 2012 following a five-and-a-half-year spell with Nottingham Forest.

The 36-year-old was the club’s skipper for most of his time at the club before being among those to depart last summer. He made 396 appearances of his 800 appearances for the Blues.

“I'm still feeling very fit and strong,” Chambers told the Colchester Gazette following Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Forest Green Rovers. “I'm enjoying playing, so it's another milestone.

“You start to look at records and how many people have played more than that. I think there are only five or six players in the Football League who have played more, so it's something I can be very proud of.

“When you first start, you're just like 'can I get to 25 games, 50 games, 100 games’ - it's never on the radar.

“When I take a bit of reflection and look back on the games that I've played, 800 is just something I couldn't have even imagined when I started as a 17-year-old at Northampton Town.

“I've had some success in my career and I'd like to think that I'm passing that experience onto my team-mates, especially a lot of the younger boys here.

“They seem to bounce off me quite a lot and it's a privilege to be playing with some of the young boys who are beginning their career when it seems like yesterday, I was starting mine.”

Photo: Matchday Images

SheptonMalletBlue added 12:13 - Jan 13 Can't believe how so many people think he was so great. Worst Captain in our history. He oversaw so many bad and negative things that happened to our Club and yet is worshipped by so many. Chambers at his peak (whenever that was) would get nowhere near our first team today!!!
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SheptonMalletBlue added 12:15 - Jan 13 i reckon most of those who love him are under the age of 25!
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ChrisFelix added 13:34 - Jan 13 As captain took us down & it appears doing a similar job at Colchester. Never could read the game & once his pace went really was a liability. His positional skills were poor , and he for me is membered more for goals he scored. If you want a legend or great leader look at Mills, Baxter , Butcher or Holland
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Buryblue78 added 13:46 - Jan 13 Anyone lucky enough to have watched Beatie,Hunter,Mills,Burley,Butcher and Osman wouldn't use the term “legend” However 800 appearances shows a disciplined robust and committed athlete who when he hangs his boots up can feel a genuine sense of satisfaction that he got the best out of his abilities There have been plenty of more talented footballers who have wasted it Good luck wherever the future takes you You've almost earned the pipe and slippers but I can't see him with his feet up I reckon we'll see him coaching or managing sometime soon but not here at Ipswich…..

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AlanG296 added 13:47 - Jan 13 We were the perfect club for him. A club that's decline kept pace with his own decline in footballing capability. If we had been going in the opposition direction, he would have been surplus to our requirements years ago.
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KernewekBlue added 13:53 - Jan 13 Some of the apparent animosity shown towards our former skipper is just unbelievable... the guy never played nearly 400 games for our club to deserve that level of bile being spouted in his direction. Yes, he was past his best and looked to be a bit of a liability at times but no one should doubt his professionalism and heart whilst wearing a Town shirt. He wasn't the best defender we've ever had, nor was he the most technically gifted but he gave it all for this club over numerous seasons and without him, things might have got a lot worse for us during the terrible reign of ME. Whilst I agree that everyone is entitled to an opinion, those slating him as being the reason for our slow demise are way, way off the mark and showing just how classless some of our armchair warriors truly are!

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Suffolkboy added 13:59 - Jan 13 There are some miserable ba–-ds about ! Always appearing to be one of the fittest at ITFC ,often picked upon totally unfairly and with nothing but malicious motive, LC has conducted himself immaculately both on the pitch ,as a Pro Footballer , and in his life generally ! He uncomplainingly played wherever asked , was often both let down and left exposed by the inadequacy of those around ,and you cannot expect any player not to make a mistake ,BUT we've a right to expect enough discipline and commitment from others to understand and read the game and provide adequate support – too often this was not the case ! A very good point has already been made that defensively ITFC were generally more than adequate but simply either could not or did not score often enough ! Well done Luke ,there'll be many in both the Pro ranks and amongst us amateurs who will reflect and admire what you've achieved ! COYB

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IpswichToon added 14:33 - Jan 13 It does make me laugh seeing comments attempting to 'have a go' at Chambers while using grammar such as 'may of' instead of 'may have' and not knowing the difference between 'accept' and 'except'. Chambers is a lovely guy and gave this club his all. Your contribution is... what? Being a tw@t on fan forums just for the sake of it?
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ringwoodblue added 14:42 - Jan 13 Superb achievement and testimony to the fact that he keeps himself fit and hardly misses any games through injury or illness. Not a true legend like a Butcher or Mowbray but he deserves our gratitude and respect.
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FromIpswichToPhoenix added 15:00 - Jan 13 I always thought it harsh that he didn't hit the 400 mark for the club. To be four games shy of such a major milestone. I would have found a way to get him to four more games. He deserved it.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 15:01 - Jan 13 Ipswichtoon, lovely guy, calamitous footballer!!
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cantona11 added 15:06 - Jan 13 I've always thought this site was a Chambers appreciation site!!! worst captain we've had and part of the down fall of this great club by all accounts he's crap for Col u as well not a solid defence with him in it and such a professional shouldn't be commenting on when Cook went "demolition man 🤣🤣" real classy that, Wolfenden has become a much better player along side a real defender and skipper Qualities Edmunson hope he doesn't ever come back to this club apart from watching from the stands like he did against Sunderland and what a game to have watched the clear out did us good

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KernewekBlue added 16:15 - Jan 13 Have some of the folks posting here ever heard of grammar or punctuation? Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez!
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norfsufblue added 19:05 - Jan 13 Well done Captain Chambers, you deserve congratulations for this achievement, nobody gets to play 800 times if they have no talent. Hope you get another 100 for Col U.
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Ipswichbusiness added 19:24 - Jan 13 I am happy to accept that he was a good professional and, at his peak, a decent defender. However, he stayed with us for a season or two too many.
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churchmans added 00:09 - Jan 14 He was a good servant but a LEGEND!!!! @Bloots have you ever seen itfc legends play at Ipswich?? I have!! And no effing way is chambers a town legend,it aint even a debate! No where near!
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