Former Town skipper Luke Chambers is looking forward to returning to his old club this evening with Colchester United in the Carabao Cup and says the backing the Blues have been given by the new owners has been brilliant.

Chambers was released by Town shortly after last year’s takeover when he joined the U’s, with whom he has now made 50 appearances and has been skippering in former Blues teammate Tommy Smith’s absence through injury.

The 36-year-old is one of a number of former Town players who will be back at their old club tonight.

Ex-vice-captain Cole Skuse, Freddie Sears, Alan Judge, Tom Eastman and Frank Nouble could all be involved, while another former Town central defender, Wayne Brown, is now the U’s head coach. Like Smith, one-time Blues midfielder Emyr Huws misses out through injury.

Chambers spoke to Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk (3hrs, 12mins, 36secs) about tonight’s game and his nine years at Portman Road, most of them as captain.

“I think it’ll be a decent local game,” he said. “I think the two clubs have got their own agendas, their own plans and aspirations for the season and it will just be one of the back stories of the game that a few of us have played there before and will be coming back.

“And if people want to come and watch a good game of football, I’m sure that’s what it’ll be.”

It will be Chambers’s second return to Portman Road since leaving Town having played in last year’s Papa John’s Trophy tie which Town won 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

“It was a quick turnaround for me,” he recalled. “Time has gone by over the last year, it’s gone by in a flash. I’ve taken a little bit of stock about how things came about and where the club is now and my personal situation.

“But I’ll be absolutely delighted to come back, I’m really, really looking forward to it and to seeing some familiar faces and a lot of new faces now. It’s a completely different look of a football club to the one that I left a year ago.”

With news of his exit having come after the end of the 2020/21 campaign, Chambers never got to say a proper goodbye to the Blues support.

“Football moves quickly, it’s a forever turning table so it was one of those things,” he reflected. “Yes, in an ideal situation it would have been nice to leave with a full stadium and the support that I always received there, but that wasn’t to be and it’s out of my control.

“I was there last season for a few of the games and at the end of the day it’s going to be my club moving forward for the rest of my days.

“At the moment my allegiances lie where I am, trying to win games of football at Colchester, but I’ll always keen an eye on what’s going on at Ipswich because that’s where I spent the majority of my football career.”

Chambers made 395 starts and one game from the bench for the Blues, scoring 19 times, and is ninth in the all-time appearances list, an achievement he is proud of.

“Tremendous record that I managed to get,” he added. “I just look back on everything with pride, I always tried to do everything to the best of my ability to the benefit of the football club, sometimes to the detriment to my own personal stuff.

“But at the end of the day if I can be remembered as a good person and footballer, hopefully that will go hand in hand. It’s just one of those things, if I’ve left a mark on those things, hopefully a positive one.

“Yes, we went through some tough times but what club doesn’t? I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on moving forward. The investment’s been second to none, the ground improvements, just stuff that’s needed to be done for a long, long time and fortunately it’s now happening.

“Hopefully, that will coincide with some success on the pitch over the next year or two.”

Frustrating that he was at Town at a time when money was tight? “Every football club is different and everyone has different agendas and everyone has different budgets to work to and fortunately for Ipswich Town at the moment there’s a really, really positive side to that and the backing that’s being given is brilliant.

“That’s been matched hand-in-hand with the support off the pitch, the numbers we’re seeing in terms of season ticket sales, the matchday sales, the support everywhere you go.

“That is what the club, the town demands, they’re deserving of that sort of surrounding now, the stadium [improvements] and stuff like that that’s been given.

“Everything’s set up for the team to be successful now, there’s a tremendous young manager, so I’m just always keeping one eye on what’s going on.”

Photos: TWTD/Matchday Images

itsonlyme added 12:37 - Aug 9 Great guy and a great captain. Shame he played in naff teams here at PR.
16

irishtim added 12:38 - Aug 9 Decent Player for us. Thanks Luke.
12

JewellintheTown added 12:45 - Aug 9 Top bloke, gave his heart and soul to the club and wasn't supported as well as he should have been behind the scenes. Everyone makes mistakes, especially as a defender. You just get punished for them more than most other positions. Wasn't a world class footballer but he is a world class guy and did the best with what he was given, especially as captain, week in week out. Would welcome him back gladly in the future in some off-field role.

15

Suffolkboy added 12:47 - Aug 9 Characters like LC come along very rarely ; his professional approach , personal integrity and honesty stand tall in the pantheon of ITFC staff . It IS a shame he played at times with inadequate support ,but he remained super fit , always committed – and was sadly and badly treated ( along with others) during the latter stages of his time with us ! Good to hear from him ! COYB

15

johnwarksshorts added 13:24 - Aug 9 Great servant for ITFC.
6

blues1 added 13:29 - Aug 9 Agree whole heartedly with the comments so far on here. We all know he wasn't at his best the last couple of seasons here, but there were mitigating circumstances to that in his penultimate season. But he also was nowhere near as bad as some fans, especially on social media accused him of. Always gave 100 % on the field, and all the stuff he did off the field was exceptional. Deserves the respect of all fans. Doubtful as whether he'll get that on here mind you. Would very much welcome him back in some capacity when his playing days are over. Thanks Chambo

6

bedsitfc added 13:38 - Aug 9 The whole time he was here we were on a downwards spiral but it wasn't his or his teammates fault he blame rests with our owner at the time Marcus Evans! Unfortunately for Marcus he didn't really know or understand the concept of running a football club which made him oblivious to many small things which in turn caused our downturn! I am saying Marcus did try to get us back where we belong but it was to much for him to learn in such a short space of time and I think he lost interest in paying for it!

2

Monkey_Blue added 13:59 - Aug 9 A player I'd always defend because of his commitment and often because he performed far better than given credit for. He deserves credit way beyond what many on here give him… although suspect the Col U fans won't like these comments.
2

norskblue added 14:42 - Aug 9 I don't get it. Yes he was a great guy and done what he could for the club but, he wasn't good enough for the last 3 years. For that time he took the wage and was a liability on the pitch. Nice guy, poor footballer.
-3

SheptonMalletBlue added 16:19 - Aug 9 Rose tinted glasses, absolutely crap in the last two years at Town, not much better before. Worst ever captain!!
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Nomore4 added 16:34 - Aug 9 Agree could have stepped down as Captain, 3 years before the end. It was clearly not working…. Chose to ride it out on top dollar…..
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terryf added 16:39 - Aug 9 OK he had his limitations as a footballer and would have found it difficult to fit in with our style of play now, but I always thought he gave his all for the Team and was a decent skipper. He was also a big influence on a lot of the younger guys and welcoming new players to the Club.
2

BurleysGloryDays added 17:03 - Aug 9 Always welcome back, Luke - like anyone who cares for the club as much as you did/do. A pity he played during dark times at the club, without setting the world alight. But maybe as part of a staff in the future, there are brighter times ahead to write that history you'd have liked.
1

therein61 added 18:01 - Aug 9 I could never fault his 100% commitment to the cause and his off field help to others but his limitations were exposed by the signings around him in a poor side for years he deserves the utmost praise for the fact that he just kept going and doing his utmost and leadership we didn't have many players with sweat on their shirts at half time let alone 90 mins, I wish him well and think he will be a decent coach one day.

1

Bluearmy71 added 18:38 - Aug 9 Love you Cap, I am filled with pride every time I hear your name, you gave us your everything and we as fans can ask for no more that that, you are an ITFC legend end of!!
0

pegasus added 19:31 - Aug 9 An honourable man. Had to shoulder a lot of responsibility when he was here; never whinged, never whinges. He deserves, and I hope he gets, a warm welcome this evening. I hope he finds a way to contribute to the game when his retirement comes.
1

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