I think that it is fair to say that, barring an absolute miracle, relegation back to the Championship is now inevitable.
Naturally, and externally at least, the club will say otherwise. They cannot be seen to be believing otherwise. They will look to fight to the end in the knowledge that will be what us fans will demand. In truth though, we cannot expect the number of wins required when there have only been three all season.
I am saddened that we have reached this point. Not because we are limping out of the Premier League, but because the feel-good factor that came to the club at an alarming pace in the previous two seasons is being blown to smithereens in too many quarters. There will now be so many irrational post-mortems and hyper-analytical prognosis’s as to where it has all gone wrong. Hindsight will play its part.
The Forest game yet again epitomised much of what has gone before. In the game for 35 minutes, with little between two sides on display. Then, in the blink of an eye, we were out of the game. Just like that.
Alex Palmer reacts after being beaten for Nottingham Forest's fourth goal. Alex Palmer reacts after being beaten for Nottingham Forest's fourth goal. (Image: Steve Waller)
I did not like that six-minute spell. Not just because we conceded three goals. It was our whole demeanour. A blame game was evident. We were arguing amongst ourselves. Running towards adversity it certainly was not.
In the aftermath of this, Town legend Mick Mills made an interesting point on Radio Suffolk. It was one that referred to the type of signings that we had made. It took me back to my own thoughts at the start of the season.
I think Kieran McKenna was caught between a rock and a hard place at the time. None of us wanted to see the band of brothers that got us to the Premier League broken up. The togetherness that got us here deserved a crack at the Premier League perhaps. On the flip side, with so many having played a huge part of getting us out of League One, upgrades were required for sure. What got us here would not get us there, in the words of Mark Ashton.
On the spending spree and the adding of loanees that we ultimately went on, there was only Kalvin Phillips signed with any Premier League experience. I wondered at the time if that would haunt us.
Ipswich Town chairman Mark Ashton (left) and manager Kieran McKenna will reflect on what more they could have done this season. Ipswich Town chairman Mark Ashton (left) and manager Kieran McKenna will reflect on what more they could have done this season. (Image: PA)
Mick made the point that we had invested for the future rather than the present. Had such signings paid off, it would have been seen as a masterstroke. But now the outcome is inevitable, it's proved a move that did not pay off.
Our recent past was superb. Our future looks exciting. But, for many, the matter of here and now will cloud those thoughts.
There was condemnation on Saturday of those fans that left before the end of the game. Everyone will have their own reason and, for some, it is a case of looking after their mental health.
One fan reached out to me on Sunday with this exact reason. He told me that he was struggling with his mental health and had left the ground before the end of recent games. He is giving himself a hard time for leaving early as those that sit around him probably think that he is a bad supporter. He was a season ticket holder through all the Marcus Evans years and just gets low when we keep losing. He feels bad about leaving early because he cares so much about the club.
Nobody knows what else is going on in other people’s lives. We should be mindful of those that struggle to cope with certain situations.
Kalvin Phillips was one of the few signings Ipswich Town made last summer with Premier League experience. Kalvin Phillips was one of the few signings Ipswich Town made last summer with Premier League experience. (Image: Steve Waller)
Finally, a little reminder if I may. On Friday, I was going through some of my old pieces. Ironically, and just before I read the news about the planning permission being approved for our new £30 million pound training complex, I came across a very apt headline. It read: ‘Our club is in a state, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it’. That was not all that long ago in the grand scheme of things.
Whatever you think about this season, we would do well to remember that the club is now in a great position and in very good hands.