Across the Border: Ipswich Town must start well to keep the fans on side for new adventure in League One

Well, here we are then. As I took over writing this column last year, I was full of hope, excitement and praise for the new Ipswich Town boss and era we were about to embark on.

Fast forward 12 months and we are finally out of the Championship, just out of the wrong door!

Last season was just awful, wasn’t it? Not only were the Tractor Boys one of the worst sides in Championship history, but our feathered ‘friends’ up the road went and won the thing. The less said about that, the better.

I don’t want to hark on too much about the previous campaign and can’t help but think that surely ‘things can only get better’ this season, right?!

The arrival of James Norwood seems to be an extremely good one and although I’m writing this before he’s kicked a ball competitively for the Blues, you can just tell we’ve got a real striker on our hands.

The arrivals of Tomas Holy and Luke Garbutt look astute signings at League One level and who knows who will next be through the door.

For me, in order for Town to be successful, Paul Lambert needs to recruit two more strikers, to accompany Norwood and Kayden Jackson. Kayden has had an excellent pre-season and looks a different player to the one who struggled last year, but competition is a must to ensure we get the best out of him.

As well as that, I think we could probably do with two more centre-halves and a full-back, to bolster and improve what is clearly a weak and shaky backline.

The support shown for Town last season was incredible through the club’s darkest hour for more than 60 years, but start slow in the third tier and things could become extremely ugly for Lambert and his men.

I’ll be heading over to the Pirelli on Saturday full of belief this season is going to be a good one and hopefully kick-start the rise of East Anglia’s most decorated football club once again.