Town boss Paul Lambert expressed his frustrations with the incoming transfer situation at his first press conference of the new season this morning, citing “the way the club’s run” for the lack of new signings.

Having said he hoped to make three permanent additions last week, Town have added keeper Will Norris on loan to replace Bartosz Bialkowski, who has joined Millwall on a similar basis, while another loan deal, the signing of Lions striker Tom Elliott, broke down due to concerns regarding his hamstring injury.

While trialist central defender James Wilson is set to sign a short-term deal until January today, Lambert says nothing else is currently in the pipeline.

“No, there's no one coming in which is frustrating,” he said. “But that's football here, and as I said before, we identified guys and it's not materialised, so that's where we are.”

Is that going to change over the course of the next few weeks? "I really don't know."

What's the issue been? Players asking for too much money, clubs asking for too much money? “Work it out yourself, you work it out yourself.”

A lack of budget here? A lack of investment? “You work it yourself; they're not coming and that's the way it is. We have to go with what we've got, the lads will give us everything, they're really young, but they're ready for the game.”

Is he surprised that it has been difficult to bring players in? “It's the way the club's run, it's the way it is.”

After admitting that the squad needs a bit of help - “Of course we do” - Lambert was asked whether he needs more funds from the owner.

“We've brought in two free transfers and one loan and maybe one short-term, you don't need to be Einstein to see what it is,” he responded.

Asked whether that is enough to get out of League One, Lambert gave a perhaps sobering assessment: “No it's not, absolutely not.”

He added: “I'm not happy with the situation and the way things are. I've said before that the club is a brilliant club and it's got a brilliant fanbase behind it with lads that need a bit of help. We can't sit here and say it's right what's happening.”

Does Lambert believe that the slowness in getting deals done is down to the structure of the club with owner Marcus Evans in charge of transfer negotiations rather than a sporting director/director of football or a chief executive?

“I don’t know because I’ve not been here too long, you’ll know better than I do, I don’t know how it kind of works,” he said. “But I’ve been at a lot of clubs and played at a lot of clubs so, maybe it is the way here.”

Does the owner being involved in his other businesses a factor in deals not getting done as quickly as he would like? “I don’t know, I really don’t. I don’t know. All I’m interested in is the football club, all I’m interested in is the club - the club, the team, the support.

“That’s everything, no outside influence on anything else or anything else on the outside, it’s the football club that’s the most important.”

He says Evans is aware of his frustrations - “Yes” - and asked whether he is willing to do something about it said: “I don't know. I need to ask him that as well.”

Regarding his relationship with the Blues’ owner, he continued: “It's good. He says his bit and I say my bit, and somewhere along the line we try and meet in the middle.”

Asked if the pair are currently on a different page with the regard to the transfer situation, he said: “No, you're saying that, you can't allege that, we're not on a different page, the two of us know exactly how it is, but it's not my money.”

Given the lack of available funds, might he have to sell in order to buy? “There could be a bit of that, but we have to wait and see.”

But he says the players he has, he wants to keep: “Yeah, that's exactly it. But that's the challenge of management at times, I don't mind that and that can happen, it's the size of the club and expectancy level is really big.

“The history and what happened in the past attached to it with a great team and lads that have been promoted here and the great UEFA Cup team.

“The history of the club is huge, and quite rightly it should have that feeling about it, but if you have to sell to bring people in then, I'm pretty sure that's going to be a factor.”

But he says there’s been little interest in his players this summer in any case: “Apart from Judgey, I've not heard too much.”

Lambert says he still wants to bring in those three players with Town having until September 2nd to add to the squad: “Yes, but they're not going to come in before tomorrow, that's for sure.

"Then hopefully [Jon] Nolan and [Gwion] Edwards start to come back, and then Toto [Nsiala]. Luke [Chambers] will be back, so hopefully, we'll get one or two back and become stronger.”

Lambert played down the chances of former loanee Will Keane coming into his thoughts: “Will did really well and got a really bad injury with his hamstring.

“I don't know what he's been doing training-wise, or if he's been training with a team or individually, you can't compare training individually to a team, it's impossible because you'll never get the fitness back.

“So, even if we were to sign Will Keane the number of weeks it would take him to get up to speed could easily be into September, eight or nine games. So the likelihood would be no.”

He dismissed the suggestion that he might not have sold Ellis Harrison if he’d known there would be a struggle to bring in additions.

“Ellis had to go, that was important for Ellis, and I don't want to keep someone here that wants to go or finds themselves down the pecking order, whatever it is you don't want that to happen,” he said.

“[James] Norwood’s come in and been unbelievable for us, [Kayden] Jackson’s playing well, Idris [El Mizouni] is stepping up to the plate, so there are options, but we still need a little bit of help there.”

Would Harrison have been the third choice striker if he’d remained at the club? “No, because everybody starts on a clean slate at the start of the season.

“It’s who performs in the pre-season games and you think, 'He's playing well, we can go with him,' so everybody would have been an equal.”

He says he’s not seen anything of the £450,000 from Harrison’s sale to Portsmouth with much of it having gone to his former club Bristol Rovers.

“Ellis Harrison money went back to Bristol Rovers,” he said. “How much of it? All of it. So there’s no money that’s come in.”

Asked how that worked, he added: “The sell-on thing or whatever it is, it goes back, it doesn't come in here. If he came in here then I’m pretty sure I’d have spent it. Have you seen me buy anybody?”

The Blues have also received significant sell-ons from Matt Clarke’s switch from Portsmouth to Brighton and Tyrone Mings’s move from AFC Bournemouth to Aston Villa, while they could land another windfall of around £1 million with Adam Webster expected to join the Seagulls from Bristol City for a fee in excess of £20 million and another £325,000 with Kieffer Moore expected to join Wigan from Barnsley for £4 million.

“Mings, Clarke, maybe Webster, we haven’t bought one player,” the Blues boss continued. “I don’t know if the money has come in, nobody has told me it has come in. I don’t know.”

He added: “Whatever way those deals were structured before I came in, whenever the money comes in, it could be three years’ time down the line, four years down the line, it could be now, I don’t know.

"But you haven’t seen one player I’ve bought, I’ve not bought a player.”

However, having said in the past that he was initially reticent about taking the job due to his previous Norwich City connections, he says he has no regrets.

“No, I wouldn’t have changed for the world to be in front of the support," he added.

"The support’s been brilliant. The feeling towards us as staff since we came in, I think it's been unrivalled, I think that’s been apparent.

“I would never change the support for all the money in the world because they’ve been brilliant with me.

“Frustration at the way that things probably don’t get done as quick as the way [I would like], but that’s football. But it’s certainly a little bit different but the support I wouldn’t change.”

Meanwhile, we understand claims in the Turkish media claiming Trabzonspor are trying to sign Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski on a permanent basis despite his loan move to Millwall having been completed earlier in the week are wide of the mark.

Photo: TWTD

MurcianITCC added 18:37 - Aug 2 Clearly not a happy bunny. Made it quite clear he wanted signings before team bonding in Germany, yet we start the season tomorrow. Looking at the positives, he's clearly putting pressure on the owner to get some deals done and in that process distancing himself. I'm liking this guy but I wouldn't be surprised to see him walk, nor blame him.
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Tractorboy1985 added 18:44 - Aug 2 Let's change the lyrics to ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ to start with.... we support thee Ipswich... BUT WE WANT EVANS OUT... ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ.......
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BlueWax added 18:56 - Aug 2 Just seen ME at a Spandau Ballet gig.. He was singing away almost every word... only ones he couldn't grasp seem to be "communication let me down"!! Talk to those who support this great club... and understand that you need to realise this is bigger than brexit! Apparently the start of the season means optimism for every footy fan...... No wind in my sails! I suggest a you tube watch of scenes after the final whistle v brum as a reminder of how we love our club Mr Evans. #actbeforeitstoolate I think that can now be scrubbed out.

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ringwoodblue added 19:31 - Aug 2 I think that if we had all our players fit, we have a squad with the quality to be top 6 at least and that anyone else we could genuinely afford to bring in would be no better than what we've already got. Let's trust in the players we have and hope we start the season well otherwise I think Lambo is gone and his replacement won't be anywhere near as good.
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midastouch added 20:06 - Aug 2 Evans Above! What will it take for fans to protest? How much clearer does Lambert need to make it? Would Lambert walking be enough to tip some over the edge? There are many clubs out there that would of turned on Evans far earlier. He's got off lightly here! Lambert is clearly very frustrated coming out and saying all this on the eve of a new season. It's a tough one because I actually think there is still some decent quality in the squad and we have half a chance and protests wouldn't help the team. But if Lambert walks or we're going nowhere by Xmas then surely we have to consider some sort of action. Evans seems keen to sell. Well if we make it crystal clear we've had enough then won't he be more ready to listen to offers (any sort of half-reasonable offers) than if we just sit tight happy clapping come rain or shine? I don't think it would necessarily be wise to protest right off the bat as we should at least give the squad we've got (as it currently stands) a chance to see how it goes, but if Lambert walks or we are sitting well off the pace by Xmas then I really think the time has come to voice our concerns loud and clear (and not just on here) but at Portman Road! Evans is taking our club into the abyss, 10 more years under his watch and I fear ITFC be sucked into the Bermuda Triangle without trace! What a bl**dy start to the new season with Lambert coming out and saying all this before a competitive ball has even been kicked, but at least he's got the guts to say so. EVANS OUT OUT OUT!!!

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little_boy_blue added 20:16 - Aug 2 I never have criticised the owner or how the club is run because we never know the full picture. However having read this article it now feels time for a change. Give the manager what he needs to get back to where the club was when it was purchased. Personally I would be embarrassed as a business man to have turned this club into such a mess.
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ArnieM added 20:27 - Aug 2 Lambert clearly isn't a happy man. He won't hang around long if Evans persists with his current backing levels. and the fans , like Lambert are becoming increasingly frustrated. We all know that Evans won't dig deep now. He hasn't done so for a while. The issues are many, 1: The reason for that lack of financial backing appear to be due to various reasons. A) League One financial constraints imposed upon the Club, ( ie. restricted to a %age of the Club's income)? B) or Evans having decided not to invest any more than is necessary to keep the Club afloat now? C) The additional £9m shortfall has to be covered by Evans... so his liability has gone from £6m preseason, to now £15m, per season. That's a lot of cash to suddenly find , for anyone! The stark truth might be that Evans doesn't have that kind of disposable income , plus continue to shell out on transfer fees and wages. Fans don't like . The Manager doesn't like. But there's NOTHING us fans can do to force this issue. No amount of demonstrating, calling for Evans to go etc etc is going to change a single thing. So it's a lot of wasted energy as far as I'm concerned! The best thing we can do is continue to support the team from the stands. Evans is keeping this Club afloat. FACT. He appears to either not be able to, or is unwilling to increase the level of investment. FACT There are NO Buyers waiting in the wings . FACT. If ever there was any truth in that slogan , “ be careful what you wish for”, it is now, when it is applied to Evans tenure as owner of ITFC. Because if he chooses he could wind the club ( business) up TOMORROW, if he decided he's had enough of putting in the money he currently does to this monumental loss making business venture. Town would cease to exist. FACT.

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Morgan added 20:39 - Aug 2 Uncomfortable to listen to. Power-play by Lambert, reference to the fans to keep the support and siege mentality whilst digging out lack of funds. pL is in a position of strength with the goodwill and community support built from a relegation season, really been a shield for the clubs ownership. Shame it's on the event of the season but our squad with all its injuries is still competitive so let's hope PL can get them up to it. If there is any change knocking around the pressure is on to back the manager and use it.

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ITFCsince73 added 20:40 - Aug 2 ArnieM. The fact is he's owned the business for over 10 years now, and it's in a worse mess than ever. The only person in the whole world responsible for that is him himself.
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tpsontour added 20:43 - Aug 2 This would be funny if it weren't so tragic. Mick the anti-Christ signed the likes of Berra, Mings, Webster (free, £10K, player swap plus cash). The last two went for £40 million this summer. Only one full season on from him being hounded out, PR Lambert, who kept saying we were a 'top, top side' as he won 4 from 32 games, is now giving an alternative eve-of-season rallying cry that his players are 'absolutely not' good enough to get out of League One. Lambert looked like he was getting his excuses in early ready to flounce out (which he has form for) if we make a bad start from tricky early fixtures. Badmouthing your boss in public never normally ends well. And it's unprofessional and petulant however much we share his frustration. And none of it changes the fatal dynamic that Evans is stuck with a club he's not competent to run in loss limitation mode and we're stuck with him unless an unlikely sugar daddy materialises out of thin air. Either that or he turns off the taps altogether and we become the next Bury.

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midastouch added 20:44 - Aug 2 How about some positive chants such as "Evans, we want Lambert to stay so give him what he wants!". A bit like the fans did to Alan Judge at Cambridge singing "We want you to stay". Wouldn't some chants be good to pressure Evans into backing his man? Nobody is asking him to sign Messi but at least give Lambert the best chance of jumping back up at the first time of asking by backing him with realistic targets. Remember Evans didn't even back McCarthy in Jan when we had a great chance of going up, that was a disgrace! And should there be protests in the future wouldn't it be best they happen after the game has finished so it doesn't affect the players on the pitch and so it's made clear the frustration is directed at Evans and not the manager or players?

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ITFCsince73 added 20:44 - Aug 2 Morgan. Our squad is still competitive?.....The squad has never won 2 games in a row...and that would still be the case if nobody was injured. Competitive at what?
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BeattiesBackPocket added 20:47 - Aug 2 ArnieM I don't disagree with some of this however what I do disagree with is the fact we should shut up and not let him know how we feel because at the moment I don't think he realises and he needs to! Ffp hmmmm Wigan can afford 4 million on a player with a lot less hates and income so again I don't fall for this either as do Bristol city and other clubs we had a bottom three wage bill last two seasons so the moneyed not going there either.

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Morgan added 20:49 - Aug 2 Fair comment. I meant on paper (which I know counts for nothing.) I was just looking at Burton and who I would swap in and out if I had the option from either likely starting line up.
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midastouch added 20:50 - Aug 2 "Sunday Times Rich List, you must be having a laugh, Sunday Times Rich List, you must be having a laugh!"
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corkblue added 21:01 - Aug 2 Paul Lambert has no way of getting town out of its current plight - no money He bought a pig in a poke when he accepted the job! Anybody fancy a trip to Bermuda or, nearer home Ireland?
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Kulturarv added 21:06 - Aug 2 PL is now actually calling for the cavallery, the fans. He really needs us. Let us help him and unite in getting rid of Scrooge! Let's hit ME where it hurts, i.e. his business. He is probably not happy if we sing songs about Evansexit at PR but he will be even more furious if we go into social media concerning his other business and companies. "Happy to hear that you are successful here Marcus but you treat your football club as Kim Jong Un treats his people!" We have been silent, tolerant and polite for mor than a decade. Let's try a new strategy and help our manager!

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ITFCsince73 added 21:15 - Aug 2 Beattiesbackpocket. You won't see any posts from them, there far to busy down voting.
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bluesman added 21:25 - Aug 2 EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT EVANS OUT

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BeattiesBackPocket added 21:34 - Aug 2 It earn looks like Blackpool have beat us in signing Nutall THATS how far we've fallen and where's the ffp there they definitely get lower gates than us!? We've become a laughing stock in his ten years here
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midastouch added 21:44 - Aug 2 How many other managers across the country have come out and said anything like this the day before the season starts? I think it's really troubling. Let's not forget that when Lambert was asked directly if what he's been given to work with by Marcus is enough to get us out of this league he candidly responded, "No it's not, absolutely not." If that doesn't send alarm bells ringing among the Town fans I don't know what will!

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Taricco_Fan added 21:58 - Aug 2 I have a horrible feeling Lambert will walk by Christmas To be honest, I wouldn't blame him if he does. To read these comments from the boss at this stage is deeply concerning. Lambert is the highest profile manager in the division. Back him or lose him.
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dusty added 22:15 - Aug 2 I just hope the either Evans reads all these post's or one of his minions draws it to his attention . Whichever way you try to interpret P.L's reasoning it remains that their clearly exist's cause for concern. It is now six pages long and the depth of feeling is there for all to see. he needs to either pay up or sell up! It has gone on for too long.
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Tractorboy1985 added 23:34 - Aug 2 Sunday times rich list your having a laugh.... love it midastouch... let's get it booming in the north next week! For those who disagree WAKE UP FOR F SAKE!!!! how much longer and further down the football league do we have to go until you realise this man is a joke and bought our fantastic club on the cheap.. throw 10-20 mil (pocket money to him) to try and double his money 3-4 years later but never materialised! The bloke is a fraud! Get OUT you Chelsea roman abramovich wannabe!!

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Davidwb20 added 00:43 - Aug 3 Dark days, how the club has fallen. I have not commented on Evans to date. But have to say Get out Evans. You sacked Magilton and now you will lose PL due to not supporting him.Do the the honourable thing and go!
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