Striker James Norwood is back from injury and Josh Harrop from suspension ahead of Saturday’s away game against already-relegated Swindon but manager Paul Cook admits that everyone at Town is counting down the days to the end of the season.

Norwood has missed the last two games after suffering a recurrence of his hamstring problem in the 0-0 draw at Charlton, while Harrop, who is on loan from Preston, has been banned for the last three following his red card at Wimbledon.

“James is back, Josh Harrop’s back,” Cook said at his pre-match press conference. “There’s lads back in the squad.

“Again, at the minute, the training ground’s not a great place to be, as you can imagine, there’s so much negativity in the air and around the place. That’s quite normal.

“We can’t wait for the season to end now as a football club. The reality is that under me, and I’m not speaking about Paul [Lambert] before me or Paul [Hurst] before him, we have underachieved drastically in the last 13 games. Drastically.

“It’s very, very painful at the minute. It’s something I get envious of when I look at other clubs in play-offs etc, and wonder whether I could have done better, should I have done better, could I have made any other decisions that would have helped the players.

“The reality is that we’re in the position that we’re in and it’s something that we must face up to.”

Town are without a goal in 619 minutes of football - they last found the target via the now departed Alan Judge in the 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers on April 2nd - with the last goal from a striker the Norwood’s at Portsmouth on March 20th.

Asked whether young striker Tyreece Simpson, who found the net in the U23s’ 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, might come into his thoughts as he looks to end the drought, Cook said: “One of the problems that I have, being brutally honest with you, because the first team is so ineffective, we look everywhere for help.

“The reality is that our U18s are doing terrifically well, our U23s are doing terrifically well and the first team aren’t very good.

“We’ve got to stop looking [at] younger players who may well not be ready, and Tyreece is doing great by the way, to come up and support the first team.

“We’ve got six mainline strikers at the club. The reality for us is there’s got to be an exit or an in door, you can’t keep chopping and changing and parking problems. The reality for us is going forward our problems will be dealt with before we look for solutions.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Michael101 added 11:46 - Apr 29 But cookie may have loads of money but will players want to come here?? If you were a young player at a championship club getting the off game would you give that up for a 3rd division mid table team that's miles from anywhere?.
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MickMillsTash added 11:55 - Apr 29 To have so many players at the end of their contracts at one time sums up the Evans era. The club has been mis managed for so long. As soon as the season is over we really need to start announcing signings and build some confidence in players, staff, supporters and potential new signings - All the noise from the owners and new CEO etc seem to suggest positivity and competence but as Mt Cook knows actions speak louder than words.

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BlueNomad added 11:59 - Apr 29 Perhaps its as well they have given up. The fact that they have means it is far easier to scrub this squad and start again. Rather than criticise Cook for what he has said and done lets be grateful for the excitement and anticipation we are being offered. This lot have not, and never will, get us anywhere. Certainly sentiment should have nothing to do with it and I wouldn't be sorry if they all go, although on a personal level I hope they all find new clubs.

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ArnieM added 12:04 - Apr 29 Spot on EB. these players only have themselves to blame. They could have gone for it and got promotion and put themselves in a better position for a new club. As it is they will join the multitude on the dole in League One. I've absolutely no sympathy for them . They have quite deliberately thrown Paul Cook under the bus IMO. may they rot in hell.
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Edmundo added 12:05 - Apr 29 I'm happy to wait until next season to judge him. Let's not forget, there's been something about our club since 2008 that is only now being rooted out.
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naa added 12:17 - Apr 29 invictablue: no-one was asking for a magic wand though (well, some might have been). He inherited a team that everyone said had been badly managed and was a couple of points off the play-offs with a fairly easy run-in. No magic required. He says himself he's underperformed and I think he has. He identified a lack of goals and has succeeded in making it much worse (almost a club record in fact, and that was set in the premier league). Yes, we've been in decline for years but making the play-offs from the position he inherited was eminently achievable. I hope his rebuilding plans work out, but the way he speaks about the current squad seems to suggest he's going to gut it and essentially start from scratch. That's a very risky proposition.

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KernewekBlue added 12:50 - Apr 29 It's true, the team were bad enough under Lambert before the takeover but after the buy out, I think most of them realised that, given their lacklustre displays, their days at ITFC were literally numbered and they've completely given up the ghost. Hence, unbelievably, the even worse results since Paul Cook took charge! The current squad seem happy to simply run down their contracts or play out yet another nothing season, knowing their chances of staying at the club are now untenable. Somewhat understandable but very frustrating for the fans to have missed out, yet again, on a play-off place and the chance of promotion. Next season should bring renewed optimism, a new team with plenty of hunger, pride and passion and a better chance of achieving what we all want, much better on-field performances and results and a sustained push for promotion back to The Championship. I feel more optimistic now than at any point in the last several years, that our dreams might well become reality at the end of the 2021/22 season. COYB

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Gcon added 13:39 - Apr 29 He's pretty direct, isn't he. Doesn't mince his words. Putting a lot of pressure on himself come the beginning of next season, particularly given his dire start. Fingers crossed he can turn it all around.
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Youbluety added 13:53 - Apr 29 Love the way Paul Cook speaks. Such honesty. He could have mollycoddled the players until the end of the season telling them how important they all are to get the best out of them and try and get to playoffs. But this is transformation of our club. He has to tell the players they aren't required next year, and as they are humans their motivation drops. Next year we will see full effort from the players as they will by then be the future.

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CornardBlue added 13:56 - Apr 29 Does anyone know whats happened to Emyr Huws is he injured or left the club.
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Oldozblue added 13:58 - Apr 29 The longer this season lasts, the more deeply unimpressive Paul Cook's public utterances become. Same story re-heated. Let us hope he is far better at coaching and tactics. OK he can reshape the squad over the summer - but I wonder about what input the CEO, new Head of Recruitment will have. My real fear is that Cook needs a really good Assistant Manager to succeed. Lambert seemed hopeless without Culverhouse. With his Wigan Number 2 taking the Manager's job there I hope he is not all at sea with a new face. If I were the new owners I am sure how confident I would be. Time reveals all....

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Linkboy13 added 13:59 - Apr 29 There's no doubt in my mind that Paul Cook is a good manager his record speaks for itself. But the problems at Portman road are massive and could take years to sort out. The fans at Ipswich demand almost instant success and won't allow him time to sort things out. I can see in the future the club being manager from within by the likes of Butcher and Dyer for example and being ex players the fans will be more tolerant than with an outsider. I hope im proved wrong and we are successful under Paul Cook.

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Kickingblock added 14:23 - Apr 29 There shouldn't be a problem attracting players to come to Suffolk. The ones from smaller clubs would rather play Infront of the larger crowds and / or be part of the rebuilding of a club on the rise. I'm sure that it will be sold to them with charm and incentives.
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hyperbrit added 00:45 - Apr 30 Cook is trying to set fire to a pile of wet leaves...not a good plan.
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