Town will reach the season’s halfway point after Saturday’s sell-out clash with Sunderland at Portman Road and even if they claim all three points they look to have their work cut out to climb the table and finish in the top six come the end of the season in May.

The current position does not look good — the Blues sit 12th in League One on 28 points, a huge 16 fewer than pacesetters Rotherham on 44 — and the Yorkshiremen have in hand.

Second-placed Wigan, who have 42 points, have two games in hand and Town are nine points adrift of sixth-placed Plymouth Argyle.

Yet despite the odds apparently stacked against them goalkeeper Christian Walton is adamant that a top-six finish remains a possibility. “All it takes is a run of games and being consistent in terms of picking up results and points,” he said.

“Personal performances and team performances have got to be spot-on but we can definitely do it.

“It has happened to teams before — look at Bolton in League Two last season. They were right down at Christmas time and they ended up getting promoted, same with Blackpool in League One. Everyone knows you can turn things round in this division.”

A lack of consistency, something highlighted by both the departed Paul Cook and interim manager John McGreal, has cost Town dearly this season and they have been playing catch-up since the start of the current campaign, drawing 2-2 at home to newly-promoted Morecambe on the opening day and failing to win any of their first six league fixtures that saw them collect a mere three points from a possible 18.

Walton said: “Managers take the brunt of it but at the end of the day it’s the players that have to take responsibility, in fact everyone throughout the club has to take responsibility for their roles and jobs within the team.

“Moving forward we need to put things right. We have another game on Saturday with a big attendance and we need to rise to the occasion.

“It will be brilliant. I think we need to rise to these occasions with a lot of fans in. The club have done their bit by giving tickets to people who are less fortunate and it’s really good that they are doing stuff like this within the community. It’s another big occasion for the club, a really big game and I’m naturally hoping that we can win it and get the three points.”

Referring to the corresponding fixture last month at the Stadium of Light, which the Black Cats won 2-0, Walton continued: “It was a strange game up at their place. Neither team did much in the first half, although we had shots and their keeper made a good double save, but we were the better side in the second and just couldn’t get the ball in the net.

“The manager [Cook] said the same sort of things and it was clear for everyone to see. But that’s gone now and we have to move on to Saturday and what is going to be another big test because not only are they on a good run of form, they also have some very good players.”

Walton was speaking after Wednesday's FA Cup replay defeat at Barrow and before Kieran McKenna's appointment as the club's new manager.

The keeper was asked if he felt for interim manager John McGreal, who will take charge of the Blues for the fourth and final time against the Black Cats with McKenna and his assistant Martyn Pert watching from the stands.

McGreal's games at the helm have ended in 2-0 defeats at Charlton and Barrow and a 1-1 draw at Wigan.

The Cornishman said: “I can’t speak highly enough of him. He’s been brilliant. He’s come in and it’s not been easy for him after only being at the club for about three days.

“He’s tried his best and he’s worked for hours on end, travelling up to watch Wigan for example, and he’s done everything he can. Obviously, we’ve let him down with the results and we need to be better on Saturday.”

Photo: Pagepix

Gforce added 10:35 - Dec 17 Something which you haven't managed to do all season. This current lot haven't got a cat in hells chance of top six. New manager bounce ,I very much doubt it.
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Cheshire_Blue added 11:02 - Dec 17 Negativity already !!
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Karlosfandangal added 11:06 - Dec 17 The team is not good enough yet, they do need time to turn in to a team, so many changes. However the performance over the last 6 weeks are totally unacceptable, if they had played like the lost at Sunderland you could say they were trying and could blame tactics, bad luck etc, but they are just not putting the effort in. Walton is a must buy player, but it's not that easy as there are so many factors which could stop us. Hopefully the new manager can get an instant response from the player and he has about 4 weeks to decide who to keep and who to let go, but a too many changes could see take 2 steps back. Next season maybe

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Robert_Garrett added 11:10 - Dec 17 THe supporters havent changed and the ground is still Portman Road so the only variant is the team, but it is still our team just the same. The bruises are healable so letes stop beefing and get on with it. Get fully behind the team, cut out the doubts and show who is boss in the ring from the terraces. Like a stick of rock with COYB through the centre I will never give up on them. "Lets be hearing you" to quote a famous cookbook author!

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Gforce added 11:11 - Dec 17 I wish Keiran and his staff all the luck in the world ,but I'm afraid most of the current squad are just not good enough to achieve promotion. It's not being negative, just realistic.
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tractorboybig added 11:18 - Dec 17 well that appears something you lot are incapable of
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runningout added 11:23 - Dec 17 We are bound to be negative. A lot of us cannot forget when we were in the top 5 every season of the supposed top league. That return is achievable if players aren't distracted
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monty_radio added 11:41 - Dec 17 So what you're saying, in effect, is that all it takes is to win one game after another after another. I see.
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surgery added 11:48 - Dec 17 On the basis that you haven't done that for God knows how long, it's plainly obvious that none of you lot have what it takes. That's the problem
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Billericay12 added 12:17 - Dec 17 Hopefully the new man will bring some fresh ideas on to the training pitch and I think we will see a bit of tweaking to the squad in the January transfer window. We need Coulson and Burns back. Offload 3 or 4 and freshen things up a bit. Get Walton signed on a permanent deal.
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Barty added 12:22 - Dec 17 Lets hope KM can shake this lot up and get them to start earning their very good wages but certainly a sort out in January will be needed
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SickParrot added 12:42 - Dec 17 Does this mean that all the players have now actually agreed to give 100% every game?
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Blue_badge added 13:26 - Dec 17 "a run of games"? No, a run of wins, a run where the players work hard and play as a team, giving all they possible can - perhaps even run towards adversity instead of shuffling away.
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rfretwell added 14:29 - Dec 17 Is this some kind of cruel joke he is playing on we long suffering fans? With Burns and Celina fully fit we may be able to put a couple of wins together. Otherwise, no chance.
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