Former Blues skipper Luke Chambers says his “unbelievable journey” isn’t over yet having made his 779th league appearance for current club Colchester in Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Barrow, taking him into English football’s top-10 league appearance-makers.

Chambers, 37, was with the Blues between the summers of 2012 and 2021, making 376 of those appearances for Town.

The centre-half, who has also represented Northampton and Nottingham Forest, looks set to move up to ninth in the next 10 days with former Wales international Robbie James only two games ahead of him and ex-Scotland midfielder Tommy Hutchison in fifth only 15 ahead of him. Peter Shilton heads the list on 1,005.

“When I first started, to have ever achieved this many games is just beyond my wildest expectations,” Chambers told the Colchester Gazette.

“It’s been an amazing achievement; an amazing journey. It’s one that I don’t feel is over yet and I still feel I’ve got plenty of games left in me. My personal objective is to get as far up that table as I can really.

“I feel like I’ve got so much more to give the game and there’s no part of me that’s thinking of hanging my boots up.

“There’s plenty more that I can give and I think I’ve played every game this season, so far. As long as I feel I’m giving enough to the team and the group on and off the pitch then I’ll continue to play, as long as I’m wanted around.

“I’m not stupid; I know that clubs have their own ideas about how they want to go forward but I feel like I’ve given a lot of service to the club already in my 18 months here.

"It’s something that I want to continue, especially with what the gaffer’s building and my relationship with him and everyone at the club.

“I’m really enjoying my football, especially since the turn of the year and I think the group is fulfilling the potential I always knew we had.”

Chambers, who made his Northampton Town league debut in 2003 before moving on to Nottingham Forest four years later, added: “I’ve had some unbelievable times. I’ve really felt valued wherever I’ve been but my relationship with the manager [Matt Bloomfield] and the players at the moment, I’m really enjoying every day.

“I really look forward to going into work, I really look forward to games whereas for spells in my career, I haven’t looked forward to too many games at times.

“I think we have enough in our dressing room to really have a go at something here.

“I don’t want my career to finish this season; I don’t want it to finish here.

“While I’m adding value to the team and the club, I’d like to still be here moving forward.
“I’ve probably averaged about 45 games a season for about 20 years.

“A lot of that isn’t down to luck or personality; it’s because I’m quite a good footballer, I think.

“I’ve never been my own biggest fan. I went up to Nottingham Forest for their semi-final against Manchester United the other night and when you go back to a club when you’re not directly involved and you feel the size of the club that you’ve played at and had such a big part to play there, it’s great.

“The gaffer mentioned it before to the lads and it was just one of those nice touches for me.

“I’ve been always everyone else’s biggest fan in every game and every day in training and it’s never been about me but I’m going to enjoy this and my achievement in the game, because no one can ever take that away.

“There’s some unbelievable players on that list and at the end of the day, I’ve played for some very, very big clubs and captained those clubs. It’s been an unbelievable journey which for me, is nowhere near finished yet.”

Photo: Matchday Images

NthQldITFC added 10:23 - Feb 6 Would have had quite some career if he hadn't been so injury-prone! ;) Top man, Chambo.
3

Suffolkboy added 11:04 - Feb 6 Genuine character, fitness fanatic, and thorough enthusiast – anyone around him is fortunate ! COYB
4

Freddies_Ears added 12:00 - Feb 6 Brilliant achievement and more to come. He deserves all the plaudits, and more.
8

Nomore4 added 13:38 - Feb 6 The poorest captain in club's history. Became a millionaire via his lucrative ITFC contracts. Should've stood down as captain at least 3 years before leaving….but the last big pay day made him stand firm.
-14

tractorboybig added 13:49 - Feb 6 nomore4 he is better than all the crap we have at present
-19

Foreverdon_Blue added 13:50 - Feb 6 He deserves the plaudits. Great servant for ITFC and most of the time a very solid defender (he did make one or two big mistakes!). I disagree with Nomore4, I thought overall he was an excellent captain, he was just at the club at the wrong time.
7

BlueMoolay added 14:48 - Feb 6 Nice one Chambo. Keep going mate. Done so much for our club. Top Man.
6

Toronto_Tractor added 15:30 - Feb 6 Nomore4... So you're getting annoyed with people for wanting to play for ipswich and liking getting paid for it. Annoyed with him for accepting contracts given to him by the club and a place in the team given to him by the manager? Are you ok hun?
5

Nomore4 added 17:42 - Feb 6 Chambo was founder member of the cosy club. Captain of the cosy club. We was relegated from the Championship without a wimper, let alone fight. And captain fantastic said nothing to supporters as it all unfolded. Said nothing once our fate was sealed. The previous time to this, around February, he said what a fight he was going to give to avoid relegation…..no fight evidenced from him or his team.

-5

BlueNomad added 18:52 - Feb 6 Nomore - give up! Relegation hurt a man who had almost led us back to the Premier League. A man who helped many youngsters build a career. A man who is held in high regard at our club and his previous ones. Please compare your achievements in a highly competitive, demanding industry. I'm sure we would all like to know.
3

Eeyore added 18:54 - Feb 6 10 of him on the pitch and we would have been OK. I think he tried his best to hold a poor team with ‘average' managers together. He is one of the highlights of the last decade. That's faint praise I guess.
5

Nomore4 added 19:28 - Feb 6 Blue nomad with respect he had a contract with a salary paying 500k per year over a number of years. Yearly earnings an average fan would struggle to match over 20 years. He was extremely well paid to be a nice bloke and help out the younger players.
0

Whos_blue added 23:14 - Feb 6 So this from Humphreys today when asked about Chambers. “I didn't see too much of Luke to train with, but from being at the club and seeing him play so many games over the years I know what he was like. He was a very good captain, a real role model for the younger players in the academy, of which I was one. “His standards around the training ground and the way he was with people all rubbed off on us. He would shake your hand every time he saw you and have a chat, while seeing his influence as a great player on the pitch for Ipswich, and at close quarters, was also good for me. I am very pleased for him.” But what does professional footballer Humphreys know about another professional footballer that non professional footballer Nomore4 does. This board must count itself very lucky to have such learned posters.

4

algarvefan added 01:05 - Feb 7 A damn good skipper for Town, lead by example, was great with the local community, just a shame he wasn't at the club in better times. I never once doubted his commitment or his professionalism. Well done Luke you are a credit to the game son.
2

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls