Blues forward Sone Aluko says there are few moments in a player's career like yesterday’s promotion celebration in Christchurch Park.

Aluko, in his second season with the club, joined his teammates on the stage to celebrate finishing second and returning to the Championship along with almost 11,000 fans.

“Incredible,” he said. “When you’ve been in football as long as I have, there are few moments where there are that many fans, that amount of love and support for the team, but we’ve had a fair old year, so it was a good day and one we all enjoyed.”

Like other members of the squad, Aluko always believed that the Blues could win an automatic promotion place even when some might have been doubting them.

“I’ve been confident the whole season, I’ve been saying it, I always thought this team would get promoted,” he said.

“There have been times when people might have lost a bit of faith, but even then we were so dominant. We only lost four games, we scored the most goals, had the most shots, fewest conceded.

“The stats speak for themselves, we’re the top team in the league, even though fair play to Plymouth, they’ve done well this year, but we have complete belief that we’ve been the best team.”

Aluko made nine starts and 10 sub appearances over the course of the season and captained the Blues in the Carabao Cup tie against Colchester.

However, a knee injury suffered in the 6-0 Papa Johns Trophy victory over Northampton in August seeing him miss three months of the season and the former Nigeria international admits he would like to have played more often.

“The injury didn’t help me, to be honest, having a bad injury, even though I came back relatively quickly,” he said.

“But there are a lot of players in this squad, a lot of players will feel the same that they could have contributed more on the pitch, but off the pitch, the coaching we have, the environment we have, the fans don’t see that side, but that’s why teams get promoted and other teams don’t.

“Everyone pulls in the same direction, that’s from the very top, the ownership to the staff at the training ground, at the stadium, I’ve met them all and the club’s in the right direction, it’s been great.”

Manager Kieran McKenna recently praised senior players Aluko and Richard Keogh, who may not have played many games but still had a significant role in the season’s success due to their influence and experience in the dressing room.

“He’s been very open to that,” Hounslow-born Aluko continued. “He’s helped me a lot. I’ve watched most of the games with the analysts team, I’ve been in and out of every office in the training ground.

“The support I can give from what I’ve done in my career, what I’ve seen - and this is my third promotion - you kind of feel what it takes to do it again.

“Just helping in that kind of thing, again which a lot of people don’t see, but I’m glad to hear he recognises that.”

Aluko, pictured above with Kane Vincent-Young, is out of contract in the summer and he says discussions regarding his future are set to take place.

“That’s being decided as we speak,” he said. “It was pretty much get through this week, enjoy the week, getting promoted with the team, and leave all that to the summer, so there’ll be discussions coming up soon, so we’ll see.”

At 34, his years as a player are numbered but he has no plans to hang up his boots quite yet.

“Naturally at this age it’s something [you think about], and maybe I’ve almost naturally rolled into it that we have a younger team, so they ask me advice about different things, whether that’s personally, whether that’s tactically,” he said.

“I’ve watched the games with the analysts just because you get a good view up there, to be honest.

“But then they’ll ask me what do I see of the game, so that’s not something I’ve really, really thought of officially, but obviously something I’ll have to start looking into as I get older.

“But right now, it’s just the playing side, that will be the focus for the next year at least.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Bazza8564 added 15:04 - May 9 I'd like to think he will stay for another year, but equally i don't see him getting the game time he will want. Nice lad too, hope the club looks after him
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Steelmonkey added 15:41 - May 9 I've always liked watching and enjoyed Sone playing, he's always had that moment of magic in his boots in his time here, sadly cut short this season by that injury. Whether he has it in him for a season in the Championship I would certainly like to think so, probably not as an automatic first team choice but as good as sub and cover for injuries we may pick up. First half of this season he looked too quick for league one. There was one evening game early on when I thought he had the ball glued to his boots ghosting pass the opposition. But we have to face facts, I don't think that it's any coincidence that we put our late run down to having a side that played together week in week out. Must be a little disappointing not getting on the team sheet for some players but these players are in every bit as important to the squad in achieving promotion. I'm sure that we have eyes on further additions to the squad and we are bound to let go some to balance the books, I'm just glad I'm not the person whose job that will be.

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chepstowblue added 16:36 - May 9 Arguably the most naturally talented player at the club, and without doubt the quickest of thought. I feel a bit cheated that we've not seen more of him and fear that due to his age perhaps his time at the club is up. A brilliant footballer who we were very privileged and fortunate to have, as it was so evident that he was still capable of playing at a much higher level.

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therein61 added 18:08 - May 9 His unpredictable brilliance on the ball can be a game changer to bring on for 20 mins or so in that respect i feel he is worth another year.
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Radlett_blue added 18:47 - May 9 I'd be amazed if Aluko was at Town next season. We already have better players & we'll need better than him if we are to be better than strugglers in the Championship.
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Ipswichbusiness added 18:52 - May 9 I'm sure that he is a good fellow, but any players who were struggling to get into our team when we were in League One are unlikely to be good enough for the Championship.
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terryf added 20:09 - May 9 I don't think we have anybody else with his close control and he must be a nightmare to mark. Worth keeping on the books, maybe in a player/coach role and always felt he was a good player to bring on if we wanted to calm things down. Would be sad to see him go and just a shame he wasn't 5 years younger!
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MickMillsTash added 22:15 - May 9 Like Him,Great skills, good control, unpredictable - questionable end product but maybe playing with Hurst would see that improve I can't see him getting a shirt next year, Good Luck to him, seems like a Nice guy
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shaunmahony added 12:07 - May 10 Will be sad if he has to leave - who will ever forget some of his top class moments - His defence splitting passes setting up Penney to pass to Bonne to score at Gillingham last season and his Burnley away one to set up Hirst, plus his close ball control and leaving the opposition mesmerised. Great guy - wish he was younger.
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Marcus added 11:37 - May 11 At the start of the season I thought Aluko would be one of the stars. Sadly an injury has put things back, at the same time now we're at a higher level and there's a lot of competition for places, so wouldn't be surprised if he moves on this summer. A bit sad, but at this stage of his career it's unlikely he could become a first team regular at an ambitious Championship team. Hopefully a League One team will sign him, otherwise he may move to the Colchester retirement home.

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