Luke Chambers celebrated his 100th game as Ipswich Town captain in the win at Leeds on Tuesday night. Here, we take a look at his time wearing the armband.
After signing from Nottingham Forest in July 2012, the defender only had to wait until his fifth appearance as a Blue to take the captaincy for the first time, as he scored his first Ipswich goal in a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield at Portman Road. This was the only time he wore the armband for Paul Jewell, and came after regular skipper Carlos Edwards picked up a groin injury in the previous game at Carlisle.
Edwards continued as skipper after Jewell was replaced by Mick McCarthy in November 2012, with Chambers taking over in his 24th game as Richard Stearman and Lee Martin both saw red in a 1-0 defeat at Forest. He was handed the role permanently after Edwards moved to Milwall in 2014.
His famous first pump has come to define his time as Town’s leader, but there have been plenty of other highlights too, including a few important goals.
It started with a goal
Chambers wasted no time in getting things started after taking the armband, as he found the net to make it 1-1 against Huddersfield in September 2012. The defender connected with Daryl Murphy’s header back, to scramble home following Andy Drury’s chip into the box. Michael Chopra looked to have given the Blues the victory with a goal on 70 minutes, but James Vaughan equalised 10 minutes later.
Breaking Middlesbrough’s resilience
Albert Adomah had given the visitors the lead early on at Portman Road, which David McGoldrick equalised 20 minutes, but it was Chambers’ header which put the Blues in control and set them on their way to victory. He connected superbly with Aaron Cresswell’s cross, angling the ball back across Jason Steele in front of the North Stand. McGoldrick scored again late on, securing a 3-1 win.
In a McGoldrick sandwich at Doncaster
Once again, a Chambers’ goal came between two from David McGoldrick, as he rose superbly to head home Ryan Tunnicliffe’s corner at the Keepmoat in Town’s 3-0 Boxing Day win in 2013.
Another against Doncaster secures all three points
Ipswich were battling to a draw against Rovers in April 2014, before Chambers arrived in the box to thump home Jonny Williams’ deflected shot to secure all three points as Portman Road went wild.
Another goal, another winner
This time Chambers’ goal came against Sheffield Wednesday, and again it proved a vital one as it secured three points. Daryl Murphy had equalised after Kieran Lee gave the Owls the lead, but Chambers had other ideas as he arrived to hammer a header home.
Game number 101 comes tomorrow night at home to Birmingham.
Stats courtesy of @chompx3
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