Luke Chambers does not want Ipswich Town to become embroiled with the Championship’s big spenders next season, as the task to win promotion becomes increasingly difficult.

Town are facing a 15th successive season in the Championship and will be joined by the likes of Aston Villa, plus two of Newcastle, Norwich or Sunderland, who will be relegated from the top-flight with more than £100m in parachute payments.

Injuries have hit the Blues hard this term, but while Town failed to replace the likes of Teddy Bishop, the on-loan Ryan Fraser and David McGoldrick, other promotion-chasers pushed the boat out.

Manager Mick McCarthy’s current squad cost around £500,000 to assemble, although owner Marcus Evans will look at spending a million pounds on a player, should it represent good value, in the summer.

Chambers added: “It’s something we don’t really want to get ourselves into, spending £30m like Derby have and having that pressure on them.

“If they don’t do it (win promotion) are they going to do it again and push again?

“The chairman (Evans) here has set his stall out and got a manager who can wheel and deal and bring people in who can perform at this level.

“Maybe with possibly a bit of investment, we will be in the top-six next year.”

This weekend, Brighton, Derby, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday begin the quest to reach the Premier League.

Approximately £200m awaits the winner of the play-offs, with a record new TV deal, worth £8.3bn over the next three seasons, beginning for top-flight clubs in August.

Chambers said: “I’d like to see what is going to happen (this summer) with Financial Fair Play, because not every team in the top-six can go up.

“I’d love to see if there’s any punishment handed out.

“Although when teams have broken Financial Fair Play rules in the past they have still been able to sign players. I have heard the likes of (Nottingham) Forest crying that they can’t sign players, yet they still are (making signings), on big wages and loans, so there is obviously still ways around it.”