That was for you gaffer.

Michael Chopra today thanked the faith shown in him by Paul Jewell and his team mates after his two goals helped see off Brighton at Portman Road – and proved he is back on the goal trail.

Chopra celebrated his second great strike of Saturday’s match by running into the arms of delighted manager Paul Jewell.

And the striker revealed: “I went over to the manager to say thanks. He has put a lot of faith in me and has been behind me all the way. He brought me to the football club to score goals and I haven’t really been doing that, but he still continued to play me.

“I appreciate all the players being behind me and today has been a big relief.”

Chopra had gone eight games without scoring but finally broke his drought with a belter in off the far post, five minutes after Brighton had taken a shock second half lead.

And after Ibrahima Sonko has scored his first for the club to give the Blues the lead, Chopra scored a carbon copy of the first to send the Blue Army home happy.

Chopra said: “I have a belief in myself and a lot of belief in my ability. I know if I keep getting in the right places, I will score goals. I’m not someone who tends to lack in confidence, I just keep going.”

Chopra was almost a victim of a prank after finally finding the net – when team mate Keith Andrews attempted to pull his shorts down in front of almost 20,000 inside Portman Road.

But the striker said: “It is part and parcel of this football club – we have a lot of great lads and there is a lot of banter between us and that is what team spirit is all about.”

Despite their four match unbeaten run being halted by a two-week international break, Chopra is backing his team mates to come back firing in a fortnight.

And after wins against Brighton and West Ham and a draw at Middlesbrough in the last week, he declared: “I believe we can go all the way. There is a lot of belief and character in this team.”