IPSWICH Town skipper Jason De Vos will this weekend be spelling out the importance of the next few weeks to his fellow squad members.“If we don't go up this season - we might not ever go up,” said the former Canadian international defender.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town skipper Jason De Vos will this weekend be spelling out the importance of the next few weeks to his fellow squad members.

“If we don't go up this season - we might not ever go up,” said the former Canadian international defender.

The 34-year-old has proved an inspirational leader since taking over the captaincy in the summer of 2006 when Jim Magilton was appointed manager.

And he sees the next two months or so as being most critical.

“We have a break this weekend to re-charge our batteries, and then begin a pivotal final ten Coca-Cola Championship fixtures with a trip to Barnsley on Tuesday,” he said.

“You don't get many chances in a career to hit the jackpot.

“This is what I will be impressing on to the rest of the lads.

“I was 19 when I won the Canadian championship with Montreal.

“It was another ten years before I helped Wigan win the League One title in 2003.

“There was a lot of time in between.

“Chances like we have got within our grasp do not come around very often. We mist not let it slip.”

With the money invested in the playing staff by new Town owner Marcus Evans, Blues fans could be lured into a false sense of security.

“Okay, if promotion does not come this season, then we will achieve it next,” they might claim.

But the wily De Vos knows that winning honours in football does not come easily.

“The Championship could be stronger next season, but whatever happens you will have to dig in, work hard and play very well,” said De Vos.

De Vos has hit out at the way football is run in his native Canada.

Writing in the 'Talk of the Town' glossy magazine just brought out by Ipswich Town to coincide with their season ticket 2008/09 launch, De Vos says: “The people who have been running Canadian football for the last 20 years haven't got a clue.

“We are a country that is rich in football talent but poor in infrastructure and we lack a clear idea of how to get the best out of our players.”

De Vos won 43 international caps before retiring from the national team a couple of years ago.