THURSDAY games are a rarity for Ipswich Town although they did suffer their heaviest ever defeat on the fifth day of the week.

Fulham won 10-1 at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day 1963 although key defender Damien Delaney sees no reason why Town should not look forward to tonight’s Championship visit to Portman Road from Norwich City (kick-off 7.45pm) with plenty of confidence.

“We have a feel good factor in our squad at the moment,” said Delaney, who signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday.

“Norwich took us to the cleaners in the corresponding match, but there is confidence in our group now and we will be looking to put down a marker for next season.

“We owe it to our fans, and personally it would cap a great week for me.”

Delaney was sent off in the 4-1 defeat on Norfolk soil in November and he is still smarting about that decision.

“There is no way Grant Holt would have got away from me on goal in a million years,” added Delaney.

“Perhaps if it had been on the edge of the six-yard box it might have been a professional foul. It was certainly not a goalscoring opportunity, but these things happen.

“After signing for two years with an option of a third I have nothing but good to say and I’m looking forward to being part of a team pushing for promotion next term.”

Being hammered by Fulham was a low point for Town, but they also experienced one of their best results on a Thursday – and a Maundy Thursday to boot when a Clive Woods special beat Leeds United in a third FA Cup quarter-final replay against Leeds at Leicester in 1975.

In the Fifties Ipswich regularly played two or three matches a season on Thursday and of course their two seasons in the UEFA Cup under George Burley saw games played on Thursdays.

The last league game on a Thursday was away at Leicester City on December 26 2002, which resulted in a 2-1 win.

The last league game on a Thursday, which was not a Boxing Day or New Year’s Day fixture was on April 25 1991 at home against Barnsley which Ipswich won 2-0 with the attendance 7,379.

On May 14 1987 Town played in the first play-off game and drew 0-0 with Charlton at home.

Ipswich Town head groundsman Alan Ferguson was this week taking a UEFA course in Malta as the man who has made Portman Road into such a fine surface again gains international recognition.