Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert says he can’t wait for his team to be able to feed off the adrenaline of a crowd.

New government rules, which have today placed Ipswich into Tier 2 of the new coronavirus restrictions, mean the club can welcome back 2,000 supporters once the current national coronavirus lockdown ends next Wednesday.

That means a section of the club’s near-9,000 season ticket holders could be inside Portman Road for the league clash with Portsmouth on December 12.

“It’s great news,” said Lambert. “You need that adrenaline from them. I don’t know how it’s going to look or how it’s going to be or whether people go. But at least people will hopefully start to come back because every sporting event needs it.”

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Town won their opening six home league games and currently sit fifth in the League One table, but it was a laboured 2-1 victory against struggling Shrewsbury at Portman Road last weekend and that was followed by an error-strewn 3-0 loss to table-toppers Hull City on Tuesday night.

The Blues have now lost six of their last nine games across all competitions heading into another top-six clash on Suffolk soil, with sixth-place Charlton the visitors on Saturday.

The lead-up to that game as seen members of the Blue Action supporters group leave a banner tied to the gates of the club’s training ground, calling for Lambert’s departure.

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With Town having struggled to beat the division’s leading lights over the last 18 months, the Town boss was asked if there had been a gap in quality between his side and Hull.

“Not football-wise, no,” he said. “Football-wise I’m pleased with how we’re dominating with the ball.”

Freddie Sears became the latest player to suffer an injury in midweek when he limped off with a hamstring problem in the first half. He joins Kane Vincent-Young, James Wilson, Jon Nolan, Teddy Bishop, Flynn Downes, Cole Skuse, Gwion Edwards in the treatment room.

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“We are without a whole midfield, now Freddie as well,” rued Lambert. “That’s football. I’ll not make excuses. It happens. We’re without some really good players, but what can we do? We have so many games. We have eight games in 28 days, which is incredible.

“I don’t think we’ll see anybody coming back from injuries at the weekend. Gwion (hamstring) won’t be ready. Bish (ankle) is out for a while. Nolo (groin), I don’t know how long he’s out for yet.”