BLUES chairman David Sheepshanks has issued a rally call for Town supporters to get behind the team in the final run in to the season.With seven games to go and the deadline for discounted season ticket sales a fortnight away, Ipswich are keen to have a strong end to a mixed campaign.

By Derek Davis

BLUES chairman David Sheepshanks has issued a rally call for Town supporters to get behind the team in the final run in to the season.

With seven games to go and the deadline for discounted season ticket sales a fortnight away, Ipswich are keen to have a strong end to a mixed campaign.

Town are looking to finish in the top half of the table and Sheepshanks is optimistic that their target of reaching the Premiership by 2009 as outlined at the AGM in December, can be achieved but they need a huge, fresh investment.

Writing in today's matchday programme for the game against Plymouth Argyle, Sheepshanks said: “Candidly, the club has been undercapitalised for years. In modern football where on pitch performance is so much more closely related to financial firepower and where there is such a wide gulf between those clubs with and without this firepower, finance matters more than ever.

“We are seeking a sum sufficient to resource the club financially to challenge strongly for the Premiership and succeed. We are making progress but I can say no more than that at this stage.”

Sheepshanks insisted the supporters can play their part too and added: “This is a sensitive time for the club but a bright opportunity beckons if we can just come through this.

“I'm asking for all Ipswich Town supporters to rally around manager and players and help lift us to an inspiring end to the season.

“Recent games like at Hull prove they have it in them but we have many young players and they all need our constant belief, encouragement and perseverance.”

Town were last night handed a further boost when Blackburn agreed to allow Francis Jeffers to stay with the Blues on loan for the rest of the season.