Carlos Edwards has admitted that Ipswich Town “missed a big opportunity” to push for promotion this season.
Flying right-back Edwards is set to play in his 40th straight game for Town at Bristol City this afternoon. In fact, he has only failed to appear in three of Town’s 49 matches this season, and missed just one of the 41 league fixtures.
So the 32-year-old is the ideal man to assess Town’s overall campaign - no other Town player has rattled up more league appearances in 2010-11.
“This season has been a big missed opportunity for the club,” rued Edwards, before setting off with the team for Bristol yesterday afternoon.
“Looking back at the beginning of the season, we started off well, but we didn’t have what it takes to get that momentum to push us forward and to press.
“We would win one, draw one, win one and then lose five. It’s been a rollercoaster.
“We never got a decent run going where we could say – listen, we are pushing for promotion – or even staking a claim for a play-off spot. We were not far off, but then again it was so near and yet so far.
“It came down to that little belief in ourselves, to give that extra 1%. We didn’t go forward that extra mile, and hence the position that we are now in,” added Edwards.
Even though Town are unbeaten in their last four games, with three wins and a draw, they remain a distant 13th in the table, eight points adrift of the top six with just five games left.
Having said that, Town were a mere three points clear of the relegation zone before Paul Jewell took charge in January. Now they are a massive 19 points better off than third-from-bottom Sc**thorpe.
It is not surprising then, that Edwards agrees that Town could have been in the play-off hunt, if Jewell had been appointed earlier.
“Maybe yes, maybe no. But looking at it in relation to points, then yes, we could have made the play-offs,” continued Edwards.
“There is always that extra spark in the players when a new manager comes in, because they are looking to impress, so that maybe played a role in us being in a better position.”
The formalities of Edwards signing another year to his current contract – it was a roll-over deal with the extra third year kicking in with the number of appearances – were completed a few weeks ago.
Manager Jewell is certainly one of Edwards’ biggest fans, and has had no problem in persisting with the attack-minded Trinidadian as his regular right-back, rather than a winger.
Jewell confirmed: “I think Carlos has been a revelation for us. He has been terrific, with great recovery and great energy.”
Jewell is set make at least one change from the side that bounced back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 at home to Middlesbrough in midweek.
Mark Kennedy is struggling with an ongoing hamstring problem, and so is likely to be replaced by Darren O’Dea at left-back.
Jewell might also consider operating Connor Wickham as a front-man, rather than on the left flank, after the 18-year-old scored his eighth goal since the turn of the year against ‘Boro.