Without even kicking a football, things appear to have become a lot tougher for Ipswich Town.
At the time, I thought this two-week break was a positive. But I must admit I’m starting to doubt that now.
Town needed a break. A really poor, tired performance at Carrow Road was followed up by two lacklustre draws at home in which we failed to show the same aggression and velocity we’re all so used to seeing.
However, the Leeds and Leicester results have made Town’s task more difficult.
Yes, it’s still in our hands and, as I thought would be the case, we need to win our last three. Do that and we’re up.
But if Leeds win tonight, they would go four points clear, which even with our games in hand, feels a big deficit.
If this season is to follow a similar path to the last, then perhaps we should be relishing trips to Hull and Coventry. Last year it was Peterborough and Barnsley - and we all know how that ended up.
Saturday will not be easy, obviously. But will the attack-minded, open nature of Hull City suit us? I think it might.
Town have had some excellent away days this campaign and have shown they can go to the home of another and dominate.
I don’t think that will be the case here, but do feel confident that if Hull or Coventry want to have a shoot-out with us, then our firepower will win through.
Let’s hope that’s the case. These next two fixtures are two of the biggest in recent Ipswich Town history.
It’s been a truly magnificent ride and if ever there was a group capable and deserving of promotion to the promised land, it’s this lot.
They have already written themselves into Town folklore and we’ll be remembering so many of them for years to come.
But come on boys, nobody expected us to be in this position or to go up, so do what you do best and prove that this football club never says die.
