Ipswich Town flirted with the playoffs in Mick McCarthy's first full season in charge in 2013-14 but ultimately came up short after just one win in their last four games.
McCarthy's policy of spending barely a penny on players continued this summer with several free transfers, while star left-back Aaron Cresswell was poached by West Ham United and has been impressing in the top flight.
Another run at the playoffs was what the most optimistic of fans expected and they have lived up to that and more so far in 2014-15.
Here, Sports Mole looks back on the first five months of the campaign as Ipswich, the Championship's best servants, look to make it out of the second tier at the 13th attempt since Premier League relegation in 2002.
August
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Ipswich opened up their season against a newly-relegated side for the second season in a row and got off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Fulham in a televised game at Portman Road.
That would be their only win in August. An extra-time defeat at Crawley Town saw them exit the Capital One Cup at the first-round stage for the second season in a row before another 1-0 loss at Reading a few days later.
They appeared to be heading towards a third straight defeat on the road at Birmingham City until Christophe Berra's 94th-minute header, his second goal of the game, earned Ipswich a point.
Next was one of the biggest games of the season as arch-rivals Norwich City visited for the first 'Old Farm' derby in over three years. In a drab affair, Norwich claimed a 1-0 victory to inflict Ipswich's first and only home defeat of the season so far.
Ipswich's winless run in the league stretched to four games, but a point at Derby was encouraging as centre-back Berra netted his third of the season, leaving Ipswich 19th going into the first international break.
September
September would bring about a change in fortunes as Ipswich picked up 13 points out of a possible 15 and were rewarded with the Manager and Player of the Month awards.
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All three home games would be won 2-0 against Millwall, Brighton & Hove Albion and Rotherham United. The last victory over the Millers made it four wins in a row after the Tractor Boys had beaten Wigan Athletic 2-1 on the road.
Athletic left-back Tyrone Mings, who had been signed the previous summer for just £10,000 and came into the team following Cresswell's departure, was making a serious name for himself with both his defensive ability and attacking prowess. He provided two assists and helped keep three clean sheets in September to win the Player of the Month gong.
The month ended with dropped points at Sheffield Wednesday, but it was a good night for Jonathan Williams as the Crystal Palace loanee scored on his second debut for the club to earn them a point at Hillsborough.
October
While September had been brilliant and seen the Tractor Boys climb up into the top six, October was a cruel, winless month for McCarthy's men.
Daryl Murphy had scored in Ipswich's three home wins in September and his double at Nottingham Forest looked to have earned Ipswich the points until a 93rd-minute equaliser from Michail Antonio at the City Ground.
Another injury-time goal, this time from Blackburn Rovers' Ben Marshall, saw Ipswich denied victory again before at Cardiff City they suffered their first loss since the derby defeat to Norwich. Murphy opened the scoring with a sweet hit from distance for his seventh of the season, but Ipswich folded after that.
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The Blues were hurt by late goals for the third game in October as they ended the month with a draw at home to Huddersfield Town after taking a 2-0 lead, dropping to 10th in the table but still just five points off the top.
November
A trip to lowly Blackpool would surely ease the pain and it did as Ipswich's front duo David McGoldrick and Murphy scored either side of half time in a 2-0 win that ended their five-game winless run.
The latter was at it again with a match-winning brace against Wolverhampton Wanderers that took the Tractor Boys back into the playoffs before Tommy Smith netted a late winner against Watford as Ipswich won their third in a row to close within two points of the top.
A trip to one of the teams above them in the league was next after an international break and Ipswich managed to take a point from Bournemouth despite being on the back foot for most of the game. Murphy scored the 76th-minute equaliser, while 18-year-old Ted Bishop also netted his first Blues goal in a breakout season.
Noel Hunt arrived on loan from Leeds United and became an instant cult hero with Ipswich fans by scoring a 95th-minute winner on his debut at Charlton Athletic as Ipswich won their fourth game in an unbeaten month to go into the automatic promotion places.
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December
Murphy was at the double for the third time in 2014-15 with a brace in a 4-1 win over Leeds United as Ipswich maintained their place in the top two before being held to a goalless draw in a game they largely dominated at Bolton Wanderers.
The top six was extremely tight and next for McCarthy's men was a visit from fellow high-flyers Middlesbrough and a trip to Brentford, the side with the second-best home record behind Ipswich, on Boxing Day.
Both games were won as Murphy again impressed with three more goals, one in the 2-0 victory over Boro and two in the first-half blitz that blew away Brentford, who had won seven of their previous eight games.
Kickoff at Griffin Park was earlier than most games in the Championship and for a brief spell Ipswich were top of the tree, only for Bournemouth to reclaim top spot later on Boxing Day.
Ipswich finished the year with an eighth win in their current 11-game unbeaten run as Charlton were brushed aside 3-0 at Portman Road. The Blues remain a point behind Bournemouth, but more importantly they are 10 clear of Norwich in seventh as they look to reach at least the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons.
McCarthy has to be admired for the hard-working squad he has assembled. With the league's top scorer by four goals in Murphy (17, no penalties), an improving McGoldrick and two centre-backs in Smith and Berra who have nine goals between them, a promotion push really does appear to be on the cards.
January interest from Premier League clubs is expected in young duo Mings and Bishop, but with Ipswich going so well it will take a sizeable sum for them to be let go. McCarthy has got Wolves and Sunderland promoted from this division, can he do it again?
Star man: Christophe Berra
Must do better: Luke Hyam
Where to strengthen in January: Midfield
Position at start of 2015: 2nd
Mid-season grade: A
To see Ipswich's remaining fixtures in 2014-15, click here.
Pascal Lemesre
