DAMIEN Delaney is to spend his blank weekend counting his blessings.

Elvin King

DAMIEN Delaney is to spend his blank weekend counting his blessings.

The 28-year-old defender left troubled Queens Park Rangers to join the playing staff at Portman Road last summer - and it was one of the best moves he has made.

While he is convinced the Blues are on their way up the Championship, he fears for the future of his former team.

“We are on the way up and making progress - even if we are going at crawling pace,” said Delaney.

“But there is a limit to how much players at QPR can take with all the upheavals, and it is beginning to show.”

Delaney had a starring role when Ipswich beat Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road on Tuesday with the troubles currently facing the Londoners highlighted in a dreadful first-half performance.

While Town are without a game tomorrow because of Cardiff City's involvement in the FA Cup at Premier League Chelsea, QPR face a trip to Coventry.

A failure to win and Ipswich could overtake them on Tuesday with victory at bottom club Peterborough.

When Jim Magilton was dismissed in December, Rangers were on the tails of the top six while Ipswich were ensconced in the bottom three.

The way Town owner Marcus Evans is running things at Portman Road is exemplary compared to the goings on under chairman Flavio Briatore and his well-heeled Formula One-based colleagues at Loftus Road with five managers within the last 12 months.

“It is around 18 months since Iain Dowie left QPR and they have been talking about stability ever since,” said Delaney.

“They have failed, and there is only so much players can take.

“Despite all the upheaval last season we managed to finish mid-table, which was a testament to the quality of the players.

“There has to be a limit somewhere along the line.

“I still have a lot of friends at the club and it's sad to see. I hope they get out of their current spiralling situation.”

Delaney is far more positive about Ipswich Town's future adding: “We're definitely maturing as a team and we're definitely getting better.

“That probably hasn't happened at the pace we'd like, but we're getting there.

“We seem to be crawling there, but there are signs of improvement.

“It was vital we won on Tuesday. Even a draw wouldn't have been great, especially having been two-up and given the way we played in the first half.

“Now QPR are down there with us now and the table has changed massively.

“We've got to look after our side of things and hopefully we can get another three points at Peterborough on Tuesday.”