Martin Dale has seen almost everything at Ipswich Town – glorious European nights under the guidance of Bobby Robson, league title challenges and FA Cup wins beneath Wembley's twin towers. But now he is about to witness something new: relegation to English football's third tier.

Ipswich will tumble into League One for the first time since 1957 on Saturday if they fail to beat Birmingham City at Portman Road. Their fate has looked inevitable for months – they are 14 points adrift of safety, with just four wins to their name all season – but that will not stop Dale, 64, shedding a tear when the worst is finally confirmed.

“Whenever the relegation happens of course I will have a tear in my eye," he told Telegraph Sport, just before the latest of Ipswich's 22 defeats this term – 2-0 at Brentford on Wednesday. "Even though I've known it was coming for months it'll still hit me.

“I've seen us competing at Wembley in FA Cup finals. Now our best hope is the Football League Trophy."

Wednesday represented Ipswich's season in microcosm – moments of competence interspersed with horrendous defensive mistakes that ultimately sealed the side's fate. There were still over 1,600 travelling fans there to see it – a remarkable tally for a side marooned at the bottom of the table – and they were in good voice, despite events on the field. At one stage, fans sang about "going to Shrews-bu-ry" to the tune of Que sera sera.