Ipswich Town’s meteoric rise has now hit a setback the club had long anticipated.
After back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League, their return to the top flight after 22 years has ended in relegation. A 3-0 defeat to Newcastle, following Ben Johnson’s early red card, sealed their fate. Despite being in a better financial and strategic position than fellow relegated clubs Southampton and Leicester, the final whistle at St James’ Park was a painful blow for Kieran McKenna and his players.
Defender Luke Woolfenden admitted the team “let themselves down” throughout the season, while McKenna said he had accepted relegation after an earlier defeat to Wolves. Ipswich struggled with consistency, losing a league-high 27 points from winning positions, and their home form was poor, securing only seven points at Portman Road all season.
McKenna highlighted the lessons from their rapid ascent, pointing to injuries and discipline issues, including five red cards, as major factors. Despite setbacks, he stressed that the club has laid a strong foundation for the future.
Looking ahead, Ipswich may cash in on key players like Liam Delap, who could fetch around £30m, and potentially lose other talents like Leif Davis and Omari Hutchinson. However, the club remains financially stable and intends to reinvest wisely to maintain squad strength.
Kieran McKenna’s future remains a topic of interest. Despite past links to Premier League clubs, he appears committed to leading Ipswich back to the top flight, with the club backing him for another promotion push next season.
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