Town manager Roy Keane says finishing anywhere other than in the top six next season will be unacceptable. The Blues ended Keane's first season in charge in a disappointing 15th place in the Championship.

Keane told the club site: “There were expectations that we would be up there challenging for promotion when I arrived at the club, but that's what Ipswich Town should be aiming for.

"Players have to deal with those expectations, just like managers do. I'd rather aim the bar high and go for it.

"We came up short last season though, particularly at the start and there will be no room for error next year.

"I keep saying I live in the real world. Having another poor start or repeating the mistakes we made last year won't be tolerated.

"I know what is expected. It's competing in the top six. I've heard people mention mid-table. It's got to be the top six. Anything else is not acceptable."

Meanwhile, former Blue Darren Ambrose’s £750,000 move from Crystal Palace to QPR is now in doubt with the CPFC 2010 consortium close to completing the deal to buy the Eagles and keen to keep the midfielder.

Ambrose has already agreed personal terms and has undergone a medical at Loftus Road but, given the change of circumstances at Selhurst Park, Rangers, managed by ex-Palace boss Neil Warnock, may now have to up their offer for the former England U21 international.

Photo: Action Images

waters2908 added 09:03 - Jun 2 top six by xmas or think youl be getting p45
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Deanoipswich4ever added 09:18 - Jun 2 i think that ipswich wil finish 6th tbh, cuz we will hopfully sign a couple of gd players, so i think 6th and above is a gd desision from keane i belive that ipswich can finish 6th :)
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Brandonbilly added 09:30 - Jun 2 With only 26 days till pre-season how about sighning someone.
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Surco72 added 09:32 - Jun 2 Get your new players in early Roy ,choose your starting 11 and 6 regular squad players and stick with it .Team was changed far too often last season especially early on when everyone was fresh and fit . Counago,Stead,Priskin ,Wickham never given a run which all strikers need , 4 different keepers , back four changed for every game almost,settled and consistent ,we have the players as certain games showed last year they just need direction,style of play and management. Good Luck Roy

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bluechick added 09:36 - Jun 2 No Roy top six is not acceptable. Only promotion will do. You set your own goal claiming to be able to do it in two years rather than the three you were offered. How about we start by not signing anymore Irish Sunderland reserve players & widening your horizons? Time to put up & shut up. Flying by October or gone, it's up to you. Deano I love the simplicity of your post. Sweet boy.

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dobbie73 added 09:37 - Jun 2 I believe in Keano and applaud his determination. No team has a right to be in the top 6 - success has to be fought for and earned. Last season was disappointing, particularly as the first third of it pretty much negated the much improved form and results after October. Given the turnaround after a seemingly impossible situation, imagine if that form had been over the 46 games instead of the last 30, we would probably have been in the playoffs. But that is past - hopefully Keano has learned from his mistakes, his core is identified, and the remaining players (and new ones to come) know their job and what is expected of them. If we hit the ground running, there is no reason why we should not be top 6 in May 2011. Everyone has a part to play - the club ownership, the manager, the coaches, the player, and us - the fans. COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!

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dobbie73 added 09:40 - Jun 2 Lol, that should be PLAYERS! Not even the mighty 'Switch can win with one player ...
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RetroBlue added 09:45 - Jun 2 Ok ! So name the 5 clubs that will finish above Town. Because Im struggling to see credable options .....
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Lightningboy added 09:52 - Jun 2 About time you started getting your arse in gear then and signed a few good players Roy...how about letting the football do the talking next season rather than yourself cos all I keep hearing is "we need to do this and that" without actually getting anywhere...you've not convinced me at all - a BIG improvement is needed all round.
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MAVERICK added 09:54 - Jun 2 bluechick - Spot on. I thought Keano had a two year promotion plan!
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bedsitfc added 09:59 - Jun 2 i think our threat next season will be from burnley hull forest cardiff - if they can keep players norwich - sorry qpr portsmouth - if they can get a new squad in millwall - have some good players and will fight all the way
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tractorboynathan added 10:08 - Jun 2 Stop talking RK and start doing the buisness! You do all this talking about how you know what players you have in mind and that..... But have you actually made a bid for someone? He will leave to the last 2-3 and all the good players/free transfers would have gone. See who he brings in first, then i will know if we will finish in top 6! COYB!
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blue_em_away added 10:14 - Jun 2 Sorry but only top two is acceptable. We've have the warm up season, now its time to kick some ar$e
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old_and_blue added 10:23 - Jun 2 We could have told him that!! And why do some players he doesn't like get a royal slagging off with names like powder-puff while his failures, like Priskin, Martin get away with kinder comments like ' I think he'll come good in the end' ?? Sounds a bit partial to me.. He's got until Christmas for the team to show some form and if not, for Christ's sake lets get rid of him..

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hampstead_blue added 10:32 - Jun 2 that's us looking for a new manager by christmas.
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mickeyjb added 10:39 - Jun 2 So the new players that get us to this position are?.........
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Seasonticketsteve added 10:44 - Jun 2 I think after the season just gone a top six finish is the most realistic aim, obviously the real lack of quality in the league for next season could see us pinch a top two finish with a good run. I would be very happy with a top six finish though, other than a few times last season we didnt hardly get outplayed by any team and we are a match for anyone on our day. We MUST get a decent right back in though, a decent left winger and a striker with pace if we are to challenge though!

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yorksblue added 10:49 - Jun 2 Bluechick & Blue-em-away - Here here!
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Porridge123 added 10:54 - Jun 2 Why are we not trying to sign some portsmouth players on the cheap??...Roy wants premiership quality on the cheap so there you go
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Daleyitfc added 10:57 - Jun 2 I assume he will fall on his sword if not? Bags I get to hold it steady for him ...
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brockleyblueboy added 10:59 - Jun 2 Damn right Roy. Also to the fans moaning about him not doing any signings, when does the transfer window open. Oh yeah, JULY THE 1ST. Give the guy a break
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Hegarty added 11:00 - Jun 2 Automatic promotion has to be realistic for us this year but i'm a little worried that RK is saying 6th place would be acceptable! What i really want RK to say is that Connor Wickham will be going nowhere? Why has no one from the club came out since the reported 5m (IMHO ridiculus) bid from Spurs to confirm or deny the speculation?
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StowTractorBoy added 11:24 - Jun 2 All talk and no action Roy. I am fed up of seeing other Clubs sign decent players and as usual we are left behind. Sharpe a decent striker in this division would have been ideal for us but we look as though we have lost him now. Ambrose is another we could have afforded but alas no actilon. I despair that this happens every season. I am still with you Roy but am worried about our chances at the moment.

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nthstd added 11:27 - Jun 2 Got fed up with the bull that he spouted last season and was just getting over it. Precisely what is he going to say " I'll settle for 14th, at least that's an improvement on this season!" I think not, top six is where I want to be, but in order to do that Roy has to get some class acts in the team. He couldn't attract big names or class players when he had the money last season so precisely what has changed that says he can this season.

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joeippy01 added 11:29 - Jun 2 Haha is keane in dream land? i think 10th would be good for us this season looking at what happened last year and considering we still have had NO action in the transfer market. If im being totally honest i think we are in for a relegation scrap and we need to be buying some battling midfielders to help our cause. Top 6 wake up keane, i know that we have to look high but with keane in charge and the current squad it really is not going to happen and it just makes all us fans feel like we are going to do something this season but we all know deep down that it wont happen, COME ON TOWN GET KEANE OUT AND GET SOME NEW PLAYERS ON BOURD!

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