Town owner Marcus Evans has broken his silence for the first time since the end of last season, insisting the club is not currently for sale but definitely not ruling out that it could change hands in the future.

The owner’s interview on the club website also features his views on the appointment of former boss Paul Hurst, the decision to dispense with his services after just 149 days and the way forward under his successor, Paul Lambert, whose run of two wins in his 14 games in charges sees Town seven points from safety at the bottom of the Championship.

Evans, who has been at the helm for 11 years, pledges his ongoing support to Lambert, who has introduced six new signings in the January transfer window. He also responds to fans who complain about a lack of investment in the playing resources, as well as joining the manager in praising supporters for their loyalty in the most trying of circumstances. The full interview can be read below:

Marcus, let’s start with the past before discussing the future. You tried something different last summer. You went for a younger manager from the lower divisions in Paul Hurst. Do you regret that decision?

"No, I don’t regret the appointment as I think it was the right decision for the club at the time. It was the decisions made after the appointment that I regret and in hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, I am sure both myself and Paul Hurst - who is a totally decent and hard-working person by the way - would make different decisions if we had our time again. However, we are where we are. ""

Where do you, personally, think it went wrong then?

Again, with hindsight, I think we should have been tweaking a squad that proved to be competitive last season rather than making wholesale changes so quickly.

The addition of players inexperienced at Championship level mixed in with a group of experienced ones may well have succeeded but it takes time to adjust to making that step up to the Championship and that step up becomes even harder when so many are making it at the same time.

So you regret signing so many players from the lower divisions?

"The obvious answer is yes because of what I have just said about the time it takes for players to settle in at Championship level but I recall asking Sir Bobby [Robson] at one time ‘what if anything in your opinion is the one thing that I should do as an owner to support the club’ and he said ‘back the manager 100 per cent until you know it’s time for a change’. That’s what I’ve always done and will continue to do as best I can .

What is the strategy going forward then?

"The long-term investment I have put in place has made us competitive in the past and the ongoing consistent investment to support the strategies of stable management, a strong academy and competitive wages for experienced players I believe will make us competitive again.

In terms of the club’s immediate outlook, it’s a massive kick in the teeth that we are struggling this year because I feel behind the scenes we, as a club, are providing the best service since I became involved that we have ever done for a manager.

We have put a structure in place that provides us with continuity in the way all the teams play from academy to first team; we have improved scouting and sports science support; we have appointed a general manager football operations in Lee O’Neill who is working closely with Paul and myself and in Paul we have a manager not only focused on winning football matches but doing so in an entertaining style.

This season has been the most challenging one for me as owner but working alongside Paul and Lee, I’m determined that the rebuilding process that is now taking place will get us going in the right direction again.

I’ve already released a statement with Paul clarifying that Paul and I have agreed that this journey will continue wherever we play our football next season, which provides the vitally important stability and management that I’ve spoken about so many times.

We have a progressive, experienced manager determined to play football on the front foot with a support team and owner completely behind him. Let’s see where it takes us.

You are clearly backing Paul. Six players have arrived this month. Will you continue to back him in the transfer market?"

I think we have done some good business in this window with players who can make an immediate impact and we are already looking ahead to the summer. So yes I will.

Do you feel that the levels of investment that you are prepared to make can enable the club to be competitive?

"There is always going to be a wide range of the level of investments in clubs each year and I ultimately believe that the strategy that I have in place for Ipswich can make us competitive.

Every year there are likely to be six or seven clubs with parachute payments; this year it’s seven with parachute payments ranging between £25m and £50m per annum. In addition there will be clubs with new owners or relatively new owners looking to invest £20m or so a year for a few seasons in the hope of promotion.

So from a financial perspective, Ipswich will be at a disadvantage to at least half the clubs in the Championship. However, and this is the key point; none of these budgets are sustainable. It tends to now be a different 10 or 11 clubs each year, within reason, that are in this position.

The likes of Bolton, Hull, Wigan, Reading, QPR and Sunderland have all been in the ‘money club’ in recent years. None of those clubs started the season as likely promotion contenders and Sunderland started the season in League One.

"What do you say to those who argue we are in the position we are in now because of lack of investment?

"I don’t agree with that at all. We are in the position we are in due to last summer’s unbalanced transfer dealings. This is not to knock the players we brought in as I believe all of them can settle into playing at this level, however we needed more experience to help bring our new players through.

And if you look at the last five or six seasons before this year, we did just that with a similar level of budget and we averaged a league position of ninth or 10th so in fact we have eaten into the top half of the table which from a financial perspective would be reserved for those clubs with increased financial clout.

So during the last six years, a strategy of stable management, developing youth mixed with bringing in experienced Championship players alongside some developing players and all within a sustainable budget did make us competitive.

Are you not tempted to throw £15m, £20m at it for a season or two and see where it takes you?

"I did throw a lot of money, if you want to use that term, at it in the early years of my ownership and it got us nowhere. The key word here is sustainable. If I were to invest £15m to £20m per year at the club over three, four, five years, I would, like we have seen with other owners, tire very quickly if not successful. Some fans would say that’s worth the risk but I don’t think so.

If I were to take that risk and then decide enough is enough, where does that leave the club? With zero investment each year the club almost certainly ends up perpetually in the lower regions of the Football League.

There are plenty of examples of clubs that have done that. I am simply not prepared to leave the club in the lurch and my investment is based upon keeping the club competitive long term, not just with a roll of the dice for two or three seasons. I would rather provide consistent and steady investment and try to breakthrough using the strategies that nearly worked under Mick.

""When you spoke in an interview with iFollow at the end of last season, you said you would ‘do what’s right for the club’ if there was an offer to invest in the club. Is that still the situation??

"I would like to be very clear, the club is not for sale and nor do I want to sell the club. I will continue to do my absolute best for Ipswich Town.

However, if someone comes along who wants to follow a higher risk route, then if that what’s best for the club and the incoming party show they are in for the long haul, I would step aside if it is best for the club. It has to be the best for the football club though.

Finally what do you say to the supporters who are here through thick and thin?

"I was talking to Paul about the fans the other day. He has been amazed by the club’s support given our position in the table. I want to thank everyone of them for making Paul and his staff so welcome and I want to thank them for getting behind the team so much.

The atmosphere at the Rotherham game was amazing. The fans seemed to keep the ball out of the net on occasions, such was the noise from behind the goal in the North Stand.

So if there is a message, it’s please stick with us. It’s a team effort and the supporters are the most important part of the team. Owners and managers come and go, fans are forever and I will do everything I can to see those fans see entertaining football in return for their loyal support.

Photo: ITFC

Swn98 added 15:30 - Jan 23 sotd78 We had a manager capable of keeping us in the top ten the fans wanted him out they got what they wished for.
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Wussinwhiteboots added 15:44 - Jan 23 This is a genuine question to those who continually post anti Evans jibes, what exactly do you wish him to do? As far as I know he is one of the most successful business men in country he is self made and generally appears to get the most success out of the business he runs. He has clearly stated he is here to stay. So what am I being taken in by?
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cat added 15:56 - Jan 23 Good news for stability, bad news for serious investment. I'll take the positives out of the Evans situation and leave it there.
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Jesney_Havoc added 16:12 - Jan 23 I just get the feeling that he feels he's spent enough already and won't throw good money after bad. Big numbers I know, but we are getting 'out invested' and there is a correlation between spending and league position. Frustrating, I know. Football is a game played on balance sheets rather than a pitch these days...
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Gcon added 16:17 - Jan 23 What exactly is there to like about this "interview"? I just don't get these sycophantic comments. Is it the confirmation that he intends to continue with a level of investment very much at the bottom end of the league? When he says he's really happy with the business this transfer window - Is that because he hasn't really spent any money and got away with getting a couple of decent players in cheap because they are at the end of their careers (and therefore prone to injury)? Paul Lambert has been here 5 minutes and in that time has developed more of a connection with club, community and supporters than he has done in 11 long years.

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Bluearmy_81 added 16:34 - Jan 23 I recall asking Sir Bobby [Robson] at one time ‘what if anything in your opinion is the one thing that I should do as an owner to support the club' and he said ‘back the manager 100 per cent until you know it's time for a change'. What complete and utter rot. He's failed miserably backing the manager sufficiently, the table doesn't lie!
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Bluearmy_81 added 16:36 - Jan 23 what exactly do you wish him to do? Omg it's not hard!! Invest sufficiently to enable us to be competitive!! (And not go down.. ) Unbelievable
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herfie added 16:50 - Jan 23 The thing is, that even if ME agreed to be questioned outside of this ‘set piece' format, I doubt the answers he gave would be vastly different. He clearly wants to join with PL's open and honest diologue with supporters and, although not everyone will either trust or agree with what he says, there has to be a start point in rebuilding for the future. The mood music I get is that ME knows that major mistakes have been made, resulting in our current situation, which he very much regrets. The impacts are huge, affecting as they do the whole county and local community, with the ‘failed businessman owner' tag: under his stewardship ITFC stand on the brink of relegation etc. So, assuming there's no sale of the club any time soon, and with PL remaining in post, we have to hope that a new era is beginning based upon a less remote, more open and inclusive relationship between club and supporters, with good top down communication at his heart. Take all the mistakes, admit to them, learn from them but don't waste time now looking back - it's the future that matters.

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BlueBlood90 added 16:56 - Jan 23 @Swn98 You say we had a manager capable of keeping us in the top ten which is funny seeing as we finished 12th & 16th in McCarthy's last two seasons. I still don't understand how anyone can say it wasn't the right time for him to go. And for the record, I personally think he did a very good job but we needed freshening up. His attitude certainly didn't help and made things worse (as he also did at his previous two clubs before us).

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tetchris added 16:59 - Jan 23 The biggest problem is that ME allowed PH to spend so much money on lower league players who lacked experience at this level and would take time to get up to pace of championship. One or two would have been ok but 6/7 lower league players is too many to bring on all at the same time. What was needed in the summer was experienced championship players with one or two from the lower leagues. ME admits in his interview that in hindsight it wasn't the right thing to do but ME has been owner of the club for over 10 years surely he has enough knowledge of championship football to know that it would be very difficult to bring in 6/7 lower league players all at once. He is the owner, it's his money PH was spending, why didn't he think he could say to PH, look this is what you need to do, buy experienced players and add one or two lower league players to the mix but some unknown reason he gave PH carte blanche to buy whoever he wanted. Why didn't he say to PH sooty but I don't think you should buy Roberts, Donacien etc?

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Bluearmy_81 added 17:08 - Jan 23 Back the manager 100%, that's what I've done?! Our spending last season was on a par with Burton Albion. Some of you will back him all the way to oblivion.
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TimmyH added 17:21 - Jan 23 "Again, with hindsight, I think we should have been tweaking a squad that proved to be competitive last season rather than making wholesale changes so quickly." - Well this was bloody well obvious to me and my pet dog!! and this is not with 'hindsight' as Marcus tells us umpteen times, you could see a mile off too many inexperienced players were coming into the club and the quality was being shipped out - reckless and it's left us in the mire!

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TimmyH added 17:28 - Jan 23 Good post @Gcon - agree really, why is everybody now praising our owner again or every time he says something - some people are VERY easily pleased. Okay if 'stability' is your thing but only due to the silly decisions made in the summer!
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thechangingman added 18:21 - Jan 23 I am afraid I don't even have the heart or desire to read Evan's comments. Enough evidence has been accrued, from over a decade of under-achieving and poor appointments, for me to conclude that, overall, he is not the right man to own our club. There is literally NOTHING he could say at this stage, to assuage my fears that under his rule, we will never move forwards. At best, he has stagnated our club, at worst, led it down the path to exctinction. Until this man sells up, to a more ambitious, visible, and focused owner, we'll continue our slow, but sure, decline into oblivion. Enough is enough. There can be no more tolerance of this individual. He needs to be gone, and soon. There are few clubs in the whole country (if any!) who would even consider giving this man the time of day after his catalogue of misery. Evan OUT!! End of.

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ian_marshall added 18:37 - Jan 23 Marcus just doesn't get it. He came 10/11 years ago and we were pushing play off spots, football has changed a lot yes but we are now bottom cut adrift. It's all his actions and decisions in his time here not just this summer. You have to spend money just to stand still so the underinvestment puts us in the position were in, that's not good business is it ? We all want the best for the club and Marcus saying that he will continue at current investment levels is good for his wallet and will please some but 14/15 season was a missed opportunity, I think burnley spent something in the region of 9 mill on andre gray and that got them up that season or season before and that was the difference.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 18:48 - Jan 23 Blueboy me old fruit can I ask please where you get the Burton stat from ? Is that transfers or wages or both ?
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Swn98 added 19:07 - Jan 23 @Swn98 at least we weren't rock bottom facing league 1
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Swn98 added 19:09 - Jan 23 last post should of been addressed to LSOTD78
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Bluearmy_81 added 19:12 - Jan 23 Cost of squad to assemble. Sorry, was wrong, not same as Burton (who obviously went down, bottom in spending) but we are in the bottom 5, along with Bolton, Millwall etc. Can anyone see a correlation?! 😂 https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-much-every-championship-side-12 This was also last season so figure willbelower this season as we spent net -5million in summer 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

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Carberry added 19:14 - Jan 23 Headline could quite easily have said, 'Club for sale for the right offer'. However, there's an awful lot of hindsight here about the poor decision making that has dogged his time at the Club. And it's all about money, from the amounts he wasted with Keane and Jewell, to the shoe string signings that McCarthy had to make, letting 40+ goals disappear out of the club in the summer, buying cheap replacements with a cheap inexperienced manager and making the usual signings of 'cast offs' this window. But indefensibly he tried to save money on running the club, not hiring experienced management who could keep McCarthy's disastrous ego in check and stopping Hurst's terrible plan to send us to league 1. So Evans has started turning up when it's all too late, as if that will make any difference and people still want to sympathise with him . By the way, is there still an arrest warrant out for him in Brazil?

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BlueandTruesince82 added 19:22 - Jan 23 The point is sustainability is fair, there are documented analysis of the accounts from Evans early tenure that show the clubs finances were run at an unsustainable level. Wages at 110% of turnover as an example. In short, he did chuck money at it and it didn't work. Could he have spent more, yes, could he do so now, yes. Of course we would all like that but he did spend, Roy Keane doesnt come cheap and nor did the wages of some of his signings, Chopra, Fullop etc. People forget how much the player market has inflated in the years Evans has owned the club, Liverpool paid £50 million for Salah, then PSG blow £200 million on Neymar and overnight the market inflates by a colossal percentage. That has been happening year on year at and ever increasing rate. Its like a turbo charged Dutch Tulip Crisis and creates a market that only Oligarchs can keep up with, unless of course they mortgage an already huge club up to the hilt because its almost too big to fail, look at Man Utds debt. As others have said he tried it and got bored of chucking money at it. How many of us would do the same. Is everything rosey? No. Again he could spend more but he as owner decides how deep his pockets extend and regardless of if you agree with that level it is millions of pounds a year, not as many millions as previous year's but thays because, as documented to do was unsustainable. There are no massive tax breaks, there is an investment of millions of pounds into what is, despite what we would like to think, a small provincial club in an increasingly unlevel playing field. He does this knowing he has very little chance of ever recovering that yet still he does it. Bottom line, even if the club were for sale, no one wants to come and pump more in, he said constantly that if someone really shows the colour of their money he will look very seriously at it but we don't have the pull. Cardiff, Bristol, Hull these are clubs with potential because they are in big cities expanding all the time, we (and I admit Hull to a degree but its a bigger city with very little competition for support) can only expand in 2 directions becauee there is sea around the rest. If you buy Cardiff you have 1 club to compete against, maybe Liverpool too for North Wales but realistically 2/3 clubs vying for the affectionof an entire nation. Buy Ipswich and you have Colchesterand Southend right down the road so smaller catchment to draw non glory hunters from plus jump on thetrain and in an hr ish you can be at Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, even Arsenal. The football landscape has changed exponentially in Evans time at the club, we just cant bear to admit it. As to the question of investment in this window, Quanar is supposed to be getting £20k a week and Keane £10 to £15k and I bet Judge isnt on peanuts. There is no denying he would do some things differently, he admits that, the relationship with the fans has been lost under his stewardship and he is guilty of giving some managers too much time and probabaly throwing money at the wrong ones but fundamentally he lets managers get on with managing which is more than money. We got we wanted a young, ambitious manager with a track record of success at previous clubs he'd been at, regardless of if you agreed with the appointment or not he fit the bill of ehat most Town fans wanted, as for Mick, no one else would have got us out of that mess and therein lies Evans 2 biggest mistakes.... Roy, the big I am, get into a fight with myself in thr mirror Keane and the well natured but ineffective PJ and that sadly set the tone for what has come to pass, had we we reached the land of milk and honey we would have had the parachute payments even if we came straight down and been far more competitive as a result. At this point we are in it together, PL seems to be the breathof fresh air we have all been craving so let us hope we have one season of L1 and then under his guidance storm the league..... the biggest mistakes were made in the earlier years so lets hope Evans is learning lessons.....

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BlueandTruesince82 added 19:27 - Jan 23 IM Agree, 14/15 was a key juncture, stuck having been burnt. Should have twisted then
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alfromcol added 19:48 - Jan 23 Lots of people on here missing the point in blaming Evans for lots of things. As the great man, Sir Bobby advised him ‘what if anything in your opinion is the one thing that I should do as an owner to support the club' and he said ‘back the manager 100 per cent until you know it's time for a change'. This Evans did, but unfortunately picked the wrong people to manage the club. A very easy thing to do. How many supposed good managers, welcomed by supporters, last more than a few years before they are sacked as failures? Answer - all but 1 or 2. Nice summary Carberry

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Bluearmy_81 added 21:10 - Jan 23 I disagree. Surely what Bobby meant was back him 100%, give him the funds he needs to make the team's success and the club a success. That is what an owner 'backing' a manager means in football terms. He has not done this in any way shape or form.
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blueboy1981 added 21:14 - Jan 23 Still lots of criticism of Evans from the same old .... BUT although plenty of words of criticism NO SLTERNATIVES GIVEN by the critics. I'll give you the only one currently possible :- NO EVANS, NO ITFC ..... is that what you want ?? Get real you fools, we have much to still be thankful for, and proud of. WE WILL RETURN - make no mistake.
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