Town boss Kieran McKenna is pleased to be at home on the opening day but says visitors Bolton Wanderers are a “high level opponent”.

The Blues host the Trotters before a first-ever visit to Forest Green Rovers the following week.

“It’s an exciting fixture,” McKenna told iFollow Ipswich when asked about the opening fixture. “Bolton are a really strong team who finished the second half of the season really well, so it’s a high level opponent.

“We are really pleased to be at home. We finished last season off at home against Charlton and there was a fantastic energy and atmosphere in the stadium. We’ll look to pick up where we left off with that.

“We spoke to the players earlier today and everyone is excited for Bolton in the first game, but Forest Green in the second would be the same three points.

“That’s the key mentality for us to have through the year. It’s a long slog of a season with a lot of tough fixtures and there’s going to be good days and bad days.

“We need to prepare as well as what we can and work really hard to make sure that we’re mentality and physically robust so we can then come out on top of that 46-game season with a good outcome.”

Town have been paired with Colchester at Portman Road in the first round of the Carabao Cup, while Arsenal U21s, Cambridge and Northampton are in the Blues’ Papa John’s Trophy group.

“It’s exciting to get Colchester who are obviously not too far down the road from us,” McKenna added. “It’s a fixture with a little bit more on it as they have lots of ex-Ipswich players who will be very motivated.

“The cup competitions are going to be important for us. We want to do well and we want to progress. It’s also a chance for us to utilise the squad and develop some of the younger players who we have a high opinion of here.

“We want to make sure that we have a strong squad so that we can compete across all competitions.”

McKenna learnt Town's League One fixtures at a breakfast with sponsors in Beattie's alongside CEO Mark Ashton and Mark Steed, the chief executive officer of Arizona’s Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, the pension fund who own a 90 per cent stake in Blues owner Gamechanger 20, which was hosted by Simon Milton.

Photo: TWTD

ImAbeliever added 19:02 - Jun 23 I agree with all of th e above. COYB ITID can't wait.
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ImAbeliever added 19:03 - Jun 23 37 days to go
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AlanG296 added 19:46 - Jun 23 "high level opponent"! They're league one same as us and the other 22. All capable of beating us and being beaten by us. Come out of the season with "a good outcome"??? Good outcome??? GOOD???? Lowering expectations before you even kick a ball.
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Linkboy13 added 20:05 - Jun 23 It's all about the league next season couldn't give two hoots about the cups. Teams that have good runs in the cup's especially the FA cup tend to suffer in the league. If i had a choice between getting promotion and winning the FA cup (been there) it would be promotion every time it's that important.
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TimmyH added 20:14 - Jun 23 Bolton certainly were not 'a high level' opponent 2 seasons ago! with all their financial woes and fielding kids, I wonder how they've changed things around so quickly?
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ipswichboi added 20:26 - Jun 23 It's not like he can call Bolton a bunch of S**t ****s (which they are) He is being professional.
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Nobbysnuts added 20:27 - Jun 23 Get your excuses in early KM.......hight level opponent my ar#e....its almost throwing in the towel already.....he should be saying what a tough game it is for Bolton!!!!!!!!!
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Dissboyitfc added 06:05 - Jun 24 Once again, McKenna is being very professional in an interview! Behind closed doors he will be telling the players how tough this is for Bolton and he expects nothing less than 3 points on the opening day of the season at home, hardly going to same the same in public is he? showing disrepect is a dam good team talk for the opponents! What would Klop or Pepp say if we drew them in them in the cup? Something along the lines " Ipswich will be no problem, i expect a very comfortable win' no they would say nice words and let their football do the talking!

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bobble added 09:15 - Jun 24 no one from bolton is of a high level.......
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 09:45 - Jun 24 His attitude to the cup games is refreshing, it is a great chance for squad players to develop and a winning mentality cannot be switched on and off.
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Europablue added 10:44 - Jun 24 A strong start is essential. It is often difficult to predict before the start of the season which teams will be up there, but the teams in the mix after 10 games tend not to be that different from the end of the season. Win at home on the first day of the season, intimidate Forest Green for the second and keep on winning!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:56 - Jun 24 The nuthead from Bolton who got off the train at Manningtree a year or two ago trying to pick a fight was definitely not of a high level!
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KiwiTractor added 23:16 - Jun 24 Just a reminder to some above, Bolton pumped us twice last season.
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