Town have announced that millionaire and lifelong fan Kevin Beeston will join the board. The club had previously revealed that there would be new directors while Lord Ryder and at least one other current board member are set to leave at November's AGM.

Beeston, 40, is executive chairman of Serco, one of the world's biggest public service companies. He is a season ticket holder at Portmand Road and recently invested money into the club as a loan note holder.

Town chairman David Sheepshanks welcomed Beeston to the board, telling the club site: "We are extremely pleased to welcome Kevin Beeston as a new director of Ipswich Town Football Club.

"He has been instrumental in driving his company Serco Group plc to being one of the world's most successful public service companies. He is highly regarded in the City and among many valuable attributes, he brings added financial skills to the board as a qualified accountant and a former finance director and chief executive of Serco.

"He has a strong affinity with this town and the area having been born in Ipswich and started his career in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth and he has been a lifelong fan of the club.

"He is also one of those committed supporters who recently invested in the Club as one of the loan note holders.

"Kevin's appointment is the first of a number of new additions to the board to be made in the coming weeks and months. He represents new blood and new skills and will be an invaluable addition the club.

"He is keen to be visible and accessible to fans, many of whom I hope will also have an opportunity to meet him in due course.

"He joins with the unanimous support of the other directors and I thoroughly look forward to working with him."

Beeston himself is pleased to become a Town director: "I am delighted to have been asked to join the board of Ipswich Town Football Club having followed the club closely as an ardent supporter for many years.

"The last two seasons have been immensely challenging for the club and the Football League generally, but with the completion of the CVA, a reduced cost base, a committed management team and the continued loyalty of our fans I am convinced that we can take Ipswich back where we belong - to the Premiership.

"I look forward to working with David Sheepshanks and the board to realise that dream."

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