Martin Pitcher, Marcus Evans's main man on the new Town board, was in the Blues party which stayed overnight in Blackpool ahead of Saturday's game. Pitcher has joined the club board and will be voted on to the board of the plc which owns 12.5% of Town at next Monday's AGM.
Pitcher says he is proud to have become a Town director: "It was one of the greatest days of my life when I was told I was going to be a board member of Ipswich Town. It is a great honour, and the work is proving fascinating.”
A qualified chartered accountant, Pitcher worked with Price Waterhouse in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, London and New York in their audit and transaction services divisions.
He moved on to the Marcus Evans Group three years ago and is currently their director of corporate development, which means he is responsible for start-ups and new acquisitions.
Pitcher has reiterated Marcus Evans's desire to get the club into the Premier League as soon as possible, but says there is no time limit being put on winning top flight status. He also confirmed that Evans is kept informed of transfer developments but with David Sheepshanks and Derek Bowden in overall charge of the running of the club.
The 40-year-old is learning the business of football, but says there is no truth in this week's report of a "root and branch” examination of all areas the club: "It is usual business practice to have a look at how things work when you move into something new. I do not consider it anything major.”
Pitcher describes himself as merely a follower of England but says he is now a Town supporter and will become a regular at home and away games.
Fellow Marcus Evans employees Ian Milne and Jonathan Symonds will also be joining the main club board which will comprise of six directors - the three representatives from the Marcus Evans Group and chief executive Derek Bowden, non-executive director Kevin Beeston and chairman David Sheepshanks.
Milne is a 55-year-old qualified solicitor previously with drinks giant Diageo and Revlon International. He joined the Marcus Evans Group in 2000.
Symonds has been the chief information officer of the Marcus Evans Group since 1996 and is responsible for the strategy and the delivery of IT solutions for the Marcus Evans Group. The 37-year-old has a degree in Business Information Systems and was previously in management roles with Apple Computers, Bacon and Woodrow and Global Communications.
The directors of Town prior to the takeover will remain as directors of the Town plc, which now holds 12.5% of the club.