Ipswich Town Ist, the Town Supporters Trust, have called on the club to "put Town’s Academy first" and confirm that they will be opting for Category One status. The Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), which was ratified in October, although with Town voting against it, means Championship clubs will have to decide whether they opt for Category One or the cheaper, lower status Category Two.
In a statement on the issue, the Trust said: "The club has thrown millions at a ‘quick fix solution’ to gain access to the Premier League that has shown no signs of working at this time.
"It would be unthinkable for the vast majority of fans to see that the current guardians of the club are interested in sending out signals that they are interested in the short-term, but not the long-term.
"Over the years our Academy has been first class — it is the one area of the club where we should never accept being second rate. So, we appeal to Marcus Evans, Simon Clegg, Paul Jewell and anyone else involved in this decision to Put Ipswich Town’s Academy First for the present and the future.”
Writing on Twitter, former Blue Shane Supple has backed the call: "Great to see the Town Supporters Trust putting pressure on the club to go for a Category One status academy, it is crucial for ITFC's future."
The Trust has also outlined a number of questions it would like the club to answer regarding Town's current position on and off the field, which can be found here.