x

Butcher: The Foundation is There - Ipswich Town News

Blues legend Terry Butcher believes Town have a foundation on which they can build a side which can compete next season after missing out on the play-offs by one place and five points in 2015/16.

Butcher, 57, believes the Blues suffered from losing the likes of David McGoldrick, Teddy Bishop and Ryan Fraser to injury for lon spells and says it’s players of their ilk that manager Mick McCarthy needs to add this summer.

"They’ve been up and down and it’s been difficult this year,” the former England centre-half reflected on the season just gone. "The injuries to key personnel have been a major factor.

"You just hope that next year we can get a good run at it with one or two good signings because the nucleus is there, the foundation is there, it just needs adding the more talented little gems like Fraser and people like that. We need to get them on board.

"I think it’s a disappointment for everybody that we didn’t get into the play-offs having got there the previous year, but now Norwich are back down as well and we’ve got the Old Farm derby to look forward to and I just hope now that we can go on and win them rather than playing second best to the lot up the road.”

Regarding his own future, Butcher says his management career may be over having left his most recent club Newport County, where his former central defensive partner Russell Osman was his assistant, back in October.

"I don’t know. It probably is but we’ll see what happens,” he added. "I just enjoy coming down here to Portman Road and watching from afar and doing my radio and TV bits and things like that. You walk away, no pressure and you just enjoy life.”

What to read next:

McKenna Some Bookies' Favourite For Brentford Job
Town boss Kieran McKenna is some bookies’ early favourite for the vacant Brentford job following confirmation that Thomas Frank has taken charge at Tottenham Hotspur, but with little real clarity on who the Bees’ next head coach might be.
Hutchinson's England U21s Win Euros Opener
Blues forward Omari Hutchinson helped England’s U21s to a 3-1 victory over Czechia in their opening group game at the European Championship in Slovakia.
Valencia Linked With Burgess
La Liga Valencia are showing interest in Town centre-half Cameron Burgess, according to Spanish reports.
Hutchinson's England U21s' Euros Campaign Starts Against Czechs
Town forward Omari Hutchinson and his England U21s teammates get their European Championship campaign under way when they face Czechia in Dunajská Streda, Slovakia this evening (KO 8pm, Channel 4).
TWTD Questionnaire 2024/25
There’s still time for you to fill in the annual TWTD Questionnaire, your chance to look back in judgement on Town's 2024/25 season
Town Fans Take Total Raised For Food Bank to £20,000
Town supporters donated more than £6,000 to Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks in 2024/25, taking the overall total raised since the group began their monthly matchday collections in January 2023 to £20,000.
International Round-Up
While Town’s club season is now over, the Blues saw six first-team players get minutes for their countries over the last week during the June internationals. Here is a round-up of how they all fared.
Blues Duo Win Caps as Ireland Draw
Dara O’Shea started and Jack Taylor came on as a sub as the Republic of Ireland were held to a disappointing 0-0 friendly draw away against Luxembourg.
Burgess's Australia Confirm World Cup Qualification
Cameron Burgess’s Australia confirmed qualification for the 2026 World Cup by beating Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their final qualifier in Jeddah this evening.
Mauge Signs Pro Deal
Blues youngster Jamie Mauge has signed the professional deal offered to him at the end of the season.