Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski carried off the Supporters Club's Player of the Year award for the second season running among a number of other gongs at this evening’s Player Awards evening in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite at Portman Road.
Bialkowski fought off competition from Tom Lawrence, who finished second, to claim the award he also won in 2015/16.
The 29-year-old was delighted to retain the Harwich Rosebowl: "I’m really chuffed and pleased about it. It’s been an amazing year for me and to win back to back is obviously great.”
Bialkowski joins Kevin Beattie, Terry Butcher and Matt Holland in winning the award twice, while John Wark won it on a record four occasions.
The Blues keeper also picked up the Junior Blues Player of the Year and the Platinum Supporters Award (formerly the Away Match Passport Holders Award), while Tristan Nydam was named the Dale Roberts Academy Player of the Year.
I can't explain how I'm feeling atm!To win Player of the Year 2nd time in a row it's something very special! Would like to thank everyone💙💙💪 pic.twitter.com/bzIucJI2NR– Bartosz Bialkowski (@1BartMan1) April 29, 2017
Also thanks for all the msgs and support over the season!!! You've been amazing and I see u next week at forest awayðŸ™ðŸ™ŒðŸ™ŒðŸ™Œ– Bartosz Bialkowski (@1BartMan1) April 29, 2017
Earlier in the evening, which was hosted by BBC Radio Suffolk's Mark Murphy, manager Mick McCarthy admitted he hadn't been looking forward to speaking after chants calling for him to move on during the lap of appreciation.
However, the Blues boss was gratified to receive a warm welcome and reiterated his intention to remain with Town next season.
"You might understand if I said here was the last place I wanted to come and stand and speak today," he said.
"As we were walking around the pitch at the end of the game, I didn’t realise I was so popular. For all those that find me so popular, I’m just going to let you know that I will be back here next year, even if that’s just to annoy the people who don’t like me.
"As ever when I come into this event I get quite humbled by it, and probably the lads are the same. We walk in, with our shoulders hunched a little bit, we’re not sure what kind of reception we’re going to get after a disappointing performance.
"I’m always humbled by the reception and the support that we all get and I think the interaction between the players, the staff and the fans is a special bond at Ipswich and it’s something that should be nurtured and should be continued. Thank you for your support and thank you for how you’ve received us tonight.”
The Blues manager subsequently asked his players to give fans a round of applause.
As is the tradition at the Awards Evening all the players who have made full debuts during the season were given salvers with loanees Toumani DIagouraga and Emyr Huws and Jordan Spence and Steven Taylor, who are on a short-term contracts, all saying they'd like to stay.
Asked whether he'd like to come back next season on-loan striker Dominic Samuel joked that manager McCarthy "has my number".