Town boss Mick McCarthy’s departure with immediate effect has been confirmed. McCarthy, who had been due to stay until his contract is up in the summer, announced his departure at the end of his post-match press conference with the club releasing a statement soon afterwards.
"I spoke with Marcus at the weekend and we agreed that it was in the best interests for me, the players and the club that I move on now,”he told the club site.
"I said I would see the season out but it’s been a new experience and it’s not one I have been enjoying to be honest.
"I have continued to do my job to the best of my ability but there is something missing and I’m not comfortable with that.
"I have had a great time here and worked with some great people and to all those who have given me wonderful support over the last five and a half years - and there are many - I want to put on record my personal thanks.
🎥 | Mick McCarthy spoke with iFollow Ipswich shortly after the full-time whistle at Portman Road this evening as he confirmed his departure from the Club. pic.twitter.com/TEFfbLGOkA– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) April 10, 2018
"The players here can look forward to a new challenge with whoever comes in and I want to wish them, the staff and the club the best of fortunes.
"I’ll also be looking forward to a new challenge elsewhere. I’ve still got a lot of football in me.”
Assistant boss Terry Connor has also left the club with immediate effect following tonight’s match. It's understood the duo will say their goodbyes to the players at Playford Road on Thursday.
Town will announce who will be the caretaker-manager in the next day or so but we understand Bryan Klug and Geraint Williams will be put in temporary charge.
"I want to reiterate my thanks to Mick and Terry for their fantastic service to this football club,” owner Marcus Evans added.
"I have always enjoyed a good relationship with Mick and that continues and on behalf of the football club I want to wish him and Terry the very best of luck going forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them back here next season in the away dressing room!”
McCarthy announced his departure, which would have happened whatever tonight's result, at the end of his press conference when asked about the fans’ reaction to debutant Barry Cotter’s substitution, which you can hear below.
"A disgraceful reaction to that. But listen, I won’t have to listen to that again because that’s my last game, I’ll see you when I see you. I’m out of here,” he said as he got up and walked out.
Tonight's game was McCarthy's 279th in charge of the Blues, the 59-year-old having taken charge on November 1st 2012. Of those games, he won 105, drew 78 and lost 96, a win percentage of 37.63.
Earlier in the press conference, McCarthy had commented on the game: "I thought the lads were excellent, the first half was a tough game. Kieffer had hit the cross-bar, we both had chances. I thought we got better and better and was really thrilled with the result.
"We’ve had a clean sheet so that’s pleasing. We’ve not been good at home recently so we might have been a bit nervy, I don’t know, but we played really well in the second half and we should have won by more in the end.
"Jonas is a really good player for us and I’m delighted for him. Jonas is a proper player and I’m delighted for him.”
McCarthy was asked what was left to play for with the Barnsley win mathematically meaning the Blues cannot now make the play-offs: "Pride, points, always want to win.”
Adding to his earlier comments on the performance, he added: "I hope [fans will have left having enjoyed it]. It was a good performance and Barry Cotter caught everybody’s eye, another one that it looks like we’ve done really well on.
"He’s just got personality, he’s got a twinkle in his eye, he’s got technical ability, he’s quick and powerful, he’s got everything to be a player, I’ve just fancied him ever since he walked through the door. He came as a centre-half, I said ‘No chance, he’ll be a right-back’ and that’s what he’s going to be.
"He’s going to be a good player for Ipswich Town. He’s been a really good signing. If that’s his standard on his debut then he's only going to get better.
"He’s great, he’s not a shy boy, he’s a great fella, that’s why I put him in, I knew it wouldn’t faze him, he’s got really good ability as well.”
Was his withdrawal pre-planned? "Not at all, he was knackered. I said to him at half-time, he had his socks down, I said, ‘You tell me if you’re struggling’.
"He’d just let the wide player run on him twice and, of course, he wasn’t going to tell me because he wants to stay on the pitch.
"And that’s the art of management, knowing when to take him off and Wardy was brilliant, he was great,” he added before being asked about the fans’ reaction to the change.