New Town manager Paul Hurst will formally take charge at Portman Road today.
The 43-year-old former Shrewsbury boss was appointed at the end of May but was initially away on a family holiday in Dubai and then spent last week continuing an LMA Football Diploma. Coincidentally, Blues U23 coaches Chris Hogg and Gerard Nash, Bryan Klug’s caretaker-assistants in the final four games of last season, were also on LMA courses last week.
Although today is officially his first day, Hurst has already begun work at Town having said he has watched videos of the Blues’ games and spoken to owner Marcus Evans about the "slightly unbalanced" make-up of the squad - with wingers top of his list of summer targets - at last Tuesday’s press conference.
The squad are due to return to Playford Road for testing on Friday before pre-season preparations for 2018/19 get into full swing next week under Nathan Winder, who was appointed the club’s new fitness coach last week. A number of the players returning from injury will already have been spending time at the club.
Meanwhile, Framlingham-based pop star Ed Sheeran wore a Town shirt during the final two songs of his concert at Wembley last night.
Sheeran, 27, watched the Aston Villa game at Portman Road at the end of the season also wearing a Blues shirt and has said he would like to play at Portman Road at some stage.