Yallop: Town Couldn't Be in Better Hands If Takeover Goes Through - Ipswich Town News

Former Town full-back Frank Yallop says he’s excited by the prospect of the owners of Phoenix Rising, where he was head coach and president of soccer operations between 2015 and 2017, potentially taking ownership of the Blues.

Canadian international Yallop, 56, was with Town between 1983 and 1996, making 349 starts and 35 sub appearances, scoring eight times.

He worked alongside Brett Johnson and Berke Bakay, two of the directors of Gamechanger 20 Ltd, the company set up by the consortium which is aiming to buy the Blues in a £30 million deal, during USL side Phoenix Rising’s transition from its previous incarnation as Arizona United.

"Ipswich needs a fresh impetus and a boost, and I think that if we can get someone to take over […] it’ll be wonderful,” Yallop, now the sporting director of another USL club, Monterey Bay, told From The Ashes.

"I think the club couldn’t be in better hands if the rumours are true and it goes through with the group with Brett and Berke, so I’m very excited.”

Yallop, who says he’s "Ipswich through and though”, added: "I think them doing the Phoenix Rising project only bodes well for them.

"If you think what they’ve done in three, four, four-and-a-half years, it’s amazing with Phoenix Rising.

"I’d like to think it’s going to be a bit quicker if they do work out going to Ipswich, and get us up, but sometimes these things do take time to get in and figure it out.”

As reported earlier in the week, Gamechanger 20 has made priority Land Registry searches relating to the purchase of the Blues’ training ground with the takeover having progressed to the EFL for their ratification.

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