Boss Paul Cook says the Blues’ summer recruitment drive isn’t over and has given the players currently training with the U23s a glimmer of hope that they could still get themselves in his plans.
Town have made six signings so far this summer, while 20 players with professional contracts plus the four remaining loanees have departed.
As reported last week, a number of players previously in the first-team squad, including Flynn Downes, Kayden Jackson, Teddy Bishop, Myles Kenlock and Brett McGavin, are training with the U23s, Cook having told them that they can find new clubs at the end of last season.
The Blues boss says there are more additions to come and that those out of favour can get themselves back into his thoughts.
"Certainly our recruitment drive hasn’t stopped yet, we are still very, very active as I think our supporters will be delighted to know,” he told iFollow Ipswich.
"And also, what I must add, the door is never shut on a player. I must add that. My drastic action at the end of the year, there were a lot of thoughtful processes, sleepless nights, disappointment, personal pride, personal pain and the bigger picture of the football club.
"So whilst any lads here, wherever they may be training, the door will always be ajar because if you have the right habits, if you have the right desire and the right ambition, then you can always take a step forward.”
In addition to the changes among the playing staff, there have also been changes off it with Franny Jeffers rejoining the club as a first-team coach and Ian Craney coming in as a coach.
Andy Rolls has been appointed the director of performance with Andy Costin the head of sports science and Jon Ashton the fitness coach.
Asked how the start of pre-season training, which started earlier in the week, has gone, Cook said: "Exciting, the staff have obviously been coming in quite regularly over the summer. For a footballer today, people don’t realise the dietary stuff, the physical aspects, the tactical aspects, the training, gym work, the strength and conditioning. To be a footballer today you’ve got to be good at a lot of things.
"And we’ve put together a staff that we believe can give every player at our club, and that’s every player, not just the ones in the first-team squad, the ones in the U23s, the ones that are out of favour at the minute, we can give them every platform to try be successful but they’ve got to want to have that platform.
"It’s not good having the best things in place if people don’t want to learn or want to get better.”
Town play their first pre-season friendly at Dartford a week on Saturday. Would Cook like to have more signings in before then? "As manager of the club, I’m delighted with the position we’re in today. I’m delighted with the season ticket sales, the reception that every one of the staff’s been getting, the players coming back, the drive the desire. We want to be successful.
"It’s not going to happen overnight. There’s no way I’m going to sit in front of any camera and tell you ‘watch us and the magic will come’. We’re working hard and as we work hard behind the scenes, [CEO] Mark [Ashton] doesn’t have many good sleeps at night at the minute, I think he’s got a lot on his plate and I know football recruitment is very high on it.
"I think our supporters can be assured that going forward there will be new signings coming into the football club.”