Town have announced that general manager of football operations and academy manager Lee O’Neill will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Former academy player O’Neill was promoted to the role of general manager of football operations late in 2018, while continuing as academy manager, essentially replacing managing director Ian Milne, who had left his position at Portman Road.
A former Woodbridge Town player and PE teacher, whose father Tommy was in the Blues’ 1975 FA Youth Cup-winning team, O’Neill had been appointed to the academy manager’s job in 2016 after two years as assistant to Bryan Klug having initially returned to the academy as a part-time coach in 2007.
A Loughborough University graduate, O’Neill had also been the academy’s head of sports science.
CEO Mark Ashton told the official website: "The club would like to place on record its gratitude to Lee for his support over what has been a period of transition. Lee’s role has changed in several ways over the past year, and he felt it was the right time to pursue other opportunities.
"Lee departs as a friend of the club and will keep his role on the Community Trust board of trustees. We wish him all the best on his next journey.”
O’Neill added: "It has been an honour and privilege to have been involved with my hometown club since I was 13 years old. To say I’ve had the chance, to play, coach and manage aspects of this great club is something I will never forget.
"I’m extremely proud of the male and female academy programmes, which both have exciting talent coming through. Furthermore, the senior teams are thriving under Kieran McKenna and Joe Sheehan's management, making the training ground a very positive place to work.
"I feel I’m leaving the club in a strong place. GameChanger 20 Ltd has lots of new and exciting ideas for the future of Ipswich Town, and under the senior leadership of Mike O’Leary and Mark Ashton, the future looks bright.”