Town boss Kieran McKenna celebrated the third anniversary of his appointment at Portman Road on Monday and admits he didn’t anticipate the Blues being in the Premier League quite so soon.
McKenna, now 38, took charge on December 16th 2021 following Paul Cook’s sacking with the Blues 12th in League One.
Since then, he has masterminded a remarkable turnaround during which time Town have won back-to-back promotions to return to the Premier League after a 22-year hiatus.
Asked whether he would have imagined ahead of his first game at home to Wycombe Wanderers - which the Blues won 1-0 - whether he’d imagined being in the Premier League by this time, McKenna admitted progress has been speedier than he would have predicted.
"I certainly wouldn't have imagined it would have happened as quick as this,” he reflected.
"We knew it was the ultimate destination, but destination is maybe the wrong word because we wanted to build, we wanted to rebuild a Premier League football club and we're competing in the Premier League at the moment, but we still have some strides to go.
"We know it's been a brilliant journey, we’ve just hit the three-year mark, it’s not something I reflect on a lot. Maybe coming up to Christmas makes it a little bit more memorable because I remember my first one in the Salthouse Harbour Hotel and the kids waking up and thankfully Santa Claus managed to reach Ipswich and the hotel bedroom, which was a big bonus.
"But maybe things like that make you reminisce a little bit more. Other than that, it's from a football point of view. It's all happened really quickly, and we're just cracking on with the next game and trying to get better.”
Pressed to pick a particular highlight, the Northern Irishman couldn’t separate two: "You'll have to give me two moments, I think. The two promotions.”
Reflecting on this season and his team’s development over the campaign, he said: "I think we've progressed. It's easier to say that after a win. After the way the Bournemouth game finished, it's maybe harder to talk about progression, but I think in general the easier way to see it is how competitive we've been in pretty much all the games.
"Certainly, in maybe our last six, seven, eight games, maybe there were one-goal margins, so it means we've managed to be really, really tight in games.
"I think from a defensive point of view, we're managing to find a pretty good balance and not giving away too many chances, but I think the clearest way is in individual performances.
"I think it's the clearest way when you look at some of the boys who came into the club, like maybe a Dara O'Shea or a Jens Cajuste who've been playing a fair bit over the last few weeks and you look at their progression and performances now having arrived really late in the window to where they are a few months on. I think there's a clear progression there.
"You look at Conor Chaplin and Cameron Burgess, I think Wes Burns has been really good for the team in the last couple of weeks. Players like that who've been on the journey with us, Jack Taylor's impact the last few weeks, players who have come all the way through the divisions and are experiencing the Premier League for the first time.
"I think you look at their performances in recent weeks and see there's clear progression in those players as well. As I say, it's never linear, but if we see it in individual performances that people are growing into the team and growing into the season, and the team is managing to be increasingly competitive, I think those are all good signs.”
Meanwhile, the Blues boss says he has been keeping tabs on Ryan Meikle’s progress at the PDC World Darts Championship, where sponsor Ed Sheeran has been spotted in the crowd this afternoon.
Ipswich-born Town fan Meikle faces last year’s losing finalist and the sport’s new big name Luke Littler in the second round on Saturday having beaten Fallon Sherrock in the first.
"I've been trying to keep a little eye on it,” McKenna said. "He's obviously a good supporter of the club and someone who we're behind. He's up against a very strong opponent, but we wish him well for the weekend and we'll try and get eyes on it.”