| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? 20:12 - Jun 10 with 1641 views | TresBonne |
I'll go first.
I'm 21. For all of my life apart from one playoff season, where we lost to the Budgies, we were absolutely crap. I was the guy in school that everyone took the p*ss out of. So many 'why do you even bother?'s over the years. A lot of Norwich mates, always laughing that we couldn't beat them.
Kieran changed that on its head. That man is responsible for some of my happiest memories, getting promoted vs Exeter with my dad, the tons of fun away days with the boys over the last five years, being there for the Norwich double, Huddersfield at home, Barnsley away, QPR at home. All the grounds ticked off. All the memories made along the way. One of my only escapes from a rough period of time with a family member battling cancer was the fun of watching a Kieran McKenna team.
Thank you Kieran, from the bottom of my heart. He goes with everyone's best wishes and I hope he enjoys his sabbatical. That man deserves everything. [Post edited 10 Jun 20:14]
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:17 - Jun 10 with 1420 views | Westover |
I thought at my age I would never see Ipswich in the premier League and thanks to Kieran it looks like I will see it twice, many thanks Kieran. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:18 - Jun 10 with 1402 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
Football controls my mood largely.
Suffice to say it's been the best 5 years of my life. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:18 - Jun 10 with 1402 views | Number22 |
For me, a distraction away from a truely awful period. Much needed happiness.
Cheers Kieran. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:19 - Jun 10 with 1391 views | homer_123 |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:17 - Jun 10 by Westover |
I thought at my age I would never see Ipswich in the premier League and thanks to Kieran it looks like I will see it twice, many thanks Kieran. |
I hear ya. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:20 - Jun 10 with 1374 views | cressi |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:17 - Jun 10 by Westover |
I thought at my age I would never see Ipswich in the premier League and thanks to Kieran it looks like I will see it twice, many thanks Kieran. |
Best times since Burley by a country mile the back to back promotions were fantastic a full stadium every week I never thought I'd see. | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:22 - Jun 10 with 1342 views | CustardCream |
I’m 32 so never saw the Ramsay or Robson sides, too young to really remember the Premier League under Burley.
If I didn’t love football so much and made a promise to my dad as a young boy that I’d support Ipswich id have probably jacked it in. The Evans years were tough to watch and I always got a sympathetic look when I admitted to people I support Ipswich. KMcK allowed me to announce it proudly with a smile on my face so I’ll always be grateful for that.
I think we’ve been truly spoilt with him and I just hope whoever comes next can carry us on. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:26 - Jun 10 with 1314 views | Westover |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:22 - Jun 10 by CustardCream |
I’m 32 so never saw the Ramsay or Robson sides, too young to really remember the Premier League under Burley.
If I didn’t love football so much and made a promise to my dad as a young boy that I’d support Ipswich id have probably jacked it in. The Evans years were tough to watch and I always got a sympathetic look when I admitted to people I support Ipswich. KMcK allowed me to announce it proudly with a smile on my face so I’ll always be grateful for that.
I think we’ve been truly spoilt with him and I just hope whoever comes next can carry us on. |
I'm 80 in a couple of weeks so I've lived through it all and I'm thankful for that. | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:34 - Jun 10 with 1237 views | MattinLondon |
The greatest compliment that I can lend to KM is that he gave the club back its self-respect as well as its pride.
Under Evans we were the butt of jokes from budgies to those plastic glory-hunters who support Arsenal etc. But thanks to Kieron, the club and its supporters can hold their head up high again. |  | | |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:39 - Jun 10 with 1206 views | Millsey |
I’m lucky enough to have seen the promotion to the 1st division in 68, cup final, uefa cup games home and away, play off final, shite in between, but the promotion days at Portman Road were the best 💙💙💙💙 |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:41 - Jun 10 with 1178 views | ITFC_Forever |
Our pride in our club.
As one of the Sky commentators said, a town has fallen back in love with its football club. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:45 - Jun 10 with 1150 views | davblue |
Trust for me.
Trust that he would do the right thing.
Trust in his teams to deliver, really thinking about the back to back campaigns, you knew in a big game the team would deliver.
The last 2 seasons not quite so much as the premier league is a tough one, and it felt like the current side was starting to deliver that trust again through their experiences.
Just really happy that we have got to experience him his teams and staff over the last 5 years. I’m not sure we will ever have it as good as the middle of Feb run to league 1 promotion through until the championship promotion it was a truly magical period for the club and the buzz around the place, I’m not sure even the Burley team captured that feeling on route to 5th place in the prem of a club reconnect ting with the fans and the area again after some terrible years. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:46 - Jun 10 with 1128 views | FrimleyBlue |
Joined as a smarmy young manager from utd, left a town legend. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:48 - Jun 10 with 1114 views | bluebudgie |
I never fell out of love with the club, but in the nightmare Evans years I didn't like the club much or respect it come to that, and rarely enjoyed going to Portman Rd . But since Keiran came in, he has made me like and respect my club again, and I have enjoyed going to Portman Rd again. I was proud to have him as our manager,,,Ipswich Town's manager, and I must admit I feel a bit low tonight with the news that he has left.
But football and life goes on, but what an adventure we had over the past four and a half years.
Thanks for everything, Keiran, you come across as a lovely man and a great manager. The next manager has a very hard act to follow. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:56 - Jun 10 with 1063 views | ITFC_Forever |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:48 - Jun 10 by bluebudgie |
I never fell out of love with the club, but in the nightmare Evans years I didn't like the club much or respect it come to that, and rarely enjoyed going to Portman Rd . But since Keiran came in, he has made me like and respect my club again, and I have enjoyed going to Portman Rd again. I was proud to have him as our manager,,,Ipswich Town's manager, and I must admit I feel a bit low tonight with the news that he has left.
But football and life goes on, but what an adventure we had over the past four and a half years.
Thanks for everything, Keiran, you come across as a lovely man and a great manager. The next manager has a very hard act to follow. |
Blue Action said when we got relegated “There is a light that never goes out”, and they were spot on.
But for many years, for many people, the flame was flickering very low. | |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 20:57 - Jun 10 with 1046 views | Libero |
It meant everything-
McKenna was appointed in December 2021, my great Uncle got out of hospital in late January 2022- after fighting COVID for 5 months.
It felt like he came out of hospital and we just never stopped winning.
Freshly in post, Kieran wrote to my Great Uncle, commenting on his unwavering support for the club over the years and wishing him well in his recovery and saying how happy he was to hear Arthur was fit enough to attend games again- a really lovely thing to do.
We could never have imagined at that point that we'd be fortunate enough to see 3 promotions in 4 years together.
Arthur had been saying for over a decade that he really wanted to see "one last premier league season" before he left us- it means everything that he was able to.
EADT did this article with him, as promotion laid in the balance-
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24
Arthur's last visit to Portman Road was the Norwich City game- he was overjoyed to finally beat them.
https://www.tiktok.com/@iliket
We're scattering his ashes tomorrow at the church where his brothers were laid to rest, feels like there's something rather poetic in that occurring the day after Kieran announces he's leaving- but I am sentimental and soft. [Post edited 10 Jun 21:01]
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:10 - Jun 10 with 979 views | Bluespeed225 |
I split with the Mrs just before the Prem kicked off against Liverpool. It had been coming, but even she said she held off pulling the plug earlier as the promotion run in had seen me so happy she didn’t want to spoil it! Bless her! So even though 24’ was the end of my marriage, it’ll only be remembered in the future as Sarmiento, Cov away, Omari at Hull, and of course Huddersfield. We’re still mates, she even text me after Norwich away saying ‘At bloody last’. And she’s no footy fan! That’s what Kieron and the boys have done for the Town, everyone’s engaged again. Thankyou. | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:23 - Jun 10 with 932 views | Pendejo |
Attending football for the football
Full houses at PR
3 promotions in 4 full seasons
It has been a blast, but now its the past
Say thanks and move on |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:25 - Jun 10 with 923 views | Reuser_is_God |
It’s meant everything to me.
It’s genuinely been incredible, hasn’t it?
We’ll never see the like again. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:27 - Jun 10 with 888 views | Freddies_Ears |
Accidentally down vote - sorry. Well said!!!! | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:34 - Jun 10 with 831 views | Re_User |
Very foggy mind this evening.
It really has meant everything. I’d completely fallen out of love with Ipswich during the Lambert period, didn’t see the point any longer, stopped going to games, etc, just generally didn’t like football any more either. My interest flickered with Cook, but even then it felt too much like the old Ipswich, completely lacking that edge.
Then we appointed KMcK. I was at the Wycombe game when we ground out a nervy 1-0 win, and it really didn’t seem like the start of what was to come. I totally fell head over heels with the club again during that League 1 season, attended every game I could, and was so delighted to be those 3 games in a row v Peterborough, Barnsley and Exeter. It couldn’t get better than that. And then it did. That Championship side was incredible, felt like we could achieve anything, the spirit, the plan, the football on show, all of it. Again, Coventry and Huddersfield were some of the best days of my life.
Then came the PL. we struggled, but I had a real moment of clarity after the Brentford game. I was so utterly dejected after that I had to stop at a service station to collect my thoughts and make sure I got home, rather than finding the central reservation. I realised that I wasn’t in a good place, and Ipswich’s success had been masking my true feelings. I got help. I’m better now.
Then this season happened. Genuinely we would not have gone up with a different manager. We slept walked to promotion and it was all his doing. Genuinely the most impressive managerial achievement of the lot, replacing our beloved heroes from before and replacing them with real quality, albeit seemingly not as cohesive a unit, and leading them to promotion.
What that man has done in the last 4.5 years will never be repeated. All of this was down to him and how he changed this club for the better. Hes changed my life too, by giving me my hope back. No matter what he decides to do in the future, he’ll never not be loved for what he achieved. All the best Kieran. | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:45 - Jun 10 with 784 views | darkhorse28 |
I’ll send you my VHS John Lyall 91-92 highlights tapes, iconic Umbro orange kits, Steve Whitton penalties, Paul Goddard, Kiwomya et al
McKenna gave us our pride back, a talented coach for sure, limited by Ashton (imo) but he’s behind Lyall, Robson, Burley, and probably Royle and based on resources he’s a way behind some of those.
Good luck to him though .., I hope he gets a structure he deserves and I’m sure he’ll thrive.
Hopefully more elite times ahead for you, it’s where we belong, league one wasn’t as normal as even McKenna and Ashton used to manage expectations .., we belong at the top table. | | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:46 - Jun 10 with 776 views | FBI |
I'm 59. I got my club back. |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:48 - Jun 10 with 767 views | LeoMuff |
ME had killed the joy of football for me, we were worse than bad we were nothing, no hope of decent football, no hope of promotions just treading water and slowly sinking down with each passing season.
Gamechanger came which was exciting but even with the backing you need good management, never really heard of Keiran but his logical, calm, reasoned approach along with total dedication and ability to motivate created the most exciting period since Burley, which in the dark days of ME looked to be an impossible dream. not only that we were great to watch and had clearly been drilled to play these lovely patterns of play with dedication and total commitment to the style coming from the man at the top.
Thankyou Kieran |  |
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| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:55 - Jun 10 with 733 views | soupytwist |
It meant that finally, my son could see some actual success. He was born in 2022 just after the end of the season that we got relegated from the Premiership under Burley. He’s never supported anyone else, he’s stuck with what I lumbered him with.
For him to be able to see a decent and successful Town team has meant the world to me. He went to the Southampton away game last season with a friend. I was willing us to get promoted that night so he would have something of his own to remember like I’ve got from the Robson and Burley eras, something he could tell me about.
That wasn’t to be so it was great to share another promotion with him at the QPR game. |  | | |
| What did the Kieran McKenna era mean to you? on 21:55 - Jun 10 with 726 views | waveneyblue |
Im 53..... so too young for the true glory days, but old enough to have enjoyed Lyall and Burley.
For pure one off joy, the play off final v Barnsley will always be my best ever moment, but McKenna has given me the longest period of prolonged pleasure.
and leaves the club in the best position its been in.... for all my supporting life
Thank you Kieran 😊 |  | | |
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