Long-serving Town coach Bryan Klug has been sacked. Klug, a one-time Blues youth player and academy director, was assistant manager under Jim Magilton until John Gorman’s appointment last Christmas when he moved into a head of football development role, before taking charge of the reserves this season.

Klug was a youth player with the Blues between 1977 and 1983 but failed to make a senior appearance, moving on to Wimbledon (loan), Chesterfield and Peterborough United and then into non-league football.

The 49-year-old returned to Portman Road in 1987, joining the coaching staff and in 1998 became the director of the newly formed academy in an era during which Kieron Dyer, Richard Wright, Titus Bramble and others emerged.

In 2005 Klug, who also had spells as caretaker-manager of the Blues, led the academy to Town’s third FA Youth Cup before becoming Jim Magilton’s assistant a year later, shortly after Newcastle United had approached him to run their academy.

Manager Roy Keane recently added former Notts County manager Ian McParland to his backroom team and with assistant manager Tony Loughlan, specialist skills coach Steve Foley, fitness coaches Antonio Gomez and Simon Thadani and goalkeeper coach James Hollman also on the payroll may have felt his staff needed trimming.

Photo: Action Images

NS2Blue added 21:42 - Jan 12 But why?
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bedsitfc added 21:43 - Jan 12 thanks for everything brian, hope to see you back in football soon
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Suffolktractor added 21:44 - Jan 12 Indeed why?
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bedsitfc added 21:44 - Jan 12 but i hope tony laughlin is next
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Big_Foot_Blue added 21:44 - Jan 12 Unless Keane is trying to lower the club wage bill for potential signings or he's had a row with Klug, I don't understand why we need to get rid of coach with a proven track record of bringing good youth players through?
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blueasfook added 21:45 - Jan 12 Well that's the last pillar of our great youth set up gone. Journeymen and premiership rejects is the future.
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BadMedicine added 21:49 - Jan 12 I am upset for Brian but, Keane's the boss and he must have a reason... watch this space
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tractorgirls added 21:50 - Jan 12 a real shame.
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runaround added 21:53 - Jan 12 So ITFC are now officially Klugless!!! On a serious note this seems to be a surprise move at a strange time, makes you wonder what has happened. Good luck for the future Brian
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Marcus added 21:53 - Jan 12 I guess Keane wants his own people in place and it was one person too many to change last summer. I guess Simon Thadani has his work cut out to stay with another fitness coach already established.
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Franzgumm added 21:55 - Jan 12 Not too much of a surprise. Keane appointed McPartland a couple of months ago. Obviously felt he needed to trim what was left.
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Swailsey added 22:04 - Jan 12 Best of luck for the future Brian. Still, there must be a reason for this. I imagine being replacement by Gorman last year must have affected him somewhat, no-one can possibly know the reasons or pass judgement.
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SitfcB added 22:05 - Jan 12 Maybe to finance a move for a player?
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jas0999 added 22:06 - Jan 12 Do we know if this was Roy's decision or ME's? In any event,I was never too impressed with Klug at first team level - that said his service with the youth team was second to none. Strange.
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BluePG added 22:13 - Jan 12 No-one on this board knows Klug, and no-one has played or managed at the highest level. Keane does and has. That's life unfortunately. The guy has seemed to be a nice chap, and been loyal to us for many years, but life goes on. If he was that good, why was he not consistently talked about for managerial or coaching jobs elsewhere? A shame, but I'll live with it.
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KUTB added 22:22 - Jan 12 Helped bring through some great players. Let's hope we don't live to regret this turn of events.
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Oxblue added 22:22 - Jan 12 Seems a bit odd a sacking as you cannot just sack someone without just cause???Thanks Bryan for the memories of youth cup final a great night!
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Lightningboy added 22:24 - Jan 12 That's a strange one?...did well with the youth's a few year's back but not that many of them have actually established themselves in the 1st team apart from Garvan. Good luck anyhow Bryan.
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ChambersM added 22:45 - Jan 12 harsh. done alot for the club such as mentioned above, bringing in good youth players :(
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blueoveru added 22:45 - Jan 12 not surprised ,we've got more coaches than Galloways
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north_stand77 added 22:53 - Jan 12 Good luck to you Brian. You have been part of the club for a long time.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 22:57 - Jan 12 Sadly in recent years he has not delivered quality players to the 1st team that we can use or sell to the same level as the wright, dyer, bramble era. Most of the last fa youth cup winning side have not lived up to expectations - as predicted by Joe Royle - good luck brian, i am sure you will make a good u18 coach again (but don't get tempted towards 1st team positions again).

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EatonBlue added 23:14 - Jan 12 There is a big difference between 'sacked' and 'made redundant'. Which was it?
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naa added 23:24 - Jan 12 I'm surprised at how many of you have spelt his name wrong. Read the story first! Blimey. As to the story, as some have said, without knowing the reasons, we can't pass comment, and we certainly didn't need anyone else involved in the first team affairs. But he has proved himself with youth development, so why not move him back there? Oh well, sad but inevitable really.
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blueherts added 23:38 - Jan 12 He did well with Youths but I went to couple of reserve matches and it was noticeable that he was not as prominent as Loughlan or Kiwomya. Oh well good luck Bryan - you cant just SACK people for no reason though - hmmmmm
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