Town owner and chairman Marcus Evans has reiterated his commitment to the club, almost three years since he took over at Portman Road. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of Evans’s takeover at an EGM on December 17th 2007.

In a statement, Evans says his intentions with Town are unchanged despite the lack of return on his investment so far: “I remain as committed to Ipswich Town now as I did when I first became involved with the club three years ago and the target remains the same — to take ITFC back to where it belongs — the Premier League.”

The reclusive businessman says he never thought of his involvement with the Blues as a short-term thing: “I have always looked long term as a businessman and that’s certainly the case at Ipswich Town as well.”

Evans doesn’t specifically mention manager Roy Keane or speculation over his position, but says the current situation needs to be reversed sooner rather than later: “We all know that this needs to turn around quickly and we need to see a return to our early campaign form if we are to end the season, which is not yet halfway through, in a position to which everyone aspires.”

Photo: Action Images

bobble added 11:33 - Dec 16 afl who ?
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devontractorboy added 11:43 - Dec 16 AlexanderFields there was a gap of many years between Sir Alf Ramsey & Sir Bobby Robson. It was a one season wonder for Sir Alf but Bobby laid the foundations and made this club a great one over a fabulous period in our history. So no Sir Alf didn't do s.. all, but for those of us old enough to remember the glory days it will always be Sir Bobby who was the 'Special One'. As for Mr Evans statement it is quite obvious he knows stuff all about football, he saw Keane as a manager who had taken Sunderland from the doldrums to the Premier League & a person who is 'hard headed' like a good businessman is supposed to be. Sadly he didn't see the sulky, rude, arrogant & tantrum side of a man who so obviously can't man manage. I just hope Mr Evans business brain will allow him to see that Keane will take us nowhere apart from Division 1 & if he doesn't change manager soon, that's where we will go! Just hope when the change comes (as it will) that Mr Evans does better research this time & maybe listens to the football people who know what Ipswich Town need!

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corshamblue added 11:44 - Dec 16 Don't think ME with show Keano the Door in advance of his contract end? Not sure Keano is at the Root Cause of all our problems, he's not helped granted. C'mon everyone, lets go forward and get behind the team into the New Year and maybe, just maybe, Keano can get us enough results to get up back up the league. Don't disagree that we need a new Mgr come June ! (ie end of Keano's contract) COYB

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AlexanderFields added 11:56 - Dec 16 devontractorboy. "Between the end of his playing career and his appointment as England manager, Ramsey was Ipswich Town manager for eight years, taking them from the Third Division to the top of the First Division in that time, winning the English Championship title at the first attempt." - source Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Ramsey Yep, a one season wonder.

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PSGBlue added 12:17 - Dec 16 I'm becoming baffled why Roy Keane is still here. His mission was to get promotion within two seasons. To do this he must at least make the playoffs which requires around 75 points. That means from now we must average around 2 points a game, which is automatic promotion form. Even ME cannot believe we can do that, so why isn't time for a change to allow a new manager to sort this season out and prepare for next. Is Roy really just going to see out the remainder of the season and then walk away in May not having being offered a new contract. My fear is that the second half of the season, just like last season may see an improvement in form. Enough to persuade ME to offer Keane another two year contract. Marcus Evans must within the next two to three months offer Keane a new contract if he intends to keep him beyond the initial two years. What a thought!

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buryblue77 added 12:18 - Dec 16 Brittaniaman, after reading further I discovered Norris comments so my mate who told me that obviously read his comment. Not good if the captain is saying that!
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whoppit added 12:42 - Dec 16 Marcus, if you hadn't bought us, somebody else would have so we owe you no favours. You may be more appreciated if you give your "poster boy" the boot before Christmas.
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Bergholtblue added 12:56 - Dec 16 "we all know that theis needs to be turned round quickly" Exadctly how? We have defenders that are not defending, strikers that are not striking (or have gone on strike I can't tell) and midfielders that do just that, sit in midfield, not getting back to help the defence or support the attack. I see no glimmer of hope of how this will change quickly. We have a manager who does not know what his best team is, what our best formation is and what are tactics are (other than nick a 1-0 win). He bemoans lack of experince but leaves experienced defenders out as some sho of dsipleasure at them being sent off. If anyone has a game they are put on the bench. We have a team who, apart from the WBA game, seem to lack ambition and passion. Is this fear of making a mistake? Is it that they are a team that is fundamentally full of loan players who to be fair, would not give toss if we went down because they would just return to their parent clubs. There can only be one way of turning this around quickly and that is to get rid of Keane, because I think Keane has played his hand, I cannot see Keane having the wherewithall to turn this around.

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Suffolk_n_Good added 13:03 - Dec 16 Pleased ME invested at a time when we we're on our knees, but that doesn't change my mind on Keane. (or Clegg) He's a damn awful manager, can't deal with players, can't deal with fans, can't assess player potential, can't make astute signings, can't decide on tactics, can't motivate, I could go on & on & on.....
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nkotb_sect5 added 13:32 - Dec 16 This looks like a clear indication of imminent action should there not a change of fortunes. "we need to see a return to our early campaign form if we are to end the season, which is not yet halfway through, in a position to which everyone aspires.” ..... he's had enough. Some great posts today .. I just wish I could be as consistent as most of you. COYB
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NorthStand added 13:41 - Dec 16 I'm sick of reading posts from people who say that without ME Town would no longer be in existence or would be playing in League One at best. Are you able to see Town in some parallel universe minus ME's money? No-one can ever know where would be playing now. But even under the worst case scenario where Town was forced into administration for a second time, we would have emerged as lean club with a board that understood football and represented the fans. We are now a joke of a club dependent on the whims of one man. ME has to say he is in it for the long term. The last set of accounts show the club owes him £36 million. He has to hope and pray that Town gets promoted before the debt escalates much further. Once in the Premier League he could just pocket the extra money that comes from the television deal. Even one season in the Premier League could see him get back his money and more if no extra investment was made in the playing squad. Town might last just one season but that might just be enough for our owner.

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tractorboy2434 added 14:23 - Dec 16 jackanory, he is in this for the money and expected that we would be promoted so he could realise a return on his investment, if he could sell the club tomorrow he would as it is more of a liability than he expected, no doubt we are already being touted to prospective buyers privately but he is unlikely to get many takers in this financial climate, but sell he will if he sees a chance to get out, that is why there has been little or no investment this year.

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Legend added 14:38 - Dec 16 jeez some of you are touchy today! Remember folks its Thurday and two days before matchday, we always get loads of spin coming out leading up to the next match, It's the norm you know. And for those who think than Evans was the messiah and we would be in league 1 by now without him ?? How do know that? We could be in league 2! or even 4th in the Premier league!
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lunatic38 added 20:53 - Dec 16 oh dear Ipswich gonna be Ryman Premier in 5 years if Evans stays, a full squad of loans baring Fallon, 1500 quid to get in at Portman Road at a home game and Clegg the highest paid executive in northern europe!
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jas0999 added 22:19 - Dec 16 Very interesting that ME doesn't mention Keane. His days are probably numbered.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:29 - Dec 16 these negative comments regarding ME are just the sort of thing that could make him say 'why am i bothering to keep this club alive for these $£%$ers' - if he walks away we will be the next Luton Town
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WhiteVanMan added 11:35 - Dec 17 Evans and Clegg make a great team.With the Olympics just round the corner and with Cleggs contacts there is plenty of potential business in the hospitality field. You just need a high profile manager who attracts the media circus every time he opens his mouth,and provides plenty of photo opportunities for the Evans logo. So in the end who benefits-it is said that Evans and Clegg have already done a deal with the Irish Olympic authorities. Do you still believe in Santa Claus? Interestingly this post was rejected by the local tabloid who have now closed my account.Horray for freedom of speech!

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TractorRoyNo1 added 12:15 - Dec 17 i am a big fan of WikiLeaks so believe in any free speech which doesn't directly hurt Nato forces or UK plc. So i think your 2 + 2 = 5 in this comment is not that bad, but please remember 'one' can still be done from an IP-address, a silly name will not protect 'one' if it becomes deflammatory, hence when name calling (by others) such as 'thug', 'tosser', 'c%&£' etc get used by others to describe ITFC employees, it is putting this site in danger. however, one part of your argument doesn't make sense, if Evans was only in it for the PR, then why would he keep such a low profile? i certainly don't believe in Santa Claus, however I am fully up to speed with the business world, Evans bought the Club on the cheap because no one else put money on the table, and 3 years later no one is there to buy him out. The Barcelona route is utopia, sadly the Ipswich 1st ambitions would take us closer to Ebbsfleet. bluechicken added 11:35 - Dec 17 Interestingly this post was rejected by the local tabloid who have now closed my account. Horray for freedom of speech!

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WhiteVanMan added 13:48 - Dec 17 TractorRoy I am not suggesting that Marcus Evans is a "bad person",merely that he is a hard nosed and successful businessman and I dont begrudge him that.I have to ask though "whats in it for him " so the scenario I suggest is one possibility.Mr Evans has managed to remain low profile in his personal life but still runs a highly successful business empire. If the owners and clubs ambitions happen to coincide that is great,but what has worried me from day one of the takeover is that the debt has been bought but remains unpaid,the club are losing increasing amounts of money and that if Mr Evans were to pull out we would be in a far worse state than three years ago and would probably face extinction. I would love to offer an alternative but unfortunately we will never again be a family club,any more than football will ever be a sport.

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