Town have confirmed former Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan and Derby boss Paul Jewell as their new manager. The 46-year-old has signed a two-and-a half-year contract.

Chief executive Simon Clegg welcomed the new Town boss at a lunchtime press conference at Portman Road: “I’m absolutely delighted to confirm Paul Jewell as our new Ipswich Town manager. The last few days have been long and eventful and we have considered and spoken to a number of people who were interested in the job.

“However, the owner Marcus Evans and I, including being one of only three managers to achieve promotion to the Premier League with two different clubs [along with Steve Coppell and Mick McCarthy], will ensure that we can achieve the goals we have set for this club.

“It’s interesting that on these two occasions promotion to the Premier League cost Ipswich Town automatic promotion and we look forward to Paul giving us automatic promotion in years to come.

“Paul respects the traditions and history of this great club, but we as a club need to be looking forwards and not backwards and I’m sure under Paul under his regime the club will achieve his own history.

“He also recognises the huge importance of the community links that we as a club enjoy, and the owner and I will fully support Paul to ensure that he can achieve the objectives that we have set for this club.”

Owner Marcus Evans added his reasons for employing his new manager: "I wanted to appoint a manager with several years of experience behind them who also had a history of promotion and then staying up.

"I have been lucky enough to find a manager in Paul who has done that twice and pertinently with two clubs who had never been in the Premier League.

"It was also important to bring someone to the club who could play the way Ipswich expect the game to be played and who will embrace the club's role in the community."

Jewell signed his contract with the Blues last night having met with Evans at his company's offices in Dublin on Friday, after he says he was contacted by the Town owner and chairman in the wake of Roy Keane's sacking on Thursday.

The new boss says current coaches Ian McParland and Tony Loughlan will pick the team for Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final against Arsenal with the Jewell years starting in earnest from Thursday.

Photo: Action Images

62WasBest added 14:35 - Jan 10 Not sure it is the right appointment but when Keane was appointed I felt it was absolutely the wrong choice so some improvement there in my eyes! I wish him good luck and it would be nice, in many years time, to hear Jewell being remembered not as the man who worked wonders at Bradford City and Wigan but as the man who had his best days at Ipswich.
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naa added 14:35 - Jan 10 I'm fairly happy with this appointment (though I have concerns that the two times he's taken over a struggling team, as we are, he has failed). My main concern, however, is the state that Keane has left the squad in. He brought in so many players and played so many different first 11s, that assessing the squad will be difficult in such a short amount of time. Plus, changing 18 months of defensive hoofball overnight will be very difficult to do as well. So all I'm hoping for this season is an upward turn in results. Then next season I'd like to see us playing some football for a change.

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zebra added 14:36 - Jan 10 Welcome Mr Jewell. Now we can go forward with some stability and a clean slate. Let's just get 100% behind him and his team and learn how to be nice fans again.
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Bobby_Petta added 14:46 - Jan 10 Good luck Paul Jewell, you need it we the crap side you've inherited from Keane, with have gone backwards in the last two years, need a good clear out and start again the worry for me is will you be given the money to get in some new faces, Keane got over paid premier players on high wages, some on long contracts like Martain. Think you are the right man though you have the experience and will get the best out of players un like Keane. Thats all get behind Jewell and support him.

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brian_a_mul added 14:48 - Jan 10 Best of luck Paul. 4-4-2 with full backs and players in proper positions would be nice. At least the ball will know what grass looks like from up close!! Mr Grass please meet Mr Ball, lets hope they can get on well. He has the core of a good team, along with the promising young players and some good signings, Jewel has every chance of doing well!
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devontractorboy added 14:56 - Jan 10 Good Luck Paul Katemoss it must be so wonderful to be you, happy soul!!!!!
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claaarky added 14:58 - Jan 10 Paul, first job, get Counago back from his loan spell at Palace. 100% Ipswich, worked hard, scored goals, loved by the fans. Scotland and Counago can get us out of this league. While you're there, grab Ambrose. Send Priskin to the nackers yard and work on Wickham (and let's not hear any more BS please about £10m bids for a player who has hardly scored a goal for us - if so many clubs were so desperate to sign him why is he still here?). He's one for the future but needs work. Get Townsend back on loan - he's one player who can lift the crowd. And let's reward Jaime Peters for having the patience of a saint and play him every week down one of the wings. Not much we can do about the players Keane shifted out just to bring in the same or worse but the damage done to the ones that remain can be repaired. Let's see some players improved by a manager. Let's see some attacking football, pace down the wings and two intelligent strikers playing regularly together.

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Markie31 added 15:07 - Jan 10 Welcome aboard the good ship town Paul......now stop us from sinking please :) COYB!
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BYRNE_16 added 15:08 - Jan 10 Well Mr Jewell, Welcome to Ipswich. Good Luck and all the best. You have my support and I am a Loyal Supporter of Ipswich Town. COYB
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NW10_Tractor added 15:09 - Jan 10 Welcome aboard: My question to you Mr Jewell, is where do you start? Do you work with what you already (here at town) have or do you bring in your own players?? Surely he must have been invited down to see a few town games to recognise who doesn't quite cut it?
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Jay added 15:19 - Jan 10 My boyfriend has just pointed out he looks like Plan B!! Best of luck Paul...
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floridaboy added 15:19 - Jan 10 Good luck PJ you are going to need it. Lets hope you get the side playing proper football. Sell Wickham for as much as you can get and then use the money on a good goalscorer But please do NOT get Counago back. Spends all his time on his backside. For what it is worth Cannot wait for his first side at Millwall!
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Liverpool_blu added 15:21 - Jan 10 all fans and all staff. lets give him 110%. COYB
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dragonalfa added 15:22 - Jan 10 Good Luck to Paul. Like many others for me its Ipswich Town from the cradle to the grave, in good times and in bad. This is and always will be a great club. I wish him every luck.
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Keaneish added 15:36 - Jan 10 Er...well looking at how sunny that picture is that was clearly taken yesterday early afternoon so all interviews were conducted Saturday with a view to appointing a manager first thing Sunday morning for them to come down for a photo shoot that afternoon.....REALLY CLEGG!!!? Stop mugging us off! Interview process over the weekend. Whatever! You need to redeem yourself with some good signings Cleggy otherwise you're next on the hit list!

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Reuser31 added 15:51 - Jan 10 The best of luck PJ, lets forget about the last 2 years, starting on wednesday. COYB
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paristractor added 15:52 - Jan 10 bring back pablo!
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portman_blue added 15:53 - Jan 10 At last a manager with some experience of managing - it's been too long that we've been the training ground for new boys to the management game. Good Luck, Paul. Get us heading upwards!! COYB
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warkway added 15:58 - Jan 10 A manager with a bags of experince at this level - somehting neither of the last two had and a proven abillity to get clubs with reasonable resources promoted. We're lucky to have him.
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Upbeat~ added 16:04 - Jan 10 Huzzah!!! Terrific news and all the best Paul for your next decade in charge of this fine, fine club. Make yourself a legend here, we all know you're capable of doing it. There's lots to be done, but this is without doubt the beginning of a new era. You have our full support, as much time as is required (as far as us fans are concerned anyway) and have brought a real sense of optimism to the club. UP THE TOWN BLUE ARMY ITFC COYB

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RevAdrian added 16:06 - Jan 10 Welcome! There are some important statements going around today - valuing the clubs' traditions but looking forward, understanding the close community links we have, playing 'the way Ipswich expect the game to be played'. Hold to them, Mr Jewell, build on them and develop them by bringing your own particular gifts to ITFC and let's work together for a bright future.
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:11 - Jan 10 claaarky,weve just got shot of Roy Keane and are all looking to move forward, i dont think we need to be going back for ex players, Counago was fine first time, didnt perform so well second, third time ? no thanks .PJ is going to struggle with the squad he is taking on ,and thanks to dithering in getting rid of Keane ,he probably will miss out on transfers,but i hope we dont start back peddling getting our ''old boys'' back.This is a New Era,lets have some new blood .COYB

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magic_magilton added 16:37 - Jan 10 not my first choice but im fully behind him and i hope everyone else is so we can start heading in the right direction!
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oddball added 18:13 - Jan 10 Good appointment, hasnt lost his sense of humour, good luck paul. and do me a favour do not chant big fat pauls barmy army i hate that song.
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bobble added 20:33 - Jan 10 hello there mr jewel
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