Town MD Ian Milne says the club are carrying out a review of ticketing with season ticket numbers and overall attendances having fallen this season.

The Blues lost around 1,000 season ticket holders in the summer, while Saturday’s crowd of 15,042 was the lowest for a league game since the 14,953 recorded at the Blackburn match in December 2013.

Both games will have actually been watched by fewer fans with season ticket holders counted in the attendance figure regardless of whether they are at a match.

“At the moment we’re looking at the whole ticketing fabric as a separate project,” Milne told Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk.

While he accepts Town’s performances have certainly had an impact, he says other factors have also played their part, including pricing with tickets at Portman Road among the division’s most expensive.

“There are other forces that we’ve discussed where people are distracted with other types of sport, where they can see our game about half an hour afterwards and get a replay of the highlights,” Milne added.

“There are various things where we compete with. There are issues on pricing we need to look at and we’re having a thorough review on that.

“That’s where my side of the field can improve things. But I fully appreciate it’s what happens on the pitch that’s the important thing.”

He added: “There are things we can improve on, not just to do with the attractive football or lack of attractive football, and that’s what we’re looking at. And certainly those under 20 or 23 we’re looking at to see how we can improve things for them.”

He says the issue of ticketing will come up in his monthly review with owner Marcus Evans.

“We have a review with him every month where we got through the facts and figures, the attendances, ticketing,” the MD continued.

“And [part of] that conversation will be that attendances will fall off if the football is not attractive, so this is a good time before the transfer window for me and Mark Andrews, the [financial director] here, to talk to Marcus to say, ‘This is where we are, this is where we’re going’.”

He added: “Certainly Marcus is not stupid, he knows what’s going on and we reinforce the message.”

Milne says Town’s up and down season has been frustrating for everyone at Portman Road: “Mick and Marcus are frustrated with the consistency, as Mick has said.

“The players want to improve, we know they give 100 per cent on the field and we’re going into a very busy period of the season, so the pressure is on them and on us to improve and I hope fans will bear with us while we go through these difficult times.”

Regarding January business with a striker to replace Daryl Murphy top of the wish-list, Milne added: “Marcus and Mick have said they’re going to look again when the transfer window opens in January, and that’s what they’ll do.”

Photo: Action Images

Bobby_Petta added 16:36 - Dec 13 How about a Manager review as well! yes the match day tickets are overpriced but I wouldn't spend another penny and till the the manager goes. Trouble is I have no confidence in the Evans and co to appoint a decent replacement. Bring back Sheepshanks to do the Milne role, least he has experience. There needs to be long term plan to get the club moving forward rather than backwards. Is Evans in it for the long term? difficult to know when the man hides in the background.

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howdonblue added 16:36 - Dec 13 Hear hear upper sir bob !
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Surco72 added 16:53 - Dec 13 It doesn't matter what the ticket price is ,it is the football on display and the attitude towards it . My family of 5 will not be back until MM goes whatever the price
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brittaniaman added 16:53 - Dec 13 To get the fact of the matter EVANS and MILNE should sit down and read the TWTD FORUM in fact McCarthy as well to get a feeling of what the fans are saying ???? (There customers)
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Jimmy86 added 17:00 - Dec 13 And so they should!!! A ticket for tonight's game at Birmingham is 25 quid. Not 30 pound plus.... Match day tickets at town are extortionate
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strikalite added 17:04 - Dec 13 If they think they were paying over the odds for a striker after they stupidly let Murphy go then that'll be nothing compared to January where any half decent striker will be chased by other Clubs for a final promotion push....that's even if a half decent striker will be made available of course.. Start lowering these match day prices, the only thing that scares them sh!tle$$ is the ST holders will look at that move and think hmmm shall i bother next year if the match day prices are about to drop? As said it's not so much the prices right now it's the football being served up match after match that's the real issue.. Oh, and clean that bl00dy roof Milne ffs....where's your pride man? Or have you lost that too!!???

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howdonblue added 17:04 - Dec 13 Get your head out of your butt man !
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meekreech added 17:04 - Dec 13 Bring back Sheepshanks and see us really in the brown stuff ! He had ideas above his level which resulted in the years of struggle and stagnation .
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howdonblue added 17:09 - Dec 13 Sheepshanks had much more idea than this crowd meekreech! So what small to medium size clubs nowadays are making 100s of millions then? Answer =not many But most honest genuine town fans only want to see a little football played we are not asking for £20 million fees just something to attract us back to the ground! When 30 year plus season ticket holders are handing them back what more do ME And his cronies need to see?

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Bluetone added 17:17 - Dec 13 Quote Milne “That's where my side of the field can improve things. But I fully appreciate it's what happens on the pitch that's the important thing.” By jove he's got it! At last I think he's got it. Our club has being built and thrived on bringing through young players NOT on old past it "proper blokes" on their last enfeebled legs. Our club has been built and thrived and been respected for going out to play football and has always been many, many peoples' "second" club but that is no longer the case. Because the McCarthy way is to go stop the other team playing football and concentrate on NOT losing in the most boring way known to fan. How to shift McCarthy out of the manager's position must be in that review. Could do worse than ask the likes of Muhren, Thijssen and Mills to form a consultative committee to select a new manager.

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grumpyoldman added 17:17 - Dec 13 I have carried out my own ticketing review, as a result until MM leaves I will not be buying a ticket whatever the price charged, simple!
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happybeingblue added 17:21 - Dec 13 too expensive simple as that even if we were playing free flowing football under a different manager its still too expensive for the area and wages etc we live in ... people who run the game are out of touch of what it costs to send a family etc to a game
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happybeingblue added 17:25 - Dec 13 for his faults at least sheepy was a genuine town fan not just a money man who is hiding within the club
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therein61 added 17:28 - Dec 13 So at last the penny is beginning to drop with the money men!!! so now all they have to do is get rid of the man responsible for the favourite induced rubbish football resulting in falling attendances my god these people have been sharing the same pair of blinkers that Mick has!!! Big man I think the writing is on the wall although your arrogance will not let you admit that for the past 2 seasons you have failed big time!!!!

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soapy added 17:42 - Dec 13 I love watching the Town but £32.50! I watch Rymans league. £10 adults, kids free, Treated like an adult, home cooked food. ITFC, you have competition out there. Respect it and don't take fans blind loyalty for granted. COYB
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htb added 17:43 - Dec 13 The only way to significantly increase crowds is to get rid of MM, get a manager in who understands what used to be the Ipswich philosophy ie attacking passing football. I am not holding my breath.
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Blandford added 17:49 - Dec 13 These meetings are held on a monthly basis according to the above article. I may be clutching at straws here, but I do find it interesting the Milne suggests that the quality of football will affect attendances the day after MM told us that he and our absentee owner have had no need to discuss his future as manager.
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Mark added 17:55 - Dec 13 The worst is yet to come I believe, with a big fall in season tickets this summer if we are still playing drab, dull football with an ageing team. What will that do for next year's budget?! Imagine Mick putting together the 2017/18 squad with a much reduced budget to now...doesn't bear thinking about! I am glad this is being looked at. I want McCarthy to succeed, but he is showing no signs of doing so, his relationship with fans is deteriorating, and the football is not improved (indeed some of the best football was when he first took over before signing anyone). He'll have a year of his contract left come the summer and SURELY we cannot ask people to renew expensive season tickets for Mick in his last year with the squad in a state of continued decline?! By the way, this is not about Ipswich fans having unrealistic expectations. If we don't make the play-offs I don't mind, I just want to come away from Portman Road having enjoyed the match and looking forward to the next one. I want to see us pass the ball and score goals.

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Bluebell added 17:57 - Dec 13 As others have said, it's not only the prices of tickets but the football on show. Mick won't be sacked or walk as he said yesterday so I don't think lowering prices is going to make the slightest difference until the football gets better.
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Paulc added 18:04 - Dec 13 Use the Huddersfield Town model. All Season Tickets £179 anywhere in the ground. Avge attendances go from 12.5k to 20k. Not rocket science.
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warkway added 18:04 - Dec 13 Yup, the falling attendances are a mystery alright. Needs a full investigation.
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superblue70 added 18:07 - Dec 13 Up and down season he said, well the up part must be on its way soon people cos I ain't seen any of it yet
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prebbs007 added 18:09 - Dec 13 Up and down season ? When was it up ? What do you actually contribute to the club Milne you're a waste of a salary !!! If the product is CR&P and the cost is high you will have lower uptake. For a large number of the 3-7k that now don't bother the only change needed is to get rid of the dinosaur tw&t. I for one will not he back until that idiot is gone. Better product + correct pricing = higher attendances. Winning I still nice but I want to be entertained and this bunch of dross couldn't entertain a clown and we have plenty of those.

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jas0999 added 18:12 - Dec 13 Improving the product with significant investment in the playing squad would help. Saying they will look to sign someone is no good. Identify targets and sign them.
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HARRY10 added 18:15 - Dec 13 Stop telling us money from player sales is being re-invested when it is not Stop spouting nonsense about the acadamy. It is not delivering nor is it Cat 1 standard. Why not admit the reason so many players are out injured is because they are 'sick notes' and that is why we can pick them up for peanuts. Totally scrap the current 'plan'. We are not going to get promoted as things stand. Remove MM and get in a manager and team who can develop younger players and improve the quality of football. Fans will forgive the club if it is seen to be going in the right direction. So no more aged has beens who might (when they are fit) help us wheeze over the line. And stop imagining you can run the club on a shoestring - either come up with a decent long term plan or step aside for those who could

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