Managing director Ian Milne believes there’s got to be “some massive rebuilding” at Town over the summer with owner Marcus Evans and manager Mick McCarthy having held their first meeting to discuss their plans for the 2017/18 season.

“Marcus has indicated and we’re indicating that there’s got to be some massive rebuilding over the summer and that’s starting, there’ll be more after the end of the season so they’ve started looking at the options,” he told Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk (47mins 00secs).

“There are loan players that I think we’d all like to keep, so they’ll be working on that. It’s always difficult to say precisely who is going to be here because it’s up to the players, they will have other offers, there will be some players who may go because they’ve got a better offer somewhere else.”

Does this rebuilding mean Evans will be spending some money? “He continues to spend a lot of money, £6 million or £7 million a year. I know fans want more spent but we all have budgets we have to cope with.

“As we’ve said before that squad, the basic squad is good as it proved against Newcastle, but it keeps going up and down, that’s our problem. We had bad day at Rotherham, which was very upsetting. Marcus was there and he knew our thoughts.”

Milne confirmed that McCarthy and Evans met last weekend to get their summer discussions under way: “They did, they had a good meeting, but it was the start of many.”

The MD says Evans is well aware that significantly more money is now being spent elsewhere in the division than was the case in previous seasons.

“He fully understands that,” he added. “At the moment he doesn’t know how much he’s going to spend because we don’t know who’s coming in and going out. But I’ve got no feeling that he’s going to spend less and hopefully he’ll spend more.”

Having said in January that he would make a decision on his future in the summer, McCarthy has more recently stated his intention to remain at Portman Road.

Asked whether McCarthy would still be in charge at Town next year, Milne added: “That’s a question we’re going to have to wait [to hear the answer to]. He’s got another year on his contract, I have no further news on that at the moment.

“At the moment he’s here, he’s going to continue for the season and we’ll see what he says.”

Milne isn’t yet sure when Town will announce their matchday prices and says the club have been discussing more flexible ticketing arrangements.

“Not at the moment, we’ve got a review with Marcus to go through that,” he said. “We want to get that right.

“Basically, it’s around the idea that we’ve got to understand that people’s lifestyles have changed and maybe they can’t come to every match and they want to pick and choose which matches they want to come to.

“I’m not a golfer myself, but they tell me golf club memberships are difficult to sell now because people don’t have that time every week to go and play.

“The same with us, they can’t come to every match, so I think we’ve got to give more options on that and that’s what we’re working on.”

Season ticket numbers are expected to dip to just below 10,000 for the first time since the Blues’ stint in the Premier League at the start of the century - a drop in revenue of more than £1 million - and Milne says the precise total sold before the recent early bird deadline should be known soon.

“We’re processing those at the moment, the DDs [Direct Debits], so we will be coming up with that shortly,” he continued.

“It’s lower than last year but I don’t know the actual figure at the moment. But we’ll come out with that shortly. Of course it is lower, we understand that because of the entertaining football issue.”

Regarding the new kits for the 2017/18 season which are yet to be unveiled, he said: “I think we’re a bit later this year, part of it is because of Adidas and the marketing.”

Milne expects the home strip to go down well with supporters: “I’ve seen it and it’s traditional and I think fans will love it.”

Photo: TWTD

tractorkent added 01:22 - May 1 I agree with bluedan W. feel a little ashamed that i put football ( if you can call it that) in front of my little girl, never again.
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shakytown added 02:01 - May 1 More third rate journeymen on free transfers looking for a final payout and a nice warm physios bench. Just the type of real blokes our stupid manager likes. Proper footballers every one of them. Mick just has to go or the club will stagnate even further if that's actually possible.
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BrettenhamBlue added 03:42 - May 1 One good thing is Coke, Digby, Douglas and Best are all on their way,. But I'm genuinely scared of who will replace them. Every year we hear the same old message, and we'll end up signing a couple of 32 plus players on frees, 3 loan players and a couple of unknown players from non-league for next to nothing fees. If we don't get our act together, we will face the drop next season.

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BrettenhamBlue added 03:57 - May 1 Just been trawling through the TWTD Man of the match awards and stats (which is also closely mirrored by results from other supporters sites). In terms of MoM Awards: Bialkowski- 23, Gerken-2, Webster-3, Spence-4, Emmanuel-1 That's a STAGGERING 33 MoM awards given to players who are either GK or defence out of the 48 games we've played this season. That's indicative of a serious problem in our midfield/attack that needs to be rectified.

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clint_eastwood added 04:06 - May 1 Massive Rebuilding? Yes, please. Let's start with the manager.
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RoyalAscotBlue added 06:04 - May 1 This guy doesn't have a clue... about anything! He doesn't know how many season tickets have been sold, he doesn't know how much investment is available, he doesn't know who the manager will be, he doesn't know when the new kit will be available. Seemingly, the only thing that he does know is that he isn't a golfer! No $hit Sherlock... You ain't an effective Managing Director either.

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battyblue added 06:15 - May 1 Evans wants to step up or step back and get someone who understands the game to run the club as it should be run Evans has not got a clue! he just use the club as a bragging tool and a plaything.Bart will move on and who can blame in all come Gerkin to take his place and Crowe as back up no money will be spent on a replacement. Someone needs to put TWTD under McCarthys nose,If they think people are staying away and not renewing season tickets because they are to busy to watch town it just goes to show they know f all, what a shower/shambles we have become with these plonkers running the club.

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battyblue added 06:52 - May 1 Bart will move on and who can blame him..in will come Gerkin........sorry its very early.
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distractored added 07:02 - May 1 "But I've got no feeling that he's going to spend less and hopefully he'll spend more.” Last year we spent feck all, this year we should hope to double it.
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therein61 added 07:03 - May 1 I note his comment about falling season ticket sales being related to the entertaining football issue!!! well if you have noticed it then do something about it by getting in an up and coming manager to give the club a lift and excite the fans not retaining a foul mouthed past his sell by date one.
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Lord_Mac added 07:43 - May 1 Done nothing to remedy the crime of removing the season ticket concession from the 60-64 group, which is the reason why I shall not renew. That means my son and g/f also less likely to come to games. Heard guy in similar situation on Radio Suffolk not renewing after 56 years!!!! What a kick in the teeth. That move alone will cost 500 season tickets and huge loss of loyalty. Also good friend of mine in his mid fifties not renewing after many decades. If a season ticket at Bradford costs £149, that's more than the increase I am being asked to pay. No thanks. And this is before we talk about footballing issues. Tragic and shambolic.

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Lord_Mac added 07:45 - May 1 ...lesss than the increase....😊
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Swn98 added 07:48 - May 1 Suffolk n good looking back through some of your comments I notice your not exempt from using bad language people in glass houses!
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Andrew07 added 07:49 - May 1 So basically, what is being said is, 'More of the same medicine for next season!'
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yorksblue added 07:53 - May 1 Odds on for relegation nxt season. Massive rebuild needs to start with sale of club.
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blue75 added 07:55 - May 1 Who these people that still support McCarthy there's the usual ones on here, but in the ground you never hear anyone talk him up let alone sing his name, phone ins are the same. Can it be only Evans and Milne that can't see how far backward McCarthy and themselves are taking this club. Unless McCarthy goes in the next couple of weeks a lot of fans won't come back and the ones that do, will not vocally support the current regime which lead to another season of a bad atmosphere and struggling to play at home. As was shown by the Newcastle game good atmosphere team played ok and got a win, but not once did you hear McCarthy's name chanted think that says a lot!

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geminimustang added 08:00 - May 1 My view is MM will leave at the end of the season.Why?He realises that his self belief that he was a good enough a Manager to get to the Premier League with loans,freebies and has-beens is no longer possible and he's been deluded.Marcus Evans won't fund the budget required.Why?Newcastle,if they win the Championship will receive around £6.3M in prize money.But that doesn't go far,Sunderland are £130M in debt and relegated.ME is happy to target the play-off places,give the fans some entertainment,lacking this season, and enjoy his hobby which is ITFC.All MM's fault,better off without him?I don't think so and let's not kid ourselves getting rid of the manager solves anything.It may make certain people happy but the underlying issue is funding.

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Swn98 added 08:00 - May 1 Therein61 another one to show faux horror at MM use of words only to have a history of posting profanities all be it behind exclamation marks and missed spelling.
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Bergholtblue added 08:03 - May 1 So Mr. Milne thinks people want to pick and choose matches. That's what I did this season. I went to the Norwich game then Brighton and then Huddersfield . After that I chose to stay at home on a Saturday. This rebuilding will have to be great if he wants me to choose to come again.
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Swn98 added 08:10 - May 1 I think even the biggest MM supporter who started to chant his name especially in the north stand would be booking a ticket to the nearest A and E. However there are still many who think that he has done a good job given the resources available. Granted we might strike it lucky by employing an up and coming manager should we be leaving our club in the hands of lady luck I'm sure Wigan and Rotherham fans would gladly swop places with us.

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warkthelint added 08:19 - May 1 Everything begins with relieving McCarthy of his duties immediately and putting the emphasis on the youth academy and starting to play the Ipswich Way with emphasis on attacking football but our manager must go in the good name of the club....and now
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warkthelint added 08:21 - May 1 Everything begins with relieving McCarthy of his duties immediately and putting the emphasis on the youth academy and starting to play the Ipswich Way with emphasis on attacking football but our manager must go in the good name of the club....and now
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bluearmy4life added 08:21 - May 1 If the rumours are true about Garry Monk getting the sack from Leeds let's build our new team around a young top class manager. He's done a terrific job wherever he's gone!
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derbyblue51 added 08:21 - May 1 The sad thing is MM. Will not leave which makes me so angry hate his crap football.milne & evens will not spend money they will only buy donkeys why don't evens take his name of our great team shirt and get money by finding a sponsor for our shirt that will create money for the club. I remember when I stayed behind to chant lyall out and it worked because he quit the next day. Why have we not done the same regarding MM (puzzling)

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happybeingblue added 08:43 - May 1 He sounds like a politician the same old spin that no one believes hence no one votes! hence no one will attend Portman Rd I seriously think he doesnt get it ... its the negative non pass and move football that we have to endure that is turning LIFELONG ITFC fans away
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