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Milne: News on Manager and Season Tickets Will Come Together in Next Couple of Weeks
Sunday, 11th Mar 2018 10:56

Town MD Ian Milne says news on the future of manager Mick McCarthy and the release of season ticket prices for the 2018/19 campaign will “come together” in the next couple of weeks.

McCarthy is out of contract in the summer but with owner Marcus Evans having an option to extend his time at the Portman Road helm by a further two years.

Speaking just over a fortnight ago, McCarthy, who has been in charge at Town since November 2012, anticipated speaking with Evans regarding the way forward “over the next three or four weeks”.

Asked when the announcement of next term’s season ticket prices might come on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk, managing director Milne said: “It will come out in the next couple of weeks, hopefully some good news on that.”

Season ticket numbers dropped by 15 per cent to under 11,000 last summer and with attendances having continued to drop throughout the season - the 13,205 crowd for the Cardiff game at the end of last month was the lowest for a home league game for nearly 20 years - another fall in numbers is expected.

Milne admits the club needs to woo fans back: “I think one thing is the season ticket side, but also I think there’s also probably a change, a letter of intent from the club on what we’re doing in the future and what have you, without going into too much detail.

“I hope off the field we do get out our new intent with what we’re trying to do with the music [the IP1 Live event announced earlier in the week] and other things as well. But I appreciate that’s a separate thing from the football.

“We listen, the owner’s listening, we’re listening. We had a fans’ forum a couple of weeks ago and they were talking about exactly the same things as you’re talking about. They come up with some great ideas, some we can take on. I think they will be pleased with what we’re going to do about season tickets.”

Many fans are likely to make their decision whether to renew their season tickets on the management situation.

Quizzed on whether there will be any news on that front prior to the season ticket announcement, Milne responded: “I think the timing is quite important. I appreciate that it’s not just the season ticket prices, it’s gauging for next season. We’re totally into that one and, yes, the two things will come together.

“You’ve got to bear with us on timing on all of that. We understand where the fans are coming from, we totally get it and we will come out with the announcement at the appropriate time so they can make the right decision.”

You can hear Milne on Life’s a Pitch here from 1hr 21mins 40secs, while Blues legend Shefki Kuqi was on the show from 1hr 38mins 12secs and winger Mustapha Carayol from 1hr 12mins 47secs.


Photo: TWTD



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massivemole added 11:00 - Mar 11
Sack Mick, lower prices. SIMPLES
21

Currie10 added 11:01 - Mar 11
Have a feeling reading between the lines ..... Mick WILL be leaving at the summer once our safety has been mathematically assured.

18 points clear of the bottom 3 with 10 to play ( 6 games ) so I can see absolutely no other reason than this.

Looks the likely decision the club have made.
6

fergalsharkey added 11:06 - Mar 11
Having told the fans to f*** off after the goal at norwich i would think his fate was sealed.
The joke being we still only managed a draw!!
F*** off indeed.
20

ipswich1992 added 11:10 - Mar 11
If this news is due soon us (majority) of fans need to make sure they know what we are feeling about kick at Tuesday's game.
It worry's me that they think it will be ok to keep him on, we must win lose or draw (let's be honest it will probally be a draw) on Tuesday night demonstrate or boredom of mick and the need to change before it's too late for another two years. Two more years of mick will
Killmour club completely!
Message to all fans force change on Tuesday night, this can not go on mick out now!
22

ipswich1992 added 11:12 - Mar 11
apologies for the typos, fat fingers and a small phone!
You get the message though, majority must speak up now- MICK OUT
7

Blue_Again added 11:13 - Mar 11
Peter you've lost the news!
2

ParisBlue added 11:14 - Mar 11
I wonder if Bart will sign his contract around the same time...
6

blueboy1981 added 11:20 - Mar 11
In some ways I feel sorry for this guy - after all he is only - a spokesman, a delivers what he's told. No more input than that, I would guess.
-3

Marcus added 11:23 - Mar 11
Evans is a businessman more than a football person. Look at it as an employer in any other industry the outlook would be - what are the strengths of the current regime (familiarity, safety, low risk of relegation, development of young players with stability)? What opportunities (a change in leader could motivate success, lost customers could return, more season ticket renewals so a greater income)? What weaknesses does the current setup have (loss of confidence with some customers, not achieving set targets for success)? What are the threats of change (a wrong appointment could result in destabilising the club, risk of undoing the achieved stability, young players could lose the stability achieved and move clubs)?

No doubt Evans will only consider change if he has already lined up someone who can continue what has already been achieved and have a provable model of success to progress the club.

Remember football fans are very passionate and business leaders need to be almost totally dispassionate. This has been the structure of Ipswich Town for the majority of our history (allowing for the passion of David Sheepshanks and John Cobbold).
6

wellaway added 11:23 - Mar 11
Its Kuqi. Or maybe its not.
3

Northstandveteran added 11:23 - Mar 11
It doesn't matter what music events you stage, how great the fanzone is, how many great ideas you have to woo the supporters back.

It's only what happens on the pitch that will encourage fans back.

This isn't Amerian football or baseball.

Put as much razzle dazzle and cheerleading on as you want.

The fans come to watch their team with at the very least, the hope of a win.

Admitting you are setting out to stifle the opposition and play for a draw before kick off will make no one return
58

Che added 11:25 - Mar 11
Plenty of cheap tickets when our club and resources have been decimated by a journeyman clue less manager and we are playing Luton, Oxford and Bristol Rovers at home.
1

blueboy1981 added 11:25 - Mar 11
We're only asking for two things:-

1. Resurrect our true Portman Road pitch.

2. Do what's necessary to get Portman Road rocking once again.

We once had a unique pedigree - let's see it return.

Shouldn't be too much to ask of a 'caring' multi millionaire owner - should it ?
15

Lightningboy added 11:35 - Mar 11
Can see all the Keep Mick brigade clambering to renew already.

🙈
8

Daniel72 added 11:39 - Mar 11
If they don't have anyone in mind Mick will have to stay.. like it or not. Things could be better with a new man, if someone right wants to come to Portman Road... they could be worse ... trying to play attacking footie on a tight budget and ending up in League One. It could be better with Mick and a full strength team.. was he not playing four forwards at the start of the season?
-1

blue86 added 11:41 - Mar 11
Very important the club make the CORRECT desicion. Mick kept us up which was great and got us into the playoffs that time, however it is defo time for change. We need a new manager who wants to entertain and take games to the opposition rather than saying " we stopped them from playing" or " we had a right scrap" I'm bored of this mentality! We are Ipswich town not Wimbledon. All I want is my Ipswich back, trying to win and having a go. So please make the right decision and get the crowds back to Portman road again....don't think I could stand two more years of watching paint dry! Coyb!
29

heathen66 added 11:49 - Mar 11
This is a football club and the major concern is FOOTBALL.
Yes you should be looking at other incomes but the main issue is the football.
In all honesty it is not the cost either, it is what I am getting back for my well earned cash.
The entertainment under McCarthy has been awful and that needs to be addressed ASAP.
Unfortunately Mick WILL NOT change his philosophy so therefore we need to change him.
There is money to spend but Mick chooses not to as this leads to to greater expectations on the pitch, rather than aren't I doing well with what I have spent' !!!

The club needs a new direction (well a direction would be a start) and this can only be accomplished with a new manager and Maurice Steijn could be the way to go.

Announce a new manager with a REAL 3-5 year plan and the supporters will back the club, unless it is Mick for another 3 years with boring no directional football and then you can wave goodbye to another 2k a year !!!
36

BlueandTruesince82 added 11:50 - Mar 11
I have always liked Mick, what many on here take as attitude ans winding up the fans I have always felt is nothing but honesty tinged with a humor to dry for many.

I think under the circumstances he has done well, clearing out some real dead wood and working for the most part on a shoe string but equally 6 years is a long time @ a club and after the initial upturn in fortune we have at best plateaud over the 3 years and that's being fairly generous.

There is talent in the squad and good players comming yhrough, Mick has given plenty of our young players their fiest taste of first team football and we should be thankful for that but 6 years of hoof is enough, time for a twist and time for a change. Would love a non merry go round appointment.
11

blue75 added 11:51 - Mar 11
McCarthy needs to go the only way to increase ticket sales reguardless of price!! @Daniel72 I think he only played 4 forwards as he had injuries and no choice he only played 1 yesterday!!
9

MicksZzzTactics added 11:54 - Mar 11



8

stevieiriswattii added 11:56 - Mar 11
To be honest i am sick of hearing the argument that playing attacking football is going to lead to relegation. What a load of tosh. There are plenty of managers out there, some of whom might actually want to manage a club which has the tradition of ours. Someone, who might even be able to coach the players, make the better, support them and encourage some attacking intent. If I remember rightly Attack, is the best form of defence! Not setting out to defend at all costs at home & occasionally venturing forward and having 1 or 2 shots on target for a whole game. The time is well and truly up for Mick and if the club want fans to turn up next season, with at least a little renewed hope, they need to be scouring the leagues here and abroad, for a manager who is the complete opposite to MM.
44

jas0999 added 11:59 - Mar 11
Put simply IF MM is announced as next seasons manager - my season ticket will be cancelled. Two goals in eight games at home. How can the club justify him staying? It's not as though we have been unlucky. Just boring and negative.
37

Marcus added 12:02 - Mar 11
Evans is probably thinking that after Jewell and Keane he needed a safe and dull option. Moving onwards he'll probably want someone proven but ambitious. He may also look at where the club was when he joined and look at someone with a similar background to Jim Magilton - a former player with management experience. This is where Kuqi's not so subtle job application sounded interesting on Radio Suffolk, also names like Mowbray, Yallop, Taricco and Holland will be bounced around.
-1

DurhamTownFan added 12:10 - Mar 11
Maybe waiting until we win a home game and then confirm his new contract? Bloody hope not! But I wouldn't put it past this regime
7

OwainG1992 added 12:12 - Mar 11
Anyone else fully expect Big Mick to be here next season?I'm concerned.
5


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