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

warktheline added 14:04 - Mar 11 @cat, wish I shared your 'positive vibe' .....nothing would surprise me with this lot at the helm!
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heathen66 added 14:09 - Mar 11 blueoxford...we have attacking players at the club, however Mick insists on teaching them all to defend as a first thought and cover for the inept defenders. Who remembers when ward first got here ??? 2nd half hat-trick...now dare not shoot, Celina could not get in the side until he learnt to defend McGoldrick playing wide Sears was a revelation as an attacker, but when plays can be seen covering the wandering Knudsen. Even Waghorn as a striker will be covering at the back. The players are here just not utilised correctly (or utilised at all) Mick has money but does not spend it. Does not want competition for his favourites (Moore and Smith out)...and then hides behind injuries. btw this is not a pop, it is just a difference of opinion :-)

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TBT added 14:17 - Mar 11 The reality is that nobody in the ME Group is prioritising about their tiny UK investment that has stagnated some years ago. If you think anything positive regarding the squad, pitch, ticket pricing, falling attendant aces and/or style of play is going to happen under this regime I'm afraid you are going to be disappointed. THEY STOPPED CARING ABOUT ITFC 3 YEARS AGO! The Group can easily carry the losses, the losses do have some taxation upsides and they are focussing their efforts on other non-footballing matters. They do however need to avoid another relegation and without investing seriously in the squad they have exactly the right person and style of play to achieve this aim. Mick isn't the problem per se, the hierarchy of this club (our club) don't care.

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Elwood added 14:17 - Mar 11 McCarthy has had reasonable results on the budget available, has made good deals in transfer market and has been unlucky with injuries. However, even if he had a Keane sized budget I doubt he would play attractive football. What we need is investment in the pitch and an inspired managerial change. Unfortunately the record of Evans in this respect is not at all good. Allowing Burley to take temporary charge and to oversee the next manager may work.

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cat added 14:27 - Mar 11 Walktheline - positive vibe, yes, over optimistic? I hope not. Many things lately have lead us to believe MM is staying, but it makes no business sense. Let's hope logic prevails.
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runningout added 14:36 - Mar 11 Some people harp on about doing so well on limited budget.. We should know a big budget is not the be all and end all. GOOD managers produce great teams, mega dosh or not... Funds are very handy but it's not a certainty for success. MM is and has done alright, made some head scratching signings of late, and things not working. I'm already bored with what Milne has to say, and he hasn't said anything yet..

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leftie1972 added 14:39 - Mar 11 Bring back the Butcher!
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Seasider added 14:40 - Mar 11 We
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ITFCsince67 added 14:45 - Mar 11 If Milne is linking the intent of putting on 2nd rate passed it music performers to the future of ITFC god help us all.
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Seasider added 15:09 - Mar 11 Well as usual not sure to make of this. Mr Milne is never specific;and sometimes gives the impression he is just the frontman , who doesn't really know whats going on with Evans. I didn't hear the interview thoroughly as my mate talked through most of it, as he doesn't have much time for 'The Parrot' as he calls him;but I do recall our MD saying previously that there will be some good news when the season ticket applications are sent out.. Don't know what is said at fans forum;but recall they are not allowed to raise matters about the football side,which overall is the most important thing.Hope somebody at the forum has raised the state of the flimsy cutlery in Legends,,which is so cheap it breaks even cutting a sausage roll !!! However 2 things above are heartening to us' Mick Out Minority'??? 1. He said we are listening,the owner is listening. 2 There will be good news on season tickets,and its not just the prices;but the management situation as both are linked. Perhaps I am raising my hopes; but surely the CEO and his boss realise that if McCarthy's contract is renewed ,then season ticket sales (and attendances) will decrease further.Conversely departure would ,I am sure ,boost sales. Still mustn't raise my hopes too much,as the way McCarthy was talking he could still be here next season. Perish the thought. !

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karls_dad added 15:13 - Mar 11 It was not that long ago that the average gate was 22k/24k, and a sell out on Derby with Nodge, not a seat to be had, how can business survive with losing almost 50% of its customer base? That is the reality of the situation! yes alot of those non attending can be placed at this dire MM football but not all, financial climate too plays a part of it! which is where ITFC should have worked harder to keep the fan base.

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ChrisFelix added 15:25 - Mar 11 Don't trust this bloke. He speaks with forked tongue.
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pragmatic added 15:37 - Mar 11 Whatever is revealed in the nxt few weeks many of the so called supporters will not return as they are just that “ so called supporters” !!!
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blueboy1981 added 15:40 - Mar 11 ........ who, or whatever, is this BillyBaxter is best .. ??
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RegencyBlue added 15:41 - Mar 11 To be honest, if MM stays, they would have to pay me to go back next season!
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yungblue added 15:53 - Mar 11 ‘MEXIT MEANS MEXIT'
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martin587 added 15:56 - Mar 11 The club only Have themselves to blame here.If the owner is a true businessman he should have invested more to get us in the premier league,then he would have recouped almost all his money.But instead he refused to spend big. Ok,he has kept the club afloat,and for that I'm sure we are all greatfull,but sometimes in business you need to speculate to accumulate and this we didn't. Season ticket sales will be a very big factor for the coming season and I'm sure the owner is well aware of the friction between MM and the supporters. I just pray to god they think very hard and make the correct decision.But I hold my breath over this one,like most of us.

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warktheline added 15:57 - Mar 11 @blueboy, sillybilly marked my post down even when I promised to bolster attendance gate by two next season! That's why I call him sillybilly !
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Bluetone added 16:24 - Mar 11 I am old and I can remember when this was not just a team but a club, our club, a club others envied It belonged to the supporters it wasn't just a business interest of an owner whose motives are still not clear.
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stiffy501 added 17:16 - Mar 11 My choice is Nigel Clough !! plays football the right way and done miracles by just keeping Burton up on a nothing budget. Give him a 5 year contract
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Cheshire_Blue added 17:21 - Mar 11 Some people have a strange idea of what 'majority' means. Just remember Pardew will be available shortly!
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Currie10 added 17:32 - Mar 11 5 year !?!?!? What if he's having a mare after 6 months and we want him out, we'd have to pay off 4.5 years!? Jesus. 3 year deal absolute max, if not 2 for the new manager. No other point in this statement unless Mick is leaving. I'd imagine the club have all sorts of deals on news season tickets, to be released along with the ' We'd like to thank Mick for his effort ' speech. I'd imagine the club feel combining the two will see season tickets bought like no tomorrow. Not entirely sure Mick leaving / a reduction would get the club the figure I think their craving however all will make sense soon enough.... They need to ensure we cannot go down. Also, they need to make sure us coming top 6 is also pretty much absolutely impossible - so I'd imagine IF Mick could beat Hull / Bristol City this announcement could be delayed further still. 99.9% sure he's leaving now - just a case of finding the timing as to when it will be announced.

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wayway added 17:46 - Mar 11 Yes TBT, yo have it correct. Evans PLC are not in the least bit interested in ITFC as a football club, they only own the club to offset the debt and losses to their other companies. They claw back far more in tax relief than the alleged 6 Million they are said to put in. I have no doubt McCarthy will get another 2 year contract, he is on big money and just running down to retirement giving the PLC what they want. No hassle. This is not the first time I have called for someone to stand up and be counted to put a consortium together, or to sound out potential investors or owners. Again I have said the owners of the Port of Felixstowe would be a good fit for the club, it just needs someone to speak out. Radio Suffolk will never criticise and the EADT don't seem bothered anymore. If in the unlikely event McCarthy does go you can forget about a young manager, the PLC will want a big name (like Keane) to stand in front of the Marcus Evans logo. I have herd the name Gordon Strachan mentioned. And for all those who say you can not play attacking football on a tight budget, how do Brentford manage it

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muccletonjoe added 17:50 - Mar 11 Yawn !
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Karlosfandangal added 17:53 - Mar 11 Players speak highly of Mick as do other managers.....so how many players will want to go....possible a Bart. A new manager and the fans will be happy and come flocking back to the ground as Ipswich will be playing this fast flowing attacking football......do we actually have players who can do this...Sears and Ward think not....will Dozzell Downes Nydam be ready to step up and give the fans this. Who will come and manage Ipswich if they have the same budget as Mick...or will Evans let the purse strings go or will it be sell before you buy.......Bart or a Waghorn.. If he won't give Mick the cash why would he change for a new man...... or has the conversation been had with someone.... A pivotal moment for Town....... it could be a very interesting year ahead or 2017/2018 season again

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