Town have confirmed that manager Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor will be leaving Portman Road at the end of the season.

McCarthy met owner Marcus Evans on Wednesday night and, according to a statement on the club website, “decided the move was in the best interest of all parties”.

The former Ireland boss, who took over at Portman Road in November 2012, and Connor will stay in charge for the remainder of the season. The duo's contract is up in the summer.

“Mick and I had a discussion and we both agreed that this was the best way forward for him and for Ipswich Town,” Evans told the club website.

“It never got to the point where we actually talked about a new contract. It just felt right that it was time for us both to look at different options. “Mick has been a fantastic manager for this football club, ably supported by Terry who has also been invaluable in the development of the team.

“When Mick arrived, we looked to be on the way to relegation. He saved us from that and then took us to the play-offs within two years.

“In his six years here he has made us a very competitive club in what is a very competitive league. No one looks forward to playing Ipswich.

🗣"I went and spoke to Marcus and after having that chat we both decided that it's probably best if we go our separate ways."

Mick McCarthy to depart the Club at the end of his contract pic.twitter.com/nnwthDmKk7

— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) March 29, 2018

“He has also been instrumental in developing our youth policy and has overseen the progress of a number of our young players from the academy into the first-team and nurtured their development in line with the club’s strategy.

“He’s immensely popular with all the staff at Portman Road and has built a strong backroom team who will provide important continuity as we move into a new era.

“On a personal note, I have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with him which is vital between owner and manager at any football club.

“Mick will see out his contract here and then we will look to make an announcement regarding his successor in due course.

“In the meantime, I want to put on record my sincere thanks to Mick for the job he has done here as our manager and urge supporters to get behind him and the players so that we can finish the season as strongly as possible.”

McCarthy added: “I had a good discussion with Marcus and we feel this is the right thing to do for me and for Ipswich Town.

“I have loved my time here and I am proud of what I have achieved over the last six years - and the relationship I have enjoyed with the players and all the staff at the club in that time.

“I won’t be leaving with any regrets. I have given everything for Ipswich Town and I will see out my contract in the same way.”

Photo: TWTD

trncbluearmy added 10:53 - Mar 29 Great news, now ME don`t cock it up
10

Mjdery89 added 10:53 - Mar 29 I have just been saying YESSSSSSSS and waving my arms in my colleagues faces haha best news for the bank holiday
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howdonblue added 10:53 - Mar 29 Thanks mick for keeping us up but it's time to go ! Great news
11

borat_the_blue added 10:54 - Mar 29 Gone but not forgotten. The man we needed back then but not now! He contentiously lacked investment in the team from Evans when we were riding high in January, only to falter during the play-offs. That was such a missed opportunity in my opinion. One questions remains, what could have been achieved if he was given the financial backing he deserved?
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Bluebell added 10:55 - Mar 29 It had to happen. There was no way he could carry on while the atmosphere at PR is so toxic. Let's hope a new manager can do something with the money restraints he will have. I think we have the team (with a few tweaks and new players) we just need someone to get them to play great football!
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Tomairyn added 10:55 - Mar 29 Good news and best of everyone. Now let's get behind the team and show who ever is going to be the new manager what a good club it is both on the field and the stands.
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SouperJim added 10:56 - Mar 29 Bonkers. Dancing with my knickers in the air.
9

Barty added 10:57 - Mar 29 Brilliant news - it will take a long time to repair all the damage he has done but so glad he is going
3

Warkys_Tash added 10:58 - Mar 29 @MicksZZZTactics.. Name change for you too this summer, time to pop off & start a fresh :)
4

NITFC added 10:59 - Mar 29 It's quite sad that it come to this but it is definitely the best for all concerned. Personally I wish Mick well for whatever he does in the future
4

Wickets added 11:01 - Mar 29 Noted that Marcus said no one looks forward to playing Town but we also got to the state that no one looked forward to watching Town either, so he had to go. No ill feelings from me but i do think he lost it in the last 2 seasons he has been unable to look past his defensive tactics.
13

Currie10 added 11:02 - Mar 29 Tell you what, the mans done a cracking job - I think when people look back in 5/10 years it will be a lot fonder right now. Fair play on the decision though, right both ways.
11

BlueAllOver added 11:04 - Mar 29 A sad day Mick leaving, thanks for everything he has done for the club. Look forward to 20000+ gates now with all those who said they would return when he goes. Yeah right.
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 11:05 - Mar 29 Great news BUT in all fairness to Mick and TC I think they deserve credit for saving us from tne drop, clearing the dead wood and staying competitive on a shoestring. No ill will towards either from me buy 100% right decision if we dont get Maclaren
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SheptonMalletBlue added 11:06 - Mar 29 BOOM BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Lightningboy added 11:09 - Mar 29 Phewwwwww. Decent enough bloke and manager but i've questioned all along what is the point in having a Mick McCarthy at your club unless he guarantees promotion?...dreadful football is only acceptable if it's successful,Mick has not been successful enough to warrant anymore time here. HUGE decision now by our owner..he's got the last 4 decisions wrong...5th time lucky?! Mowbray & Venus for me.

10

HUTCHITFC added 11:11 - Mar 29 Completely agree with first comments from iaintaylorx excellent assessment.
-1

BluePatriot added 11:12 - Mar 29 You lot are celebrating, the owner will get your season ticket cash and then the true Nightmare will be revealed......
2

BillyBaxterwasbest added 11:13 - Mar 29 A sad day for town, the idiots won, bad move marcus
-11

Webby1 added 11:13 - Mar 29 Thanks Mick for a job well done in the wake of Roy Keane,I do believe it is the right decision for both parties (depending a bit on who comes in) and wish you well for your future. Now fans lets get behind the team for the rest of the season and lets give Mick a big send off at the last home game.
8

itsonlyme added 11:15 - Mar 29 Thanks Mick and Terry for saving us in 2012 and the two seasons after that, but the right decision has been made for the sanity of all! I have wanted this decision for quite awhile but must say I have never booed or been nasty to Mick or the players in these dark times. I only hope and pray that ME gets in a young progressive manager.
12

flyingdutchman added 11:15 - Mar 29 Happy days one down and one to go
1

ITFC1985 added 11:15 - Mar 29 Regardless of what the majority of fans think of Mick he deserves alot of credit for what hes achieved with limited money and limited players, we were looking like relegation fodder when he took over but he stabilized and turned a group of players into a hard working unit and for a couple of seasons gave us a club to be proud of again. The football for the best part has been pretty terrible however i believe he played to the strength of the players he had at his disposal which for the most part are limited footballers. His attitude towards the fans has slightly soured his final months at the club but i for one believe he did do a good job here and that some fans seem to easily forget what the club was like when he took over. What needs to happen now is even more important than Micks leaving, the right manager needs to be appointed, with the right ideas (fresh ideas) and the fans need to get behind the team for the remaining games with Mick in charge Things are not going to change overnight and who ever comes in needs to be given time. COYB

17

OwainG1992 added 11:19 - Mar 29 Ok most of us are happy now for the future. Let's remember where we were before Mick came in! He did a great job for the first half of the stint. Let's get behind the lads for the future.
10

ashp19 added 11:19 - Mar 29 My opinion is that MM/TC couldn't of done much better with the resources afforded to them, and for that I thank them, but I also agree the time is right to move on as some behaviours in the past are quite simply unacceptable. It is now though where Marcus Evans has to step up a gear and invest more than financial support to keep the club running. He needs to ensure the right mangememt team who know the Ipswich way are recruited and bring back that pride we have all missed in recent times. I would love to see this along with measured investment (going to market) in the team (that has to happen ME!) and an owner who is physically more involved at the club, watching on as his staff, players and fans get back that love which has been lost! Over to you ME!

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