New Ipswich Town boss Paul Hurst — only the club’s 16th in the 82 years since they turned professional — was officially unveiled at a press conference earlier today.

Hurst, 43, left Shrewsbury last month to take over from Mick McCarthy, whose five and a half year reign ended in April, and was making his first visit to Portman Road since landing the job.

“I am very proud, very honoured and also very excited about the challenge ahead,” he told a large gathering in the media suite.

Reminded about the Shrews’ extra-time defeat to Rotherham in the League One play-off final just over a fortnight ago, he was asked if things had worked out differently at Wembley whether he would have been at the club today.

He replied: “It would have been a very difficult decision but ultimately I think this football club, with its history and also the potential here, it would have been very difficult to turn this job down.

“I’m very excited about working with the group of players that are here. They had a good season last year, despite a lot of injury problems along the way, and given a bit more luck on that side I’m sure they would have finished higher up the table.

“There is a lot of potential here and I am keen to assess that very quickly, add to it if possible and see what we can achieve.”

Did he see the step-up from League One to the Championship as a big one? “I’ve said for a long time, even when I was in non-league football and certainly once I became a full-time manager, that with the work we do and the professionalism we put in there are not too much changes to be honest,” he said.

“What you do get is a lot more interest but a lot more resources and people to work with. We can complicate the game of football, the approach, very much and I like to strike a balance between what people might deem as old school with a lot of new school in there as well.

“I see it as a challenge, of course. I’ve got to earn the players’ respect and they have to earn mine and that of Chris Doig, my assistant who has come along with me as well.

“But in general it will be a very similar approach, which I guess is what’s got me to this point, to have such a great opportunity.”

Town are currently the Championship’s longest-serving club after relegation from the top flight in 2002 and several managers have been unable to turn the tide. Can Hurst be the one to get them out of the second tier?

He smiled: “It depends which way you mean. No, of course I believe we can do it. Every time you start a new season you’re hopeful that you can be fighting for promotion. I did see something where certain people (the bookmakers) have got us towards the other end and I take no notice of that.

“I had that at my last club and we certainly managed to show that wasn’t the case. We’ll approach it with optimism but what I’ve said already is that I’m not going to come here and make false promises that I can’t keep.

“What I can assure people is that we’ll do everything in our power — and demand the same from the players — to give the fans a team that they can be proud of, one that they can see giving everything to the shirt. Who knows where it can take you?

“It’s a very competitive league but at the same time this club has a very good history and we’d love to create our own piece of history moving forward.”

Like his predecessor, Hurst is a Yorkshireman, but does he share any similarities with the man he has replaced? He said: “Let’s put it this way — Mick was here a long time and did very well for this football club. There was obviously a change made but I have total respect for him.

“I think we have some similarities without knowing Mick personally, although I have spoken to him a few times, but naturally there are going to be things that are different as well. Every manager is different. I think we share values in terms of the work ethic.

“I’ve had nothing but good feedback in terms of the squad’s character, which doesn’t surprise me guessing what Mick would be like, so I’m grateful for the squad that’s been left behind.

“Along the way there will be changes but they will be done in time and I want people to have the opportunity to impress first and foremost.”

Hurst was also reminded of Town’s failure to win an East Anglian derby clash with Norwich since 2009 and asked if he could do something about that miserable run.

He responded: “I’d like to think so. I was watching one of the games back and they were talking about how long it had been and when the fixtures come out we’ll be looking forward to those games.”

Photo: TWTD

BlueandTruesince82 added 20:00 - Jun 12 Calms down blueboy meldrew it's only a forum. You cant deny though you complain constantly, it's your way. I'm not judging just suggesting a sunnier outlook will give you a glow. Not sure what was abusive, as I said take the compliment. You have put a smile on my face today. It is a good day and I thought perhaps in that small moment you may have found a touch of joy too. Alas it seems I'm wrong

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alanmason added 20:13 - Jun 12 Excellent first press conference. Well done Paul, but don't play the “Yorkshire” card again...we've just had five years of that !
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Swn98 added 20:27 - Jun 12 Good Luck looking forward to next season as i have done for the past 45 seasons.
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blueboy1981 added 20:29 - Jun 12 .......... some are totally alien to the truth, facts, and reality - in so being totally incapable of judging a post on the aforementioned. Same old marking up / down proves the point - person marking, not post content. Some things never change with some people, and never will. Pathetic or what ?
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HarleydavidsonBlue added 20:36 - Jun 12 Having just watched the interview, I am very happy, the first time in a long time. Lets all get behind the manager, cheer our beloved team on. and hope all our wishes come true. Beat the scum and progress up the league. Maybe, just maybe we can get promoted into the Prem. Welcome aboard PH in this new chapter of ITFC. The pride of East Anglia. COYB. Ipswich till I die.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 20:46 - Jun 12 Phil/Gav motion to adopt only happy when it rains as the forums official anthem? ... No wait, there is a paradox there that won't work.
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Dissboyitfc added 21:21 - Jun 12 So Cheshire, how aften did you watch Shrewsbury to have such an authority on what we can expect? Lets give the new manager a chance shall we! I for one was very impressed and i shall take that into a more positive season for a change!
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JCBLUE added 21:24 - Jun 12 Excellent interview, really like him, welcome & good luck Paul! Here we go .......
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LWNR2013 added 21:29 - Jun 12 GOOD DAY FOR PR.
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bernie added 21:53 - Jun 12 Welcome Paul all the best , this is a fantastic club and we need to start showing that again . Come on the town !!
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Gcon added 22:32 - Jun 12 Blueboy, your incessant negativity and aggressive ways are SO boring. Give us all a break, luv.
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blueboy1981 added 22:56 - Jun 12 Gcon ........... finger STILL on the down button - I notice. No surprise to most of us.
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blueboy1981 added 23:04 - Jun 12 ......... same old down voters, post after post, season after season. Give us all a break from your boring, relentless monotony.
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bobble added 23:08 - Jun 12 the" bad things come in 3s curse" has been lifted the future is bluesky
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loudnproud added 08:39 - Jun 13 Im feeling in a positive frame of mind too after watching the press conference.I do to a degree,understand the more cautious supporter too. Town fans have been through bullsiht after bullsiht season after season for way too long. What i want from this manager is to bring entertainment and expectation back to this club. To give the fans some belief. To restore some excitement back to the supporters heart when they get up in the morning on match day. I want to see our players good and bad enjoying it and sharing the belief. Win,loose or Draw...........We all need to enjoy ourselves again......Bring it on....enjoy the season

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BlueandTruesince82 added 08:44 - Jun 13 I dont understand this obesdiob with who had voted on comments. That's what they are there for....
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wilnisfan added 09:29 - Jun 13 Modern manager who also doesn't stand for low standards. Glad he is making that clear from the outset. Should bring everyone together. It's a different job from the relegation threatened jobs he got into before, where the goal was clear. Here it is those extra percentages which added together should make us greater. And this communication is the start of that. With the media, fans and staff. Laying it out clearly and articulately.

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bugledog123 added 10:20 - Jun 13 Good luck Paul! COYB!
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NorfolknWay added 12:06 - Jun 13 What was that Paul Hurst was saying about chess being boring? Where did he get that idea? It can be, if you're trying not to lose. But a good attacking player can certainly rouse the spectators. It pays not to be too reckless though. A bit like football really. Maybe Paul needs to get Nick Pert on the team in an advisory capacity. He knows a thing or two about attacking play ;).

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bressinghamblue added 12:15 - Jun 13 Listening to the full press conference, it's clear he wants a high energy team, playing good football. Tick. He's identified wingers that deliver end-product as a missing element to our teams. Tick. He sounds like he will push Marcus Evans if needed. Tick. He wants to bring the academy players through. Tick. An assistant who's not a yes man. Tick. Ambitious. Tick. Very Ipswich. Overall I'm very happy with this appointment. New season ticket application in. Looking forward to ENJOYING going to PR again.

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OldClactonBlue added 16:13 - Jun 13 Rather different from "Mr Arrogant, you're lucky to have me"!
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warktheline added 16:25 - Jun 13 I'm really looking forward to going to Portman Rd this coming campaign and hopefully seeing some entertainment! Where that takes us we'll see in due course! COYB.
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cat added 19:03 - Jun 13 Warktheline - concur, concur. Much rather take a chance on a young up and coming manager like Hurst, than suffer more dark dino days in the safe hands of McCarthy. If we squeeze in that top 10 with an entertaining brand of football it will all be good good good in my book. If we suffer the dreaded fate of the drop from this gamble, then we'll simply have to deal with it.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:56 - Jun 13 fancy Mick working on Talk Sport . surprised he has the time, , obviously not sifting through his inbox and whittling down all the managerial job offers that the ''careful what you wish for brigade '' predicted would come his way. The only place keen to get Dinosaurs in ,are Natural History museums.Football is evolving ,Paul Hurst may still come up short, but he has more vision than McCarthy and a new outlook is what we all wanted, [well except for Cheshire Blue

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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 00:03 - Jun 14 People are talking about relegation as if it's ok. It isn't. We don't have the resources of teams like Sunderland/Barnsley and relegation would be a really bad result for this club. If we end up in League 1 we might end up there a while and long for the good old days in mid-table championship under mid-table MIck.
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