Town have confirmed that manager Paul Hurst has been sacked, owner Marcus Evans believing that it “is in the best interests of the club” to appoint a new boss with ex-Norwich manager Paul Lambert set to be his successor. Assistant manager Chris Doig, fitness coach Nathan Winder and physio Chris Skitt have also left the Blues, while academy head of coaching and development Bryan Klug will take caretaker charge for Saturday’s game at Millwall.

“I have decided that it is in the best interests of the football club that we appoint a new manager to take us forward,” Evans told the club site.

“I would like to thank Paul and Chris for their efforts and we wish them well for the future but after 14 matches we find ourselves bottom of the Championship and with only one win this season.

“Paul’s arrival here in the summer was welcomed by us all and we worked tirelessly to support him fully with his plans for player recruitment, training methodology and backroom staff.

“But unfortunately those plans haven’t turned into positive results, which is why I have had to take this decision today.

“The core of our club remains strong and it is that which has helped us create a highly competitive team in the Championship over the last five or six years.

“This group of experienced players along with the additions we made to the squad this summer of younger developing talent, plus the ongoing progression of players from our academy means the new manager will have a solid group to work with and build for the future.

“I am determined that we develop a team to play attractive and exciting football. We have a stable and talented coaching team in place at Ipswich and Bryan Klug will step up and take temporary charge of the first team for Saturday’s trip to Millwall.

“I am actively looking to appoint a new manager as soon as possible with experience, who will embrace the long term vision we all have for the club and who can deliver the success that every Ipswich Town supporter craves.”

Photo: TWTD

Swn98 added 19:20 - Oct 25 drewcudders agree about Burley and Butcher only thing would be Butchers press conferences and after match would be a laugh a minute.
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Swn98 added 19:23 - Oct 25 itfchorry no i won't do one and its definitely not a wind up.
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bluesince76 added 19:30 - Oct 25 Sad for Hurst but right decision could do worse then Lambert but Burley is best man for job.
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shakytown added 19:30 - Oct 25 No sympathy whatsoever from me as he was the one who signed a bunch of third rate no hopers and that is the main reason we are in the position we are now. He was clearly not making any progress with the team so he had to go.
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Bluefox added 19:38 - Oct 25 LWNR2013 , yes I do think we have an exciting crop of youngsters coming through — one of my frustrations with Hurst was that he was so unwilling to consider most of them. I would love to have seen him blending youth and experience as Burley and Robson before him did in the past. But I am not sure we have enough good experienced pros left to build a young team around to save us this season. It is the lower league (mid-career) players Hurst brought in that I think are mostly not good enough and will now be a problem for whoever takes over. May be i am being overly gloomy — I desperately hope Lambert or whoever takes over will prove me wrong.

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BuckieBlue added 19:39 - Oct 25 That's our reputation as a club which gives manager's time gone now. Ok if Hurst has lost the dressing room, as reported, then difficult to turn it around, but it's hardly as if we are adrift...yet.
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SohoBlue added 19:39 - Oct 25 Striiiiiiike three! and out he goes. It's not a surprise. Massive decision now, and a similar situation to one we've been in before... Groundhog day at Portman Road. It's time for an experienced manager to see if there's anything to be wrung out of the current squad or if it's a lost cause without major January investment or complete rebuild next season...Championship or Div One...! Surely Bart, Dozzell, Edwards are the only 'safe' players based on displays and ability this year. Might as well start by getting in a temp striker (and yes, Bent would probably do), just to get the goals we desperately need, and go from there. One thing's for sure, without significant investment, even if a similarly experienced manager comes in and gets a couple of decent results, we'll be back here again in a couple of seasons...

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midastouch added 19:42 - Oct 25 @ drewcudders1963 You could make the precise same argument about Lambert, what has he done since Norwich? Burley came within an inch of getting us into the Champions League. If you cut him he'd bleed blue yet you'd prefer an ex-Norwich manager. Don't quite follow the logic. That said, if Lambert gets the job (which seems likely) I hope he can rediscover his mojo as he did have a good spell for a while. If he can get us out of trouble then he'll deserve a lot of credit just like Mick got when he did the same. Although this is an even bigger hole than the one Mick inherited. Lambert was was sent in to save Stoke and that didn't work out so his CV doesn't exactly read like Allardyce in that department but if he gets the job then it's only right to give him a fair crack of the whip and see what he's got. As I said in my first post above, I really don't know what to expect from him. Just hoping Lambert can do a number on Norwich at Carrot Road as if my memory serves me right he did reasonably well against Norwich when he returned as Villa boss.

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AlfBuksh added 19:43 - Oct 25 Paul Lambert? A Budgie? Tar and feather him and escort him to the County border immediately!
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Bluefox added 19:45 - Oct 25 Oh, and unfortunately I am struggling to see a Championship player in Jackson (for £1.6million). Very quick but is there enough else? Donacien is ok but did we really need another right back (for £750,000) especially when I am not yet convinced he is any better than Josh Emmanuel. Edwards, if he can stay consistent, may prove to be worth the money,
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midastouch added 19:45 - Oct 25 Can't believe I'm having to defend an Ipswich legend in George Burley against Paul Lambert, what a topsy turvy world TWTD has become this last couple of seasons. The old rules no longer apply! Seems opinions are mixed on both sides of the divide with some Norwich fans gutted and some saying we're welcome to him and some Ipswich fans welcoming him with open arms with others not so sure he's the ideal fit. What strange times we live in!

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warwickblue added 19:47 - Oct 25 I'm actually not sad for Hurst. I think he swept into the club with an arrogance that was unbecoming. I don't think he spent nearly enough time getting to know the existing staff - either players or coaches - and properly assessing the strengths that already existed at the club. For me, Hurst was always about " Look what I'm going to do!" rather than "Look what Ipswich Town is going to do." Obviously a manager needs self-belief but I think Hurst messed things up from day one - and was always fighting a defensive battle from then on. Let's face it - he's been a disaster. Evans has acted in a timely manner and, hopefully, whoever comes in will have enough of the season left to turn things round.

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Michael101 added 19:50 - Oct 25 Have been talking to a couple of supporters of the 6fingers Webb footed sister sha..ge.s and they hate Lambert think he's the anti christ,hate the way he walk out on them,seem to forget that they nicked him from Colchester. Weather or not he,s the right for for itf c time will tell. Can,t be as bad a the last 4 .
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RobsonWark added 19:52 - Oct 25 It's his own fault. He dropped all our best players (including dropping our best player for the last 3 years for the Jerk-en in goal), sent all our promising youngsters who had been bought up the Ipswich way playing a passing game (which is what all the fans and Evans said he wanted - a passing game) and picked our worst two players over the years for every game (Chambers and Skuse). Has anyone ever seen Chambers make a tackle? He only ever tries and blocks shots...make a bloody tackle!! How when every Ipswich Town supporter can see that Chambers is not a Championship player both of the last two managers couldn't?

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shortmarine1969 added 19:53 - Oct 25 The issue will still be ME and his total lack of posative investment in players..with him as out owner , unless he gives a new man money we are stuffed still..and yet ME gets away scot free .!!!
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SpiritOfJohn added 20:00 - Oct 25 Hurst never seemed to know his best 11. He chopped and changed the team so much in search of a winning formula, instead of backing his own judgement and standing by the players he signed. The players with the most appearances under his so-called revolution? Chambers and Skuse.
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carlisleaway added 20:09 - Oct 25 Whoever is given the job, we as fans have to get behind the club
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blue86 added 21:01 - Oct 25 on paper hurst sounded like a decent appointment, however it didnt work out. from fairly early on i was suprised how much he was lacking in enthusiasm! just seemed so monotone when he spoke...hardly inspiring! he changed to much to soon, and purchased players who are not good enough for the championship. i wish him the best of luck in the future, and maybe he will learn from his mistakes. anyway moving on to lambert, i just dont know how to feel about this? if (and i hope this does not happen by the way) we get relegated with him in charge does it get any worse than that? we would be a laughing stock and would never live it down! he has done good things in his carrer and seems a decent guy but think its a big risk. would prefer someone who is connected with town, as if results dont go our way quickly under lambert it could get VERY ugly quickly. if lambert is to be the man i will back him......but it just doesent feel right? however having said all that i just hope town can survive this season, when is our luck going to change?

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Zondervanromeo added 21:26 - Oct 25 Can't help but feel sorry for hurst i did like the guy but he just changed to many at once & ever really assessed what we had to what we needed if he was serious about succeeding here he should have joined at end of last term with a few games left would have had i much better & clearer idea
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Taricco_Fan added 21:36 - Oct 25 Nice guy but it seems the Championship was a bridge too far for Hurst. And let's face it; Ipswich isn't the easiest club to manage. I can only wish Hurst all the best and hope he's back in a job soon. Sorry it didn't work out here.
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Swn97 added 21:48 - Oct 25 I just like to come on here and talk rubbish. Honestly, you really wouldn't want to meet me in real life. I would bore you to death. I am such a numb skull.
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ITFCsince73 added 21:56 - Oct 25 Please can the club also sack Chambers and Skuse. They are the league 2 players. No more quality than any of the newbies that's for sure.
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armchaircritic59 added 22:01 - Oct 25 PH, MM, PJ, RK, JM, all symptoms of the disease, unfortunately the disease itself is unsackable! Should have had either Maurice Stjein or Gary White after MM's departure, only real choices for me. MS's VVV. Venlo, currently 5th in the Dutch Premier League (whatever anyone says,it's a damn sight better than the Championship!), as for Gary White, who as a poster above has rightly mentioned has recently taken on the Hong Kong job. The guy has a simply amazing record with a string of international minnows, leaves behind a very sound structure for bringing future players through, and on top of that, has just about the highest ranking coaching badge anyone can have! Would either of them be successful here? I'd have been prepared to bet on it. I expect ME took the cheaper option, and once again, we pay the price! As for Paul Lambert, i'm not excited, but i'm not totally against, certainly better than the likes of Sam Allardyce, who i simply cannot stand. Whoever it is, has a king sized job on their hands, turning a group of largely average division one players, peppered with a few largely average championship players along with some promising youngsters, (if they get a proper chance), into a winning side. Good luck to who ever it is, and if you can manage to get us into the top half of the table come the end of the season, i might believe you're the second coming!

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algarvefan added 22:04 - Oct 25 We all have our opinions but nobody on here knows the back story. I feel for Hurst, he seemed a decent enough kind of guy and maybe at another time things may well have gone better for him. I wish him well in the future. Lets all hope the future is brighter but however comes in has got one hell of a job on their hands and Evans record of appointments for the post id not good. Still onward and upward.........COYB

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RobsonWark added 23:11 - Oct 25 ME please get rid of Chambers!!! He is the DISEASE in this club!!
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