Town have announced that managing director Ian Milne will be stepping down at the end of the month after six years in the position.

Having been a board member since Marcus Evans's 2017 takeover, Milne, 66, was appointed joint-MD alongside Jonathan Symonds in February 2013 following chief executive Simon Clegg's departure, before taking the role on alone in the summer of 2015.

“We have discussed for some time Ian’s role ending in the summer,” Blues owner Evans told the club site.

“However with a new manager recently appointed and Lee O’Neill taking on a wider role across the club as general manager football operations, it feels appropriate that we bring Ian’s departure forward.

"""In due course I will be considering the appropriate appointment of a new MD, however I already have a close and growing relationship with the manager, the academy team and Lee on the football side and this change will mean I will also, for now, have the opportunity to work more closely with the key people running the off-field parts of the club to help them carry out their own plans for ongoing improvements for the benefit of the club and our fans.

“Ian has been a great support to me in his role at the club as well as in my wider group over the last 20 years and he will always be welcome at Portman Road. We all wish him well for the future.” ""

Milne added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the role of MD at such a great club and working with all my colleagues who have such great talent.

""“I would also like to thank Marcus for the support he has given me in carrying out this position over the years.

“Despite the club currently having a difficult time on the field, I know with Paul Lambert in charge and the continued backing from everybody at the club, Ipswich Town will be successful again.”

In addition to O’Neill’s new role, owner Evans has been playing a more hands-on role at Town in recent months.

Photo: TWTD

TractorCam added 10:50 - Jan 10 You will be sorely missed.
3

ForeverBlueSince1996 added 10:52 - Jan 10 Does he know he's stepping down? Because it would be the first thing about the football club he does know
10

Cloddyseedbed added 10:52 - Jan 10 Chocolate Teapot comes to mind.
8

Radlett_blue added 10:53 - Jan 10 Will we get someone in on loan to replace him?
44

jpring89 added 10:54 - Jan 10 Ah well nevermind
5

BlueBlood90 added 10:56 - Jan 10 Finally some good news. Absolute clown! For once Evans, will you PLEASE replace him with someone who has the first idea about Football.
15

bringmeaKuqi added 10:56 - Jan 10 Seems like good news to me. The club needs to back the manager and Lee O'Neill with control over all the football operations. Lambert says all the right stuff, and if he says the behind the scenes is a mess this could be Evans listening to him. Clearly recruitment was a disaster in the summer so no one is going to miss Milne
13

JimmyP45 added 10:57 - Jan 10 Always been a total waste of space in my opinion. Never really offered anything or said anything productive.
12

MattinLondon added 10:58 - Jan 10 I actually felt sorry for the man whilst he was in post. Purely a mouth piece for ME with no real decision making power just like a press officer trying to justify the policies of a mad dictator
7

MattinLondon added 10:58 - Jan 10 I actually felt sorry for the man whilst he was in post. Purely a mouth piece for ME with no real decision making power just like a press officer trying to justify the policies of a mad dictator
1

parkinshair added 10:59 - Jan 10 Anyone else think Lambert may have instigated this? He certainly isn't coming across as a put up and shut up kind of manager and I get the feeling a lot of dead wood will be cut away from the club in a number of areas in the next few months.
11

BaddowBlue1 added 11:00 - Jan 10 Looks to me like ME has taken everything on board that Paul Lambert has said. It will take time (probably not what we have got in abundance) but the wheel is turning. Just hope Paul sticks around to see it through but I genuinely get the feel that he loves this place and wants to get it back somewhere close to what it was.
17

rugbytomc added 11:01 - Jan 10 Ha Forever Blue - that is word for word what I wrote on the club's facebook page! Complete muppet, good riddance. The only person who might make him welcome at Portman Road is Evans and he's rarely there - so basically, he's not welcome, EVER!
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cbITFC added 11:01 - Jan 10 Good don't let the door hit you on the way out lol
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 11:02 - Jan 10 ...and?
0

ShropshireBluenago09 added 11:03 - Jan 10 Best thing to come out of this is Lee O'Neill. Seems much more on the ball.
2

GiveusaWave added 11:05 - Jan 10 Never really understood his role at the club....
5

woohoo added 11:06 - Jan 10 Let's just hope we get someone who has a real passion for football and an understanding of the needs of the fans, not just those of ME. Football may now be a business, but you cannot run a football club purely as a business. If you do, you will fail.
5

cleggo added 11:06 - Jan 10 thoroughly decent bloke who was visible at almost every game and supporters event. Whether he was the right man for the job or not is a different story. All the best Ian
11

Reuserscurtains added 11:06 - Jan 10 For me this is a way of Evans shafting the blame on someone else when as some have said, Ian was just a puppet for Evans who won't show his face himself! Bottle job Evans, how about you speak now when we're bottom of the league, not just when you need season ticket sales?
4

BlueySwede added 11:07 - Jan 10 What did he really do? That is not to say that he didn´t do anything, but the club surely could have explained his role better.
4

Guthrum added 11:07 - Jan 10 Underappreciated - mainly because so few people appeared to understand what his role actually was - everyone seemed to think he was some sort of Director of Football, with authority over that side of the club. Not the case. Having met him, I found Milne approachable and always willing to chat with Fans on an informal basis. Would much rather have that kind of senior administrator than someone who merely made public announcements.

8

We_hate_Norwich added 11:09 - Jan 10 One down............
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markytitfc added 11:11 - Jan 10 I think Mr Lambert has something to do with this, food on you Paul! Bring in Mr. D Sheepshanks
2

Gcon added 11:15 - Jan 10 Great loss, on the sinking ship. I cant say I have noticed Marcus Evans 'increasingly hands on role'....
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