New Blues chairman Mike O’Leary says it’s crazy that a club the size of Town is in League One and that promotion to the Championship and then to the Premier League is the target of the new ownership, who took charge earlier today.

O’Leary, 68, was the chief executive officer at West Brom between 2002 and 2004 and was on the board at Oxford from 2014 to 2015.

“Ipswich Town has a fantastic heritage,” he told iFollow Ipswich. “It’s a fabulous club and I can remember from my early youth the success they had.

“They had two of the greatest managers football has seen [Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson] and it’s crazy that a club of this size is in League One.

“We are here to help the club climb the football pyramid. Promotion to the Championship as soon as possible is the immediate aim. It’s possible this season but if it takes another year or so, so be it.

“Then if you are in the Championship, you take stock and see what is needed to give you a chance to get into the Premier League and they are the goals that we will set.

“A club of this stature - if not in the Premier League - should be knocking on the door of the Premier League pretty quickly and clearly that is what we aim to achieve.”

O'Leary confirmed that Town will be appointing a new CEO with Bristol City's Mark Ashton understood to be the man ear-marked for the role.

“Although our US backers will be visiting the club, they will not be involved in the day to day running,” he added.

“The club will be run by a CEO and also partly by me - the British end if you like. We will be the management team.

“The CEO will run the business on and off the pitch with responsibility for every facet of it.

“We hope to make an appointment at some point soon. I can’t be more specific than that because you can never be sure of the process. It could be a week or two, it could be a month or so but as soon as we can make the right appointment, we will.”

Photo: ITFC

bluesman added 21:19 - Apr 7 We should just take one moment to reflect on Marcus Evans' last gift to the club, which is the very large debt he has written off to make this possible
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dogsbollix added 21:22 - Apr 7 @Bryan plug If Evans was chairman who was CEO?
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bluemoon2568 added 21:22 - Apr 7 Hopefully new owners = new beginnings and an upturn in the Town`s fortunes .COYB
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bobble added 21:41 - Apr 7 explains the crap performance from the players who are 8 games away from the sack
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Dockerblue added 22:05 - Apr 7 You are probably spot on bobble and good riddance to them! Seriously impressed by Mr O,Leary already, seems a Gentleman and a football man. He gets it, what the fans mean to the club and what the club means to the fans. Also great to think we will regain our title of East Anglias premier club from them up the road in the near future.
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Dockerblue added 22:06 - Apr 7 Sorry bobble, meant to up vote. Sausage finger!
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shakytown added 22:22 - Apr 7 Will this up the performance and effort from the players or are they already resigned to leaving the club?????Surely a lot of them must know the clocks ticking on their careers as few will find clubs willing to pay what we have been for their awful performances.
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Michael101 added 22:25 - Apr 7 Has lee o,Neil got the tin tack ?? Or is he yet another layer of management,
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terryf added 08:38 - Apr 8 Absolutely right Kernewerk Blue. The CEO should support the Manager but don't try and do his job when it comes to the players, recruitment, formations etc. We probably have the best Manager now since Joe Royle, (oh! what he would have done for our Club with a bit of cash?), so please make sure that he gets the backing to get us out of the cursed division. We all want to enjoy the ride.

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TimmyH added 10:50 - Apr 8 It'll do me just to get out of this chronic league...one step at a time.
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Orraman added 11:13 - Apr 8 Since the appointment of PC and now news of the Yankee takeover I am amazed at the reactions on here. I thought I lived in Suffolk but actually I am living in Fairyland. Go on, admit it, you all believe in Santa Claus as well
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londontractorboy57 added 13:57 - Apr 8 Wve heard it all before why should it be any different now there's going to be some very disappointed key board warriors on here this time next year BCWYWF
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BeattiesBackPocket added 14:40 - Apr 8 Londontractorboy57 you can go back to the Norwich fan page now mate
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Europablue added 15:05 - Apr 8 @BryanPlug It doesn't make any sense that Evans would be the Chairman, but it explains a lot. I do believe that you are right, but it is a terrible structure for the owner to be the Chairman, maybe it could work if the owner/chairman is super engaged in the running of the club.
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TimmyH added 16:28 - Apr 8 londontractorboy57 - your needle has been stuck ever since MM was given the push, you say the same thing over and over, why you even bother to comment on here is beyond belief, you don't seem to support the club anymore.
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ESSEX75 added 17:08 - Apr 8 we shall see TimmyH we shall see.
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