Blues US investors Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer will watch a game at Portman Road for the first time when Town take on Sunderland on Saturday and have already met new manager Kieran McKenna.

It had been expected that Bakay and Detmer would be joined by fellow Three Lion Brett Johnson and Ed Schwartz, the CEO of ORG, who manage funds on behalf of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), the club's ultimate owners, and also Mark Steed, the chief investment officer of PSPRS, however, due to the current Covid travel restrictions they have remained in the US.

Bakay is delighted to have made it to Portman Road eight months on from the takeover, and for a big day at the club with the unveiling of the Kevin Beattie statue and a crowd in the 29,000s watching the game against Sunderland.

“What a historic day tomorrow’s going to be,” he told the club site. “I’m so incredibly happy to be here with Mark and our families our wives and kids, just so happy to be here.

“We had a wonderful tour of the stadium today and we’re just soaking it all in. [I’m a] football guy who has been all around the world, what a special place it is.

“I can’t believe it has taken me so long to be here but I guess I couldn’t have planned between our new manager and a massive match tomorrow with close to 30,000 fans, to be here on a special day. Extremely excited to be here.”

Detmer has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Suffolk up to now: “It’s been spectacular. To have our wives, our children here, unfortunately Brett and Ed and Mark couldn’t be here, but we’re just so happy to be representing the ownership group in Ipswich.

“We’ve loved the town, we walked over to the stadium today from the hotel just to take in more of it. We’ve walked the stadium multiple times today.

“We’ve had a chance to meet Kieran the new manager and we’re just thrilled that he’s on board with us and the project here is, we all know, is to continue to win matches and the 30,000 that will be here tomorrow, couldn’t be more excited to be part of that entire event.”

Photo: ITFC

Europablue added 18:37 - Dec 17 They need to stop using the name "three lions" it's reserved for the England national team
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Gforce added 19:35 - Dec 17 Welcome to Ipswich guys,hope the team give you a result and a day to remember And don't forget to take a little walk along the Ipswich waterfront ,it'll remind you of LA's finest marina 😀
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:42 - Dec 17 Hope they will be suitably sedated , if performance is anything like in recent matches .
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Lathers added 23:12 - Dec 17 After the Charlton and Barrow games, I hope McGreal's last hurrah is a positive one for his own reputation and sanity. The Circus is in Town! Let's hope PPR has something to shout about. I think McKenna will be watching so if he doesn't already know the size of the task in front of him, he will by 5pm on Saturday!
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HatStand added 00:19 - Dec 18 Thst poor pension fund has been right fcuked over 🤣
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BlueRuin69 added 09:23 - Dec 18 I see everyones in super positive mode once again 😍
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Billericay12 added 10:43 - Dec 18 Start of another new era ! 29000 in Portman road for League one match is phenomenal and should be seen as a huge positive but no good if they are all moaning at the players (even if they do play like they deserve it). The mind is stronger than the body and just because they are well paid professional footballers it doesn't mean they aren't affected mentally by criticism or abuse. I would love to believe they can all rise above it but that is not reality for some. For everyone at the game please get behind the team. The players will feel your negativity if you don't and it will reflect in their performance.

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BangaloreBlues added 11:03 - Dec 18 Welcome chaps. Let's hope the boys put on a display and show some pride. Nice for them to be here with a full house, they'll experience what Portman Road could be like every week if things go to plan over the next few years. They should have the spine tingles when PR gets rocking today! Please, for god's sake let's get a result today! Not expecting a win but a draw will be a good result until the new manager & staff can get them playing that football thing we all used to watch! :-)

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inghamspur added 12:05 - Dec 18 Oh dear. We'll be looking for new owners come January then.
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