CEO Mark Ashton says he and his staff are very focused as the club goes into a summer preparing for life in the Championship both from an on-field and off-field perspective.

“It’s 38 days until the players return for pre-season and 78 days before we start competitive league fixtures, so myself and the staff behind the scenes are very focused,” Ashton told Sky News (from 27 mins).

“There are a number of things to do. Player trading begins now as the transfer window starts to open and on top of that we have all the infrastructure projects, a major investment of £2.5 million into a new pitch and infrastructure projects in the stadium.

“And all the financial planning around the Financial Fair Play that comes with it, so a very busy time for us.”

Ashton has no concerns that manager Kieran McKenna, who is contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2025, will be anywhere other than Portman Road next season.

“I would think so, he seems very happy,” he said. “I think the stability that we have as a club, the stability that the ownership group brings here, we’re well-financed and we’ve moving forward in all directions.

“I think Kieran understands the journey he’s on in his career. I think we’re a perfect fit for each other. This is potentially a huge club with huge opportunity and to have him leading the team and taking us forward on the pitch is something we’ve very, very pleased with.”

Work on the pitch is already well under way, while the demolition of the old Staples and Better Gym building behind the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand is not far off completion.

Reflecting further on the financial aspects of the 2022/23 campaign, he added: “The whole club has moved forward. If you look at our retail, historically, even in the Premier League, this football club had only turned over £1 million-ish in retail. This year, we’ll break through £4 million in retail.

“We averagely sell around 12,000 shirts per season, last season we sold 50,000, so financially and off the pitch as well as on the pitch, the club is moving forward on a very steep upward trajectory.”

Photo: Matchday Images

MickMillsTash added 15:30 - May 19 My house has 3 of the shirts and tonight I will be a full kit w@nker (probably 2012 shorts) at old men in massive shorts 5 a side. I deserve to be kicked.
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Ipswichbusiness added 17:46 - May 19 My favourite beer tankard is my cut glass Ipswich one; I have drunk lots of Ghost Ship from it!
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Linkboy13 added 18:16 - May 19 The owners will be desperate to get out of the championship at the first attempt ,so expect some very exciting signings in the preseason.
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NorthLondonBlue2 added 18:40 - May 19 No, there's no desperation to get out of the championship. There's a risk of getting promoted too soon and getting spanked in the PL. I think the owners will be comfortable with a season or two consolidating our credentials before really pushing for promotion.
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Bert added 19:10 - May 19 A top ten finish and a cup run please but if we get the right signings then may be there could be a push for the PL. The club will need to manage the expectations of the new fans. Us oldies know what false hope feels like but ambition must of course be the way forward.
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therein61 added 19:15 - May 19 We are in safe hands with Mr Ashton he with input from Kieran will have what we need who is needed to give us a sound season, what a difference this journey has been to the previous regime when managers played to their strengths rather than what the club needed i am so pleased to see the end of proper blokes(useless) in the side every week to the detriment of better players in the squad It is time for our great club to continue it's upward climb we have a fantastic fan base commercial revenue is going balmy every box is being ticked!!!!!!!

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Tractorboy1985 added 20:00 - May 19 I don't want to get carried away and next year will be another massive challenge but I'm just so grateful for how our great club is being run again! When us supporters see progression on and off the pitch we will find the money to support our wonderful club even through financial hard times for everyone! I'm so proud to be an Ipswich Town supporter and as George Baker sings.. “always be proud to wear the BLUE” 💙🤍 thank you gamechanger.. thank you Mr O'Leary and Ashton and thank you to the whole squad who produced a wonderful season and have given me such fond memories I will cherish forever! Means the world! COYB

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churchmans added 20:19 - May 19 Northlondonblue The ownership will defo prefer to go up at first attempt! Then use the the euro tournament as a shop to buy some prem leauge talent!!
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 20:45 - May 19 We are no worse than Luton. Even now.
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NITFC added 22:25 - May 19 Ed Sheeran will have played a massive part in the retail / shirt sales. It's really important that we retain his sponsorship. At a reduced price if that's what it takes to keep him onboard.
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 03:22 - May 20 Let's not put the cart in front of the horse...consolidate gains, make further improvements and be ready to survive and then thrive in the Premier League. Mid-table next year is fine with me. Just don't let us get into a relegation fight and have desperation and negativity set in and I'll be happy.
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KiwiTractor added 04:58 - May 20 When do we expect to hear which players have been released?
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Len_Brennan added 07:20 - May 20 We are a far better 'Championship ready' side than Sunderland were when they went up last year, and we will surely invest more in recruitment this summer than they did last, to make us an even stronger prospect in this division. So I fully expect us to be challenging for a top 6 finish come next May. Then if you look at what both Luton & Coventry have achieved in a relatively short time; they were both in League 2 in 2018 - Luton were in the Conference just 10 years ago - and now are 90+ minutes away from the Premier League. Plymouth were in League 2 in 2020 & are now up again as Champions. Of course looking to secure safety in the league you've been promoted into has to be the first priority, but there is no reason not to have ambition beyond that, especially when you have owners that fully support the manager & you have nearly 30,000 supporters turning up for every home game, with fully sold out allocations for away games.

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blues1 added 09:50 - May 20 Len brennan. So ur point is Luton took 10 years to go up 4 leagues, if indeed they go up. But we should be challengimg to go up 2 lges in 2 years? Not saying we couldn't be, but those 2 things don't necessarily follow. That's over 2 seasons per promotion for them. Still a great achievement, with their resources, but also a perfect example of the patience required to get, to where you want to be. Hopefully our fans will show that patience, and not, if things don't start well, resort to type, and start moaning. Hopefully tho, we'll all be celebrating again this time next year. Would mean we've had another great season.

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blue_enough added 10:23 - May 20 If Sunderland and Coventry can make the play-offs, then I think all things considered we are likely to target the top six as our measure of success. I think we'll come 4th and I'm generally an Ipswich pessimist!
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Linkboy13 added 11:02 - May 20 Don't think the owners will be thinking let's spend a few years in the championship they will be wanting payback on their investment that's the reality im afraid.
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Baino added 16:12 - May 20 Obviously if we end up top 6 that superb and promotion fantastic but I get what the consolidation crew are saying, we want to be able to stay up and compete in the prem should we get there. Remember too, there are some huge clubs coming down from the prem, Sunderland and Middlesbrough will be keen to continue their good league form and the mid table clubs, aye including that mob from North of the Waveney, will all be gunning for top 6. We'll compete alright, but there or there abouts towards the playoffs area of the league will be a great first season to build on. Exciting times either way.

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youngie7 added 18:49 - May 20 To be honest if you look at the championship and what Sunderland have done we could easily be top 6 next season
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Ebantiass added 18:50 - May 20 Of course i would love it but i cant see us as we are challenging for promotion already next season. Consolidation in the very competitive championship is a must and though brilliant at the later stages of the season last season the championship is a very different kettle of fish. Look at Wigan last years winners( i know they were docked points) but its really tough. of course there will be new faces coming in and a few leaving but I would be delighted with comfortable upper midtable and a good cup run.

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SheptonMalletBlue added 19:56 - May 20 So irritating reading the comments "let's consolidate" this isn't the bloody Mick Mccarthy Marcus Evans show!!!!! Get behind the current regime 👊
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Hatman2 added 20:35 - May 20 To talk of ‘consolidation' and let's spend a few seasons in the Championship so we don't go up to the PL too soon is crazy! So KM puts some wins together and we find ourselves top 6, what do you want him to do next? Tell the boys to calm down and lose a few until we sink into mid-table?! It clear from the owners rhetoric, we're going for it 100%. Let's just get behind this momentum and enjoy every minute.

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Nomore4 added 09:19 - May 21 Competitive Championship Lol……
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Bazza8564 added 10:10 - May 21 Let's try and be realistic with what we expect from this season, yes we have talented players, manager and a footballing ethos that should stand up well in the Championship, but there is much to do. There are a number of players who we need to move on in one shape or another, probably about 10 of them from what was the first team squad alone, some OOC, some loans and some like Penney, Pigott Adhame etc we ned to shift out. If we accept that the core of the squad that finished 22-3 is capable enough then the focus for inward moves (Obviously we want Luongo and Hirst) should be on young players with PL potential and probably a maximum of 2 loans in. (That should be possible from PL clubs wanting Championship experience for their boys). On top of Hirst and Luongo I would think we would want no more than 3-4 in total. And then theres the off the field priorities, which would appear to centre around getting the capacity up, so im expecting things to happen there too. I can't see any options other than putting another tier on Cobbold, the SE corner might go "around" on the top level but having got the demand for tickets this high, it will be killing Ashton and GameChanger that we haven't got product to meet demand. So realistically 23/24 for me isnt so much about a full blown assault on the PL, more a year where we take steps to ready ourselves on and off the field and grow the club the way we did in GC first season, properly, debt free and a sustainable model across the club so that when the PL chance does come, we have foundations ready to keep us there.

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Ebantiass added 10:26 - May 21 Well said Bazza and thats exactly what i ment. People getting a little hung up on the word consolidation = lack of ambition or drive. Geeze nobody would want the team to throw any games if we were near the top two😢😢 nor would i be calling for their heads if things started very poorly for some reason.
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Nomore4 added 11:54 - May 21 We would have finished top 6 this season in the Championship……and that's before the January signings. Add the strengthening this summer to that….another auto promotion is very much on the cards. Burnley who walked the Championship this season faced the biggest test V ITFC….before falling to Man City. Source: Vincent Kompany.
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