Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton says he’s been delighted by the Blues’ performances this season even if results haven’t followed and reiterated that his belief in manager Kieran McKenna, his staff, the players and the club as a whole hasn’t wavered.

Town sit in 18th place in the Premier League following their return to the top flight after 15 games having won only once this season.

However, speaking at last night’s PLC AGM in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite, appearing alongside chief operating officer Luke Werhun and chief financial officer Tom Ball as well as PLC chair Roger Finbow, Ashton reminded shareholders where the club has come from in a remarkably short time.

“I think in three years, we have built the first stage of a huge rocket ship. But this is not the end, it is simply the end of the beginning,” he said.

“If I look at where we’ve come from and come to, where we’ve arrived at and the challenges that we face ahead, you’ll remember me talking at the last AGM about the four pillars of the football club upon which we would rebuild this amazing club.

“The first of which was the football department, and that was the appointment of Kieran, the further enhancement of his coaching staff, the development of the training facilities, the further enhancement of our academy, our recruitment, our analysis etc.

“In the last 12 months we have continued to develop all of those areas. Kieran has signed a new long-term contract with the football club, which wasn’t an easy thing to achieve but was supported by the board in its entirety and was a very, very important part of our summer following promotion.

“Recruitment, that’s been probably one of the biggest challenges of my career this summer, for sure.

“Moving into a very tight time period with the group of players that we’ve predominantly taken from League One to the Premier League, which is what we always said we were going to do, we knew we would need to recruit quickly and recruit effectively. And I think in the majority of the cases we are very happy with what we have recruited.

“The development of our players continues, players who have come on the journey with us, players we recruited in the summer are all developing and are becoming far better players under Kieran McKenna and his coaching staff, that is for sure.”

Reflecting on how the season has gone so far, he added: “On the pitch, the first team, it’s difficult. Are we surprised by anything? Not really. If you ask my honest opinion, I’m really pleased with the performance. In fact, I’m delighted with the performances.

“What hasn’t happened is that the results haven’t quite followed as we would have liked. A couple more wins and I think we’d all be feeling a little bit different. But my optimism, my determination, my belief in Kieran, the players, the staff and this football club doesn’t move move one millimetre.

“[Sunday’s 1-1 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth] was disappointing, it was frustrating. There but the width of a post we could win the game, there but the width of the post we draw the game.

“But that is the Premier League. It’s brutal and we have to deal with it. For us to win a game, we have to be 10 out of 10 every time, nine, nine-and-a-half just doesn’t get you across the line.

“But, don’t forget where we’ve come from. We’ve got a lot of work to do and from a performance perspective, we always talk about sticking to the process and I’m more than happy with the performances that Kieran and his team have put out this season.”

Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Ashton pre-empted questions which might come from the floor later: “Before anyone asks, yes, we will be active. That’s what we do because we will move forward.”

Reflecting on the commercial side of the club, he added: “Commercially we continue to drive forward. Further enhancement of our relationship with main partner and family friend now Ed Sheeran, who is a shareholder. He should have been here. He can come and speak next time!

“All areas of commercial revenues are moving forward and moving forward well. I think you’ve seen what we’ve tried to do is tried to be really fair on ticket prices and shirt prices. Compare us with the rest of the league and we’re probably bottom of the league with some of the most competitive prices in the league.

“My mantra since I joined this club is attractive football which is affordable for families because we know we’re in a cost of living crisis, we know there is a challenge on every family’s pound and while we are running a business which loses a lot of money, we’re still trying to make this affordable for everyone.

“From a financial perspective. Let’s be really clear about this football club is. When I joined this football club, our revenues were circa £13 million. We will break through £153 million this year. That is a growth curve that I challenge anyone in world football to match.

“We are not little Ipswich, we are not sleepy Suffolk. This rocket ship will not stop. Anyone who knows me, anyone who has worked with me, I am not interested in bobbing along. We will move forward and we will move forward with power and pace because if we don’t, that lot up the road will go past us again. Not under my watch.

“This is only the end of the beginning. We have a lot to do. We’re not perfect, we will talk about some of the things where we’re not perfect that we don’t get quite right I’m sure. But I promise you, this management team, this board, when they wake up every single morning, their primary focus is how we make your football club better. How do we move forward?

“This isn’t short-term success. Short-term success is not particularly difficult to achieve. Sustainable success is far more difficult.

“On the pitch are not where we want them to be but we’re not far away. But you know what? I learn more now about my team, my players, my staff, my fanbase, my stakeholders than whenever we win games because the true supporters, the true people who really care about this football club do the one thing that I asked from day one: We stay together. We win together, we lose together. We’re happy together and we cry together. We are as one.

“This football club is so special but the only way we can continue to move forward is to move this incredible club with its amazing fanbase forward as one.

“When you go home tonight, when you go to work tomorrow and you see your friends and you get on social media tonight, if you take one message, take that: Ashton said ‘We move as one, we stay together through the good times and the challenging times’.

“And it is challenging on the pitch right now. We all feel it when we left [on Sunday]. But if we move as one, we’ll move forward. This football club’s too big to go back to where it was under the previous ownership. Let’s not forget, I couldn’t even sit in the seats day one here because they were so dirty.

“We will move forward. I’m so grateful to the fanbase, I’m so grateful to all of you. We’ve got to dig deep, we’ve got to stay together and we’ve got to go as one.”

In the PLC business side of the event Town’s financial director Tom Ball was elected to the PLC board, having been in the position on an interim basis having replaced former chairman Mike O’Leary, while Elizabeth Edwards and Peter Over were re-elected.

A TWTD live blog covering the question and answer session can be found here.

TWTD

Bert added 17:00 - Dec 10 According to the BBC we have the second highest number of players injured during the season and minutes lost and the lowest investment on players. Add that to VAR decisions going against us, some abject referring and bad luck, it is remarkable that we are, in the main, contesting every game. If only those last minute defeats and draws from winning positions could be turned into victories we would be very comfortable. Our owners have a business plan that is sustainable and thankfully they show no signs of bailing out. Are they concerned, of course they are but not as faint hearted or critical as the usual suspects on here. Keep the faith !

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SpiritOfJohn added 17:20 - Dec 10 I don't blame Mark Ashton for trying to put a positive spin on the current situation regarding the performances versus the lack of rewards in terms of points. What else could he do? The gulf between the Premier and Championship is huge and getting bigger year on year, because of the trickle down economics involved. We will have a better chance of continuing on an upward trajectory in the long-term if we stick together. Failing to do so will weaken us considerably whichever division we are in next season. I'm not advocating blindly following our leaders like lemmings, but Ashton and Mckenna still have a lot of credit in the bank as far as I'm concerned. As the song says: 'follow the Town up or down' and try to enjoy the ride people, as we are still improving on a very steep learning curve.

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johnwarksshorts added 17:38 - Dec 10 It's all just white noise from a few people branding proper supporters as Happy Clappers, what does that even mean? I think most of us are just realistic and thank our lucky stars that we have someone like Ashton at the helm.
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Gazelle added 17:51 - Dec 10 I get pretty angry at some of the malicious and negative comments on here. Did anyone expect us to be the force of the last couple of years, I didn’t but I don’t get angry about it, Ok we bought several new players but obviously they needed time to bed in but the long term injuries to three of your best players would have a detrimental effect on any side. We’re not dead and buried yet by any means and whatever happens my season ticket will still be arriving next summer.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:55 - Dec 10 lee james 99, good stuff, rational and balanced.
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:59 - Dec 10 carberry he was talking about sales income not Premiership payment, and anyway he kind of has waved a magic wand hasn't he.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:01 - Dec 10 The post I put below the New West Stand sponsor article, could equally as well have been put here! Take a look and see if you agree and also feel free to comment if you don't (politely please!). It's a country where we have free speech, thank goodness.
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hyperbrit added 18:24 - Dec 10 I would be VERY surprised if Game Changer didn't factor in the possibility of Town getting relegated and playing the bounce. These guys are smart and giving McK the sack would be beyond stupid imo,but he may get a bit of coaching on team selection and being overly loyal.
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EricGatesShinpad added 19:29 - Dec 10 Great comment by MA.... Loved the dig about them inbreds up the road !!! I think we are in very safe hands. We just need the football gods of fortune to smile and we get a few points. Wolves looked a mess last night so I am hopeful for a good performance in the Black Country.....
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blueboy1981 added 19:47 - Dec 10 There’s enough evidence in these posts on here to see why ITFC is unlikely to reach or regain the heights of the Club’s Glory Days - we rose to the top of the Big Name Clubs under Sir Bobby, cheered on by Supporters who wanted, and expected, success in those days. These days it’s different, far too many do not have that ambition or expectation of being able to defeat the odds - thus satisfied with whatever, and actually make excuses. Neither of which will attract top players to our Club - hence my prognosis. Let’s see who proves right shall we ?

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Dissboyitfc added 20:56 - Dec 10 I can remember you being a masive fan of Evans Blueboy, virtually everything you write is wrong, but the hilarious bit is you say you are quotng facts!!!
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Bert added 22:17 - Dec 10 Only an ill informed prophet of doom,who cannot distinguish a fact from an opinion, would tell us that players won’t come here because they read how realistic our supporters are. Weird indeed when Ashton and our owners have just told the football world that the business plan is robust, realistic and sustainable. Our negative poster is clearly out of touch with reality.
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blue1995 added 22:41 - Dec 10 Link boy what a complete moron!!! If all you’re gonna do is be negative and start banging on about the happy clappers go and support the scum down the road. You ain’t no supporter. You’re probably just jumped on the band wagon last season because we were doing well and got promoted to the prem. complete moron
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blueboy1981 added 23:43 - Dec 10 Dissboyitfc …. another who quotes non factual comments - I only ever stated nothing about Evans other than he came in and saved the Club, only an idiot could not see that he was not able to, or prepared to, put the necessary investment into the Club. But he DID save the Club, when to my knowledge he was the ONLY interested potential buyer. So, get your facts right - that did NOT make me a ‘massive Evans Fan’ - but appreciated what he did at that time !

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 00:15 - Dec 11 Blueboy and Linkboy separated at birth , and both still bitter about it. What utter rubbish you two talk.
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trncbluearmy added 05:41 - Dec 11 Blueboy No he didn't save the club A condition of coming out of administration was ITFC had to trade in the black which they were doing. But that left no spare capital for player trading. So Evans came in with capital that he blow on rubbish. He didn't save the club he nearly destroyed it.
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Dissboyitfc added 07:52 - Dec 11 no Blueboy you were a massive fan of Evans who was the the opposite of progression! Continually telling Buearmy if he wasnt happy with Evans he should find a buyer! Every season you end up with a egg on your face ! i can remember you saying you didnt trust the present regime/manager to have what it takes to take us forward, and move forward we have and still are moving forward, anybody with any sense knew this season was going to be a massive struggle. You reffered to anyone enjoying the past two seasons as haqppy clappers, when in actual fact the past seasons have been nothing short 0f amazing!

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d77sgw added 09:37 - Dec 11 Guys, let's stick together, come on - what unites us is far more than minor squabbles about what was said in the past. I think we can all agree the progress made in the last 3 yrs is immense, and that this season was always going to be tough. We've also had a number of key injuries, one of two questionable ref decisions go against us with significant consequences (Leicester cost us 2 pts), little luck on the pitch and still we're competing - against sides which have all had multiple seasons in the Prem in the last 5 yrs. This is something to be proud of, whatever our position at the end of the season. And wherever we are next season we will be stronger, ready to go, with a passionate support base with Suffolk running through our veins. COYB

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d77sgw added 09:38 - Dec 11 ps - I think they should ban the words 'Marcus Evans' from the chat...never leads to a productive conversation!
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ChrisFelix added 12:51 - Dec 11 I'm pleased with the way the club is now run. I think we have been unlucky with the officials this season & especially VAR. But also nieve with some team selection.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:23 - Dec 11 Survival was always going to be hard, and the possibility of being relegated again very real, Dreamers were going on about top 6 finish and Europe before we had kicked a ball, Now dispite the efforts of all at ITFC the first "'planks'x are pulling out their knives , GET REAL ,GET BEHIND THE CLUB.
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hyperbrit added 13:51 - Dec 11 the trauma that you guys had to endure from Evans ,who didn't give a tinkers about the club but used it as a tax write off,takes time to heal.
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peewee added 14:30 - Dec 11 TBH it does feel like we built a all star championship square this season, with the hope we find some stars but with one eye on next season. But with refreshed squad if relegation happens, we can spend again and weed out the weaker links and after years of barrel scraping under the darklords reign.
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Linkboy13 added 16:17 - Dec 11 I have supported the club for 60 years so if you can call that a band wagon jumper you're more stupid than i thought blue 1995 . Where were you when we were getting only 12,000 a week at Portman road. I give positive and negative opinions on here and don't wear blue tinted glasses like some of the numpties on here. Some people are already knocking McKenna who is trying to work wonders with a squad of championship players . I couldn't care less what insults i get on here by people who haven't got a brain cell in their head and couldn't tell the difference between a championship player and a Premier league player because they haven't kicked a football in their lives.

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Jugsy added 17:12 - Dec 11 60 years 'supporting', we're in the Prem after 22 of those years and you still want to have a good old whinge, hey Linkboy13? There's no spin from Ashton, just reality. Just buckle up and try to enjoy the rollercoaster of this season, you'll be far more fulfilled.
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