Town have confirmed the departure of legendary Blues academy coach, former assistant boss and three-time caretaker-manager Bryan Klug.

The 64-year-old has been working as head of coaching and player development since 2016 having previously been in his second stint as academy director.

A Town statement reads: “Ipswich Town can confirm Bryan Klug has made the decision to leave the club this summer in order to pursue other interests.

“Bryan departs with best wishes and thanks, having dedicated much of the last 50 years to the club in both a playing and coaching capacity.”

Coventry-born Klug was a young player at Town during the Bobby Robson era and won England youth caps but moved on before making a senior appearance with injuries having hampered his progress.


Following spells with Wimbledon (loan), Chesterfield, Peterborough and in non-league, he returned to Town as a youth coach in 1987 and was named academy director on its inception in 1998.

During this period, Klug helped the Blues bring through the likes of Richard Wright, Titus Bramble, Kieron Dyer, James Scowcroft, Richard Naylor, players who were key men in George Burley’s squad which eventually went on to win promotion in 1999/00 and then finished fifth in the Premier League the following season, with the likes of Darren Bent, Darren Ambrose, Ian Westlake, Dean Bowditch and Matt Richards following them into the first team.

In 2005, the U18s won the FA Youth Cup, emulating the Town youth sides of the 1970s.

Jim Magilton made him his assistant when he took over as boss in 2006, before he took on a role as head of football development in January 2009.

After being sacked by Roy Keane in January 2010, he joined Tottenham as assistant academy manager before returning to the Blues and his previous position as academy director in June 2012.

In 2016, he moved to the head of coaching and player development role, one which meant he was involved more on the training field, as Lee O’Neill took over the more administrative academy director’s role.

While at Town, Klug served as caretaker-manager following the departures of Jim Magilton, Mick McCarthy and Paul Hurst but had no interest in taking on the position full-time.

Most of the pre-takeover Town academy staff have already moved on and Klug’s departure was not unexpected.

TWTD revealed a month ago that Klug was being targeted by Norwich City and it would be little surprise if he were to join their academy staff in the coming months.

The Canaries’ head of football development Dean Rastrick worked with Klug during his spell at Tottenham’s academy and is believed to be behind the move, which we understand isn’t linked to Liam Manning, who played and coached under Klug in the Town academy, having taken over as manager at Carrow Road.

Photo: Action Images

Carberry added 20:31 - Jun 24 Great servant to the club, the like of which we will probably never see again. Wonder who is coming from Bristol City?
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Bromley_Blue added 08:14 - Jun 25 A great servant to the club must have been especially difficult when the club simply was not investing. The future of the academy and training facilities look great so hopefully we recruit well in those key behind the scenes development roles & really strengthen with hopefully players coming through into the first team. Bryan was part of the staff who bought a team to Bromley for the FA Youth Cup apart from players families we were the only Ipswich fans there and he let my son sit with the players an experience which he absolutely loved.

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