Academy coach and former defender Chris Casement has revealed he has left the club.

Once-capped Northern Ireland international Casement came through the academy ranks at Playford Road and was in the side which won the FA Youth Cup in 2005, before going on to make seven starts and seven sub appearances for the first team.

Having had spells on loan at Millwall, Hamilton and Wycombe, the 38-year-old moved on to Dundee, Portadown and Linfield before returning to Suffolk in the summer of 2021 and working at the academy while also playing for Stowmarket.

After stints coaching the U16s and U18s, Belfast-born Casement coached the U21s alongside John McGreal from September 2024 - initially while working as loans manager - until this summer when he briefly returned to the U16s.

“Today my time at Ipswich Town FC has come to an end,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “It’s difficult to sum up a combined 12 years as a player and coach in a few paragraphs.

“During that time, I’ve had the privilege of winning the Youth Cup and representing the first team as a young player and coaching across the academy pathway, working with players through the foundation phase, youth development phase and professional development phase, before finishing my time with the U16s as head coach.

“The biggest thing I’ll take away is the people. There are some fantastic people at Ipswich Town who work incredibly hard every day and genuinely care about the development of young players. I’ve built relationships and friendships during my time at the club that I’ll carry with me long after leaving.

“A special mention to John McGreal. I absolutely loved working alongside John with the U21s. I learned a huge amount from him, enjoyed coming into work every day and will always be grateful for the trust and responsibility he gave me.

“I’m also incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had to work around Kieran McKenna and his staff, particularly supporting first-team players. Being exposed to that environment and seeing the standards of a top-level first-team programme first-hand was an invaluable part of my development as a coach.

“Most importantly, thank you to the players. From the youngest players in the foundation phase, through the youth development phase and into the professional development phase, it has been a privilege to play a small part in so many journeys.

“Watching young players develop as footballers and as people — and seeing some progress through the pathway and into senior football — is ultimately what academy coaching is all about.

“I leave Ipswich with six years of experiences, lessons, relationships and memories that have helped shape the coach I am today.

“Thank you to all the players, coaches, support staff and good people who made those six years so enjoyable.

“Now it’s time for a new chapter and a new challenge that I’m really looking forward to.”

Casement hints at where that next challenge might lie by adding a Saudi Arabian flag at the end of his post.

Photo: TWTD