Central defender Jason De Vos says the players let Joe Royle down this season and thanked him for his time at Portman Road. Royle brought De Vos to Portman Road on a free transfer from Wigan in the summer of 2004.

De Vos told the club site: "I would like to put on record my thanks to Joe.

"He has been terrific to work with and in a way I feel that we, the players, have let him down this season.

"It was always going to be a transitional year but we had a sniff of the play-offs until the Preston game. That defeat killed us up there and we fizzled out when we were looking to have a strong finish to the season.

"I wish Joe all the best for the future. He's a lovely guy. Managers come and go in football though, and now we will have a new man in place for next season and a new challenge ahead.

"Everyone will start with a fresh slate come August and I urge all the fans to get behind the new manager, whoever it will be - the players certainly will.

"I'm sure the club will be swamped with applications for the job because, make no mistake, this is a terrific football club with great traditions.

"There is certain to be a number of big names applying and it will be a new and exciting chapter for the club."

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