Departing boss Joe Royle says he almost quit Town last year after failing to win promotion through the play-offs but was persuaded to stay by chairman David Sheepshanks and his love of the club. Royle ended his three-and-a-half year reign at Portman Road yesterday by mutual consent.

Royle said: "I contemplated packing it last summer after the play-offs but in deference to the chairman and my feelings for Ipswich I decided to stay.

"I met with the chairman on Wednesday, and again on Thursday, and we talked about the way forward and we came to the decision."

Royle says a disagreement with Sheepshanks was not behind his sudden departure: "There is absolutely no animosity between us. I have the utmost respect and really like David and I have made some wonderful friends at Ipswich.

"Wherever I go or whatever I do, I would love to see Ipswich push on and go up."

Despite previously saying the Town job would be his last in football, Royle is not ruling out a return to management, with Derby County already strongly linked. Royle also denied being offered a director of football role by Town, a story which was reported in a national newspaper some months ago.

New men linked to the Town manager's job this morning are Preston's Billy Davies and QPR's on-gardening-leave boss Ian Holloway. Ex-Norwich coach Steve Foley, Alan Curbishley, Martin O'Neill and former Town youth coach and recent Derby caretaker-manager Terry Westley have also been mentioned but appear very unlikely to be in chairman David Sheepshanks's plans and in some cases well beyond Town's budget.

Colchester manager Phil Parkinson remains very much the favourite and is the man tipped to succeed Royle by most of today's national newspapers.

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