They're ready...published at 12:02 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
James Hore
BBC News
The players, coach Kieran McKenna, CEO Mark Ashton and Ipswich Town staff are ready to go...
Summary
Fans gathered in Christchurch Park to celebrate Ipswich Town's promotion to the Championship
Players, manager Kieran McKenna and staff were on stage during the two-hour event
Ipswich ended the season on Sunday with a 2-2 draw at Fleetwood
Ipswich Borough Council said about 10,500 fans attended the event
They're ready...published at 12:02 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
'Norwich City, we’re coming for you'published at 12:00 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Rachael McMenemy
BBC NewsWilliam Scott, 8, made a sign saying "Norwich City we’re coming for you".
He said that today he was "excited to see the players so we can celebrate going up to the Championship" but that next season he was most excited to see "us beating Norwich".
His mum Rebecca added it was "just brilliant for the [children] and to see so many of the younger people out here".
She said it was good for the youngsters to "have those ambitions and dreams" of playing football at that level and that at the ground it was "a really nice family environment as well".
Image source, Rachael McMenemy/BBCA sea of bluepublished at 11:54 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Rachael McMenemy
BBC NewsIt’s now absolutely packed at the front, and Christchurch Park is a sea of blue.
Spirits are highpublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio SuffolkThere are thousands upon thousands here. We're not at capacity - there's more room.
The stage is booming and in the last few minutes two coaches have arrived, carrying members of the Ipswich Town squad and staff as well.
They're going to be on the stage from the get go at 12.
When the players get to the stage it's going to be a sea of noise. And looking at the skies, the weather is being kind to us.
'The whole community is back in love with the football club'published at 11:48 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Rachael McMenemy
BBC NewsStephen Skeet has been going to Portman Road since he was five years old, and brought his family including Nellie, 14, and Oliver, 10, to the park so they could "experience it for the first time".
"I’ve been going to Ipswich for 40 years and in that time this is only the third promotion or piece of success that I’ve seen, so it’s fantastic for lifelong fans but also fantastic for kids who are starting on their journey," he said.
Image source, Rachael McMenemy/BBCImage caption, Nellie and Oliver Skeet have "got a new set of heroes they can get behind", their dad Stephen said
He said it had been "massive to see the club re-engage with the community".
"I think that’s why you’re seeing the scenes where the whole community is coming out to celebrate the club and the achievements of the team.
"It’s important for the kids to acknowledge that and experience it for the first time.
"It’s important for me to see the whole community back in love with the football club."
He added that it didn't matter to him that they didn't win the title.
"It's much more about the journey... where we're headed to," he said.
'We are going up'published at 11:43 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Rachael McMenemy
BBC NewsChants of 'We are going up' ring out as the crowd wait for the players to join the party.
The players have arrivedpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
James Hore
BBC NewsA huge cheer goes up as the players' coach arrives at Christchurch Park
Fans in good voicepublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
James Hore
BBC NewsSo far we've had chants of 'We are going up', the Super Kieran McKenna song and a warning to Town's local rivals... 'Norwich City, we're coming for you'.We're 30 minutes from the expected start of the celebrations on stage.
Simon Milton gets the crowd singingpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
James Hore
BBC NewsFormer Ipswich midfielder Simon Milton, today’s MC, has taken to the stage. He’s initiated a Blue Army chant as part of his sound check.
'McKenna is a clever bloke'published at 11:26 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Richard Daniel
BBC Look EastEmily and Neal Marshall, who travelled from Mendlesham to Christchurch Park, said it was "awesome to be here".
Image source, Richard Daniel/BBCNeal, who has been a fan since he was a boy, has had a season ticket for two years and has seen the club's transformation in the past 18 months from a time when fans were disenchanted.
"It’s changed a lot and the fans have been great," he said, "Mark Ashton has proper changed the club and everything’s on the up."
He added that next season he thought the club would "be in the top six, in the play-offs and then we’ll win in the play-offs to go up to the Premier League – hopefully".
"McKenna is a good manager and he knows what he’s doing," he said.
"He’s been looking at the games in depth before and analysing them – I think he’s a clever bloke."
'We couldn't wait to get to a match'published at 11:14 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Lifelong Town fans Pam and Graham Rolfe from Hadleigh said they had come out today because it was the "last time this season to support" the team.
Image source, Rachael McMenemy/BBCPam Rolfe, 78, said she and Graham, 72, were "looking forward to where we should be" next season but for now they would "focus on today".
She added that the season had been "tense at the beginning but at the end we couldn’t wait to get to a match".
Walton takes Golden Glove awardpublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
The number of goals a team scores always seem to get the headlines, but while Ipswich scored a huge 101 times, at the other end of the pitch, goalkeeper Christian Walton has won this season’s League One Golden Glove award with 46 appearances and 22 clean sheets.
As for the goals, Conor Chaplin finished top of the pile with 26 goals from 45 games. Peterborough's Jonson Clarke-Harris also got 26, from 46 games.
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End of twitter postThree generations of family 'soak it all up'published at 11:06 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Three generations of the Clearly family arrived early to "soak up" every minute of the celebrations.
Enid Cleary, 72, said that she, her son Dan, 46, and 15-year-old grandson Charlie just wanted to "see the team and congratulate them for getting promoted".
Image source, Rachael McMenemyDan Cleary, 46, said: "We got here quite early to soak it up."
He added that he had been confident about the team at the start of the season and then after "a little blip in the middle where it all looked a bit touch and go", the last two or three months had been "absolutely amazing".
"The football’s been great, McKenna’s done an unbelievable job and it’s just so good to have that feelgood factor back at Ipswich."
Crowd building with an hour to gopublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Connor Bennett
BBC Radio SuffolkIt's a good 10 to 20 deep at the front of the crowd. The on-stage celebrations are due to start at 12:00.
Image source, Connor Bennett/BBCOmid Djalili: Town promotion achieved 'in style'published at 10:51 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Comedian Omid Djalili, who now lives in Suffolk, has offered his "huge congratulations" to Ipswich Town on their promotion.
He said it was "done in style" and credits "great January signings", a "fantastic run in" and a "superb young manager".
"In Kieran McKenna we believe," he added. "2024 in the @premierleague, external."
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End of twitter postThe stage is setpublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Rachael McMenemy
BBC NewsToday's celebrations will take place in the bowled area to the northern end of Christchurch Park.
Fans start to arrive at Christchurch Parkpublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Fans have already started to arrive in Christchurch Park ahead of the promotion celebrations.
The event kicks off at midday, with up to 24,000 expected in the park.
The early arrivers have stared to take a prime position in front of the stage.
Image source, Connor Bennett/BBC
Image source, Richard Daniel/BBC
Image source, Connor Bennett/BBCTown claim runners-up spot in final gamepublished at 10:41 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Ipswich Town are celebrating automatic promotion to the Championship today, having played their final game of the season yesterday.
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End of twitter postThe Tractor Boys knew that if they won against Fleetwood Town they could create EFL history by becoming the first team ever to clock up 100 points and 100 goals in a season. And if they had done better than Plymouth Argyle they would have also clinched the title.
In the end, a 2-2 draw at Highbury Stadium left them two points short of 100 but with a massive 101 goals - and Argyle’s 3-1 win at Port Vale saw them take the League One top spot.
But that won't stop the Blue Army celebrating - they are going up!
Welcome to Ipswich Town's promotion celebrationspublished at 10:31 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
Katy Lewis
BBC News OnlineWelcome to our live page where we will bring you all the news from Christchurch Park as Ipswich Town's men's team celebrate their promotion from League One to the Championship.
Image source, PA MediaThe Tractor Boys ended their four-season stay in League One with a 6-0 victory over Exeter at Portman Road last Saturday.
Today, between 12:00 and 14:00, first-team players and coaching staff will join up to 24,000 fans in the park to celebrate.
We'll bring you the highlights as players, staff, former players and special guests appear before the Blue Army.
And if you're still on your way, remember that no alcohol, flares or pyrotechnics will be allowed in the park and searches will take place on all entrances.