Joe Sheehan: Ipswich Women at Portman Road 'bigger than result'

Joe Sheehan (right, with skipper Maria Boswell) was appointed manager of Ipswich Women in February 2019

Ipswich Town boss Joe Sheehan will urge his team to imagine they are playing in front of their younger selves before their first game at Portman Road.

Sheehan believes that inspiring girls in the crowd is even more important than the result against Chatham United.

More than 7,000 tickets have already been sold for Saturday's Women's National League Southern Premier game.

"This is different for us. It puts us within touching distance of young girls in our region," said Sheehan.

"Success this Saturday will be girls going home and dreaming of being another Maria Boswell [Ipswich captain]."

He told BBC Radio Suffolk: "We've sold out Felixstowe for an FA quarter-final previously but never really known the appetite among supporters in Ipswich, so it's great (ticket) numbers have been good so far and we're hoping they'll continue to increase over the next few days.

"We've got a very loyal group of supporters that come and follow us home and away but we have an opportunity to make an impression on so many (other) people - they can see a real synergy between the men's first team and the women's first team, a really consistent method of work and a style that runs deep throughout the football club."

After finishing second behind Watford in 2022-23, Ipswich are currently fifth in the table, having lost a number of experienced players following last season's campaign.

But they will kick-off as favourites against a next-to-bottom Chatham side who have not won any of their 18 games so far, and who Ipswich beat 6-1 in October.

"We're looking forward to putting on a real showcase," said Sheehan. "The game's bigger than the result for me."

McKenna influence 'hugely beneficial'

The success of the Ipswich men's team, promoted last season and currently third in the Championship, has been an inspiration for Sheehan's side.

And he believes the influence of counterpart Kieran McKenna can be felt throughout the club.

Ipswich reached the fourth round of the Women's FA Cup this season

"Us being able to connect with him and see how he works, and to translate (his way of working) over to us has been hugely beneficial for our staff and players," said Sheehan.

"We're now starting to see the rewards of what I think is a really good way of operating and we're hoping it will be a real solid foundation for long-term success for us.

"We lost a lot of experience, a lot of older players and we almost had to take a couple of steps back to invest in more young, hungry players.

"That's our way, our model - it's given us more work but we're really passionate about doing that work and investing in those players and we'll all benefit from the experiences we've had this season to take into the next."

Sheehan's eight-month old daughter Hallie will be carried out onto the pitch by skipper Boswell before kick-off.

"I don't have too many young family members - I have a little baby cousin but he's at that stage where he really doesn't want to be away from mum too much," she said.

"Joe messaged me (after the game was announced) and said 'if you haven't got anyone, I'd really love you to walk Hallie out'. When she was born we got her a little kit and it'll be a really special moment, I can't wait."

Asked about his pre-match message to the team, he added: "Imagine playing to the younger version of themselves many years ago and try to make sure they can give these young girls who come to watch us a spark to play for the football club at this stadium."