Ipswich Town

Seb Brown
Fan writer

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Ipswich Town will be playing Championship football again next season. While the full-time whistle on Saturday delivered the official confirmation, in reality the fanbase have been expecting and preparing for this moment for the last few weeks.

This is the fourth relegation I have experienced as a Town fan, along with 1995, 2002 and 2019, and although failing to survive this season is disappointing, this time around the feeling, for me, is very different.

The chants at the full-time whistle from the away end made it clear to the players and management that we are proud of their efforts this season. There was no outpouring of negativity, no tears, only support. The game against Newcastle was a microcosm of our season with an encouraging start and signs of competitiveness before two arguable decisions from the officials ended the game as a spectacle. This league has become a completely different animal from the one we last left 23 years ago, both on and off the pitch.

The Premier League is a phenomenon. A global brand celebrated for the product it delivers to watching audiences, who in turn reward it handsomely - enabling the participants to grow stronger and stronger. However for the second season in a row the three promoted clubs have returned straight back to the Championship. Promotion and relegation, reward and jeopardy are crucial to the structure of the English game and yet there has never been less risk for the established Premier League sides.

Four years ago this month fans were seen protesting outside stadiums of the 'big six' clubs against the European Super League format. The planned breakaway was soon shelved as the lack of relegation was thought to remove all competitiveness from the proposal. Given the same 17 clubs will be participating in the Premier League for a third consecutive season in 2025-26, I fear the Super League may now exist in all but name.

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We asked for you to tell us the key reasons behind Ipswich's relegation from the Premier League.

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: Overall, the quality of the squad was not good enough for the Premier League. There was not enough depth. Our five subtitutes were good League One and Championship players while our opponents had internationals. Injuries to proven playmakers like Wes Burns, Omari Hutchinson, Jaden Philogene, Nathan Broadhead and Chiedozie Ogbene also meant we did not create attacks.

Christianna: Too much too soon. A fantastic side with a fantastic leader in Kieran McKenna, but all a year or two too soon. Incredibly proud of the team and manager for performing as well as they have. Finishing 17th was the target, and whie we have fallen short, anyone who has watched the games (and not just the highlights) will see that we have given a good account of ourselves.

James: Really inept recruitment is what has sunk us. There were a few bright spots in Dara O'Shea and Liam Delap, but we bought a calamitous goalkeeper in Arijanet Muric and then stacked our attack with youngsters from the Championship, while relying on a collection of the old, the sick and the lame in centre midfield.

Matt: The manager decided that we could play like we did in the Championship and it would be all right! Instead we should have been defending for our lives.

Russell: Essentially, recruitment and an unsettled team. The boys who won two promotions were not really given a chance to prove or to develop themselves. How must some of them have felt having done all the hard work only to be almost sidelined by untested and untried players?

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The Telegraph's Luke Edwards speaks highly of Ipswich Town on BBC Radio 5 Live'sFootball Daily podcast after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed.

"They have had a good go at it," said Edwards. "They have been the best performing of the newly promoted teams, but there was a bit of naivety in the style that they wanted to play.

"They came up short but I like Kieran McKenna and the way that he talks. They were in League One two years ago so it has been a remarkable journey and maybe one that has happened too quick.

"The club will be in a better position financially and it will bring stability in the long term. They have strong building blocks to have another stab at promotion next season in the Championship.

"Of the three teams going down, I see them as the best equipped to come back up. The fans are behind them because they are just grateful for what this team have given them over the past two years."

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Ipswich Town's future for football next season has now been confirmed.

Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Newcastle means the Tractor Boys will be returning straight back to the Championship after their first Premier League campaign in over 20 years.

Kieran McKenna's side are currently on course to finish highest of those relegated teams, so perhaps there is a smidgen of positivity to take from that.

But why is it they have not been able to survive this season?

Is it recruitment? Tactics?

Or has the step up just been too big?

Let us know - and we'll publish a selection later on Monday

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Newcastle United and Ipswich Town.

Here are some of your replies:

Newcastle fans

Simon: Another solid performance, bouncing back from last week's Villa game. A good team performance. Kieran Trippier is having a great spell of form and I'm pleased for Dan Burn and Will Osula in particular. Our final position is in our hands, but we are going to need top performances. Very happy with the way we are playing as a strong team.

David: I know we weren't firing on all cylinders but we still got the job done comfortably. Remember the days when, at this time of the season, we would be so pleased to reach the 40-point mark?

Steve: Great to see Osula finally get some game time. He is a player with a bright future.

Ozzy: Great to see Eddie Howe back, but you can tell by looking at him that he's not 100% yet. We got better as the match went on and we should have scored a few more goals. VAR was certainly wrong to disallow Bruno Guimaraes' goal in the first half, as the goalkeeper simply misjudged the flight of the ball and fell over. If we get points away to Brighton and Arsenal, then win both of our home games against Chelsea and Everton, it should be enough to qualify for Champions League. Everyone on Tyneside will be keeping everything crossed for the next few weeks.

Ipswich fans

Robert: Well the party is over and we are off to the Championship. Once again, a very lacklustre performance. We went down with a whimper and not with a roar. The stats say it all - Newcastle had 22 shots and Ipswich only had four. A very disappointing season, but what a wonder run with two promotions. The main worry I have for an immediate return to the Premier League is whether we will be able to keep our manager and buy players who can compete at the top level.

Dave: Kieran McKenna - lucky to go up, deserved to go down and, in my opinion, paid too much to get sacked.

Tim: What was Ben Johnson thinking when he committed a blatant foul for his second yellow? That killed the game for us. Our defence did well to keep the score down. I'm going to miss Liam Delap if he does leave - he was a handful for Newcastle with the few scraps he received.

Kevin: The game was quite good. Obviously, Newcastle had more possession, but Town had a few chances on the break. Everything changed after the sending off. Then it was down to the spirit of the players to basically keep the score reasonable against a free-scoring team. Yet again marvellous support from the Tractor Boys. We go again next season.

Bill: Pathetic performances over the season. They were bang average at best and over-hyped.

John Bennett
Final Score reporter at St James’ Park

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At the full-time whistle, I made sure I looked straight up to the Ipswich fans to see their reaction to the confirmation that the club were heading back to the Championship.

It was no surprise to see them all on their feet applauding the players.

Kieran McKenna was not surprised either. He told me after the Newcastle game that the supporters have always appreciated this incredible journey they have been on together from League One to the Premier League.

Now it is back to the Championship but, looking at this squad and their unity, they are, in my opinion, the best placed of all the three relegated teams to bounce straight back. Especially if they can keep McKenna at the club.

At one of the other relegated clubs, Leicester, there is a real disconnect right now between fans and players. That could not be much further from the situation at Ipswich.

It is something that will be a massive positive going into a crucial summer and the start of next season.

Manchester United remain interested in signing Crystal Palace's French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, 27, if they are unable to win the race for Ipswich Town's Liam Delap. (GiveMeSport, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Mark Chapman presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures, which saw Ipswich Town's relegation from the top-flight confirmed.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentary from Newcastle United 3-0 Ipswich Town on BBC Sounds.

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Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has been talking to BBC Match of the Day after his side were relegated to the Championship: "We've been through it the last few weeks. We knew it was pretty likely and we had conversations inside to focus on each game as they come. We know there is a time for reflection so today the mathematical completion doesn't change too much. We have been through the emotions."

On the supporters: "They have been fantastic, they have been on the journey with us. It has been an incredible journey - from the middle of League One to competing in the Premier League in an unprecedented way.

"They have seen the group has given everything and competed in so many games. At the end, we have fallen short but it's not for lack of effort. They have been fantastic and we really appreciate the support."

On the red card: "We managed the game well. It has been a very difficult week in terms of availability and getting a team out there. We managed the game really well, we were solid, we were frustrating the opponent. The game was right where we wanted it to be.

"We were frustrated with the first yellow card and then it changes the game - 11 v 10 with the crowd they have here is almost an impossible task.

"Ben [Johnson] is running at the last man. Dan Burn sticks his leg and knee out and there is probably minimum contact, but there is contact there. If you are running at that speed, you don't have to get smacked by it and you can go over on the contact. I don't think Ben has taken a dive in his life."

On red cards being costly this season: "They have been. That's five red cards. I think we had one in my two and half years before this season. To have five this season is a reflection of a lot of things."

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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The writing has been on the wall for quite some time for Ipswich Town.

Manager Kieran McKenna admitted relegation was likely after watching his team lose 2-1 at home to Wolves earlier in April, a defeat which left them 12 points adrift of safety with seven matches remaining.

Saturday's reverse at St James' Park sealed the Tractor Boys' fate with four games left, but the visitors matched Newcastle for long spells of the first half and restricted the Magpies to very few clear-cut openings.

However, Ben Johnson's 37th-minute red card - just seven minutes after he was booked for diving under Dan Burn's challenge - swung what had been an uneventful contest in Newcastle's favour.

The wideman is the fifth Ipswich player to be given his marching orders this season - only Arsenal have been shown more red cards in the 2024-25 season.

Alexander Isak's penalty in first-half stoppage time broke the visitors' crumbling resistance before efforts from Burn and Will Osula clinched a comfortable win for the Magpies.

This is the first time in Premier League history that all relegations have been confirmed with as many as four games remaining.

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Only Southampton (2) have gained fewer points from losing positions in the Premier League this season than Ipswich Town (3).

Ben Johnson received his first Premier League red card in what was his 91st appearance in the competition. It was Ipswich's fifth red card this season, the joint-most of any team alongside Arsenal.

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Ipswich defender Luke Woolfenden has been speaking to Premier League Productions after their relegation fate was sealed against Newcastle United: "We are obviously disappointed, but within the group and the supporters there is a sense of pride over where we have come from.

"We have not been at it this season. I think we have probably let ourselves down one too many times. I'm disappointed and gutted the dream is over, but I think there is a pride and determination that we want to be back here in 14 months."

On Ben Johnson's red card and the penalty: "I'm not sure the first one is a yellow, but the second one definitely is - so once he has got a yellow card, the referee has to do that. The penalty is what it is."

On Kieran McKenna's message at full-time: "We went over to the away end at the end and it is full. They have been brilliant. We want to come back here and give a better account of ourselves in 14 months and go toe-to-toe with Newcastle."

Were you at St. James' Park or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Newcastle's performance

What did you make of Ipswich's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Chelsea v Everton (12:30)

• Brighton v West Ham

• Newcastle v Ipswich - BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

• Southampton v Fulham

• Wolves v Leicester

All kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

It's great news that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will be back in the dug-out for this game after his stay in hospital.

I don't see his side having any trouble securing the three points here, based on what I saw from Ipswich against Arsenal last week. That game just wasn't a contest, even before Leif Davis was sent off.

There is a lot at stake for the Magpies in the race for Champions League qualification, while it is just a matter of time until Ipswich's relegation is confirmed.

We might see some anger in Newcastle's performance after their heavy defeat by Aston Villa but, ultimately, this should be a comfortable win for them.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes his side have made progress in 2024-25, despite the Tractor Boys staring at the Premier League trap door going into the weekend.

Ipswich were playing their football in League One as recently as 2024 and gained promotion from the Championship last season by finishing second.

But McKenna's team will be consigned to an instant Championship return on Saturday if they fail to win at Newcastle and 17th-placed West Ham avoid defeat at Brighton.

Leicester City and Southampton, teams that were promoted from the second tier last year alongside Ipswich, have already been relegated.

"(We are) in a project that has been an incredible journey - the project here is to try and build a sustainable Premier League football club," said McKenna.

"We have taken some incredible steps to do that quicker than anyone would have believed.

"It looks like we are going to take a step back this year, but that is often how progression needs to happen.

"We are all focused on making the best of the next few games and then tackling the next challenge, whatever it will be next season. It is my full 100 per cent focus."

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If Ipswich fail to win (or West Ham avoid defeat at Brighton), their relegation back to the Championship will be confirmed.

It would be the first time in Premier League history that all relegations are confirmed with as many as four games to go, and the second time all three have happened before May after 2005-06.

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Ipswich captain Sam Morsy speaks about the importance of maintaining perspective and motivation despite recent setbacks as they go into Saturday's game against Newcastle United: "You always have high expectations of yourself and the team, and when you fall below that, it can become challenging, but at the same time, it's good to always keep the perspective if there's still games to play and try and compete and do as best as you can.

"We're going to Newcastle and will try and get something.

"If you give up in these moments, you never get a chance to see the good moments again. So it's going to be a good one, but it's going to be tough one.

"Our three right wingers are all out for the season and injuries everywhere. We're going to need each other. We're going to one of the toughest places in the league with a completely dismantled team.

"For us, it's about expanding, getting better, strengthening the squad in every window, international scouting, all these things. It's part of the process of growing so then you can reach the goal - which is to be a sustainable Premier League club."