The Office (UK): Ipswich Town edition

[Miah Dennehy]

He's a slimy ****** isn't he? I didn't really take any notice of him when he was with you, gutted really, such an easy man to dislike and his time with you passed me by!

[LondonBristolian]

On 15/06/2023 at 11:00, Davefevs said:

I’ll still reserve judgement in my final prediction until we see what their squad looks like in August.  But as it stands, Luongo and Chaplin re-signing to fanfares, whilst good for Ipswich, doesn’t smack of “we will be top 6”.  Neither set the world alight at this level, although certainly competent performers.  They are gonna need better than that.

Of course comparisons with Sunderland will be made, and in many cases there’s an argument that says they finished their respective Lg1 season much better than them, Ipswich 2nd, Sunderland via playoffs.  Sunderland had Stewart, Clarke, Neil, etc (plus Diallo) - all young, upwardly trending.  I’m not sure Chaplin, Luongo, Morsy and Burns have that same feel.  Leif Davis looks promising, but left back isn’t a position that normally affects where you finish to that large degree.

I also think there is a risk of a culture shock, which I think affected us when we came up in 2015. Our team was so much better than pretty much everyone else in the division that season that I think the players became accustomed to blowing other teams away and weren’t ready for a level where lots of teams were as good or better. I think that - just as much as the issues around signings - was a factor in why we were tipped as dark horses but wound up battling for survival. If Ipswich go into next season expecting to emulate Sunderland, that may make it also harder for them to do so.  

[Davefevs]

8 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I also think there is a risk of a culture shock, which I think affected us when we came up in 2015. Our team was so much better than pretty much everyone else in the division that season that I think the players became accustomed to blowing other teams away and weren’t ready for a level where lots of teams were as good or better. I think that - just as much as the issues around signings - was a factor in why we were tipped as dark horses but wound up battling for survival. If Ipswich go into next season expecting to emulate Sunderland, that may make it also harder for them to do so.  

Agree.  We had good players, but they needed time to find their feet.  To this day I still think we missed Wade Elliott’s influence on the pitch.

I’m really in seeing who they recruit this summer.  I certainly don’t see a midfield of Luongo, Morsy and whoever running games - as we know this isn’t Lg1. And Ipswich’s passing style will be seriously tested and quicker, smarter and more physical teams, plus they will spend more time chasing the ball themselves.  It’s a bit of a shock when you’re used to having 65-70% of the ball and only 30-35% of your time trying to get it back, to see those flipped when you play Swansea and others.

[petehinton]

Favourite bit is “Were thinking about the new deal ‘2/3/4/5 months ago”

Which one is it then?! Offering him a new long term deal 5 months ago when they were in awful form and a fair away off 2nd was he….? I’m sure!

[GrahamC]

27 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I also think there is a risk of a culture shock, which I think affected us when we came up in 2015. Our team was so much better than pretty much everyone else in the division that season that I think the players became accustomed to blowing other teams away and weren’t ready for a level where lots of teams were as good or better. I think that - just as much as the issues around signings - was a factor in why we were tipped as dark horses but wound up battling for survival. If Ipswich go into next season expecting to emulate Sunderland, that may make it also harder for them to do so.  

This is so spot on.

I don’t have an issue with Ipswich as a club but read a BBC article by former player Mick Mills last week about “how the buzz was back”, he could “see them challenging for back to back promotions” & just thought you’ve been in League One since 2019 pal & have absolutely no idea how brutal it is.

Fixtures are our next week, wait until you have a week where you play for example Middlesbrough away, Sunderland home & then travel to Rotherham.

He’d be thinking that 3rd game is easy, reality is they’ll battle like **** & won’t give you a moment.

They are by no means the biggest club in the division & like us will go up against 5 clubs with a massive financial advantage, I’d be keeping my mouth shut if I was them.

Edited June 17, 2023 by GrahamC

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Favourite bit is “Were thinking about the new deal ‘2/3/4/5 months ago”

Which one is it then?! Offering him a new long term deal 5 months ago when they were in awful form and a fair away off 2nd was he….? I’m sure!

Everything and everyone is always totally alliance in Ashton’s world.  I know it’s spin, but I like a bit challenge, even confrontation.  We’ve heard it from Nige’s side, we e heard it from SL’s side….it’s kinda healthy.

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

This is so spot on.

I don’t have an issue with Ipswich as a club but read a BBC article by former player Mick Mills last week about “how the buzz was back”, he could “see them challenging for back to back promotions” & just thought you’ve been in League One since 2019 pal & have absolutely no idea how brutal it is.

Fixtures are our next week, wait until you have a week where you play for example Middlesbrough away, Sunderland home & then travel to Rotherham.

He’d be thinking that 3rd game is easy, reality is they’ll battle like **** & won’t give you a moment.

They are by no means the biggest club in the division & like us will go up against 5 clubs with a massive financial advantage, I’d be keeping my mouth shut if I was them.

I read that too.

They are so dependent on what they recruit.

If they did go and get Ellis Simms and one or two with that kind of pedigree, then you can start to take a bit of notice.  I don’t think signing George Hirst does that.  I think he’s an okay striker, in the right team he’s a squad option, he’s not a player to fire you into the playoffs.  Their fans will see O’Rourke linking them with everyone, it’s who they convince to sign that’s important.  They will have to overpay to recruit, just like they did to get Morsy, Pigott and the numerous others over the past 2 seasons.

They finished 3 pts behind Plymouth, 2 above Wednesday, but it’s only both club’s history that allowed them a mention of “being in the mix” next season.  If you look at Wednesday’s squad it’s an aging squad with players who have performed at this level, but at recent times as part of struggling / relegated teams.  Those players are now older, some cases no longer prime years.

Come August I might be saying - bloody hell, they’ve recruited well, they’ve got a chance, but I don’t see it yet.

[RedRock]

10 hours ago, bcfctim said:

Oxygen seems to be his new favourite doesn't it. That's got to be a good one

‘Runway’ is my favourite. 

Genius. 

[One Team]

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

“Oxygen”

”Runway”

”We are so aligned, you can’t get water between us”

He’s been on another course hasn’t he?

I do dislike bosses who seem proud by having staff work 7 days weeks.  I appreciate it’s a busy time for clubs but I don’t like the “message”.

I see he’s still allowing people to “look him in the eye”, we all remember “Walshy looked me in the eye and we knew he’d sign a contract”!!!

Incredible isn’t it? It’s like he’s been on every 1990’s management training course and is regurgitating each chapter. 

People have had enough of this in the corporate and commercial world let alone football. It amazes me owners get seduced by so called “modern” coaches and leaders who talk like this. 

The Ipswich home game is going to be really interesting!

Edited June 17, 2023 by One Team

[Bobbie]

They’ve become the team I want to lose the most. 

[Davefevs]

33 minutes ago, One Team said:

People have had enough of this in the corporate and commercial world let alone football

Do you know what, I think it’s re-entering the place I work in some departments….of course they aren’t called “departments” any more.  A breed of ex-consultants have come into senior positions and the waffle is filtering down.

But I just smile and invoice!

[lenred]

1 hour ago, Miah Dennehy said:

He's a slimy ****** isn't he? I didn't really take any notice of him when he was with you, gutted really, such an easy man to dislike and his time with you passed me by!

Huge open goal missed.  Shame! 

[1960maaan]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

I read that too.

They are so dependent on what they recruit.

If they did go and get Ellis Simms and one or two with that kind of pedigree, then you can start to take a bit of notice.  I don’t think signing George Hirst does that.  I think he’s an okay striker, in the right team he’s a squad option, he’s not a player to fire you into the playoffs.  Their fans will see O’Rourke linking them with everyone, it’s who they convince to sign that’s important.  They will have to overpay to recruit, just like they did to get Morsy, Pigott and the numerous others over the past 2 seasons.

They finished 3 pts behind Plymouth, 2 above Wednesday, but it’s only both club’s history that allowed them a mention of “being in the mix” next season.  If you look at Wednesday’s squad it’s an aging squad with players who have performed at this level, but at recent times as part of struggling / relegated teams.  Those players are now older, some cases no longer prime years.

Come August I might be saying - bloody hell, they’ve recruited well, they’ve got a chance, but I don’t see it yet.

They may have to over pay, but one thing that Aston is good at is doing deals. They may be for the detriment of the Club, but he really isn't a long term plan sort of guy.
They could go for it , get lucky and be saved by Prem money. Bournemouth did it, Villa did it , Derby didn't.
I think the average quality of the Championship may have gone up this coming season. Teams coming up a little stronger than recently and good solid ( but not outstanding ) teams coming down.  They had a great season last year, but the way the top few teams racked up points, it looks like there were some whipping boys in L1 last year. There won't be next year. 
They were a big team and could outspend most teams last year, won't be so easy this year they will have to have Ashton at his Bull-shitting best to tempt players in, with big teams in competition with them.

As always, summer will be interesting.

[ScottishRed]

13 hours ago, bcfctim said:

"The board leave me, they don't interfere with the operations, they let me get on with it. And that is so important to give us the runway to build this football club"

Words to send a chill down your spine.

 

 

He’s still got it!

 

[Davefevs]

5 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

He’s still got it!

 

McKenna’s interview is like chalk and cheese, humble, no “I did this”, all “we achieved this”.

[Dom1969]

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

[Sleepy1968]

9 hours ago, One Team said:

The Ipswich home game is going to be really interesting!

I hope its near the end of the season because I don't think I will be able to control my gestures or language when it comes to Ashton. 

Thinking about it, the sweet spot will be just before season ticket renewals go live.

[DaveInSA]

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I read that too.

They are so dependent on what they recruit.

If they did go and get Ellis Simms and one or two with that kind of pedigree, then you can start to take a bit of notice.  I don’t think signing George Hirst does that.  I think he’s an okay striker, in the right team he’s a squad option, he’s not a player to fire you into the playoffs.  Their fans will see O’Rourke linking them with everyone, it’s who they convince to sign that’s important.  They will have to overpay to recruit, just like they did to get Morsy, Pigott and the numerous others over the past 2 seasons.

They finished 3 pts behind Plymouth, 2 above Wednesday, but it’s only both club’s history that allowed them a mention of “being in the mix” next season.  If you look at Wednesday’s squad it’s an aging squad with players who have performed at this level, but at recent times as part of struggling / relegated teams.  Those players are now older, some cases no longer prime years.

Come August I might be saying - bloody hell, they’ve recruited well, they’ve got a chance, but I don’t see it yet.

Knowing Asthon, he'll probably try and sign Little Simz as well.

Utter bell, i listened to 3 minutes of that interview...

 

[elhombrecito]

2 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

We were already in the Championship when he joined us, so not sure how he managed to take us from "League 1 nobodies to Championship nobodies" 

As for the rest, it seems you who is a little obsessed. You'll come round to our way if thinking I can assure you. It'll take a bit of time, but it'll happen, trust me.

[Tim Monaghan]

2 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

I agree, it is kinda weird

[petehinton]

2 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

This is the problem…. I’m sure he’s over there telling everyone that he actually did all of those things and people believe him

He wasn’t even with us in league one so there’s your first wrong area. Had nothing to do with the ground, so there’s your second. Bloated our squad out with players signed that he pushed through himself, purely because he was on bungs/a retainer with certain agents (leading us to release 11 players the summer he thankfully left us for you lot). 
 

Theres even some equally lovely stuff off the pitch that you can probably find out for yourself with enough googling….

I’m sure he’ll keep being as upfront and in the camera when you go through a bad patch in the championship. Sure that your fans will still believe that a league one CEO knew all about the ‘style of play and mentality his teams have’ for someone who’d never managed before either.

Feel free to do the same, good luck with the signings over the next 2 windows and also don’t throw the running towards adversity onto our brand new pitch either, don’t want to get the required blood that’s needed to sign it all over the place. xoxo

Edited June 17, 2023 by petehinton

[glynriley]

2 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

League one nobodies to championship nobodies oh dear, off you **** dick head. 

[Olé]

4 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Anyway we think he’s cool.

Stakeholder loyal.

Mark Ashton caters to a certain level of limited intellect that believes lies dressed up with fancy words and a sharp suit - and based on your summary of his "accomplishments" at City clearly you're his target audience! No obsession, like in any walk of life, it's just funny to watch the gullible get reeled in. In his last 10 seasons the bloke has spent nearly £60m (most of it with us) on about 100 players and the grand total of his success is one League One promotion (yours) to show for it. To be fair he did that earning over £900k as CEO of a League One club and if that doesn't ring alarm bells, then like I said: he's happy to cater to your limited intellect.

[Street red]

5 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

He had **** all to do with Ashton gate but any way he has sucked you lot right in and already signed your manager on a long term contract for getting you out league one you didn't even win the title!! Its not an obsession just that he left our club in a S**t financial position and comes running to you lot when he knew we worked him out. Ask his old club as well you will work him out pretty soon.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Street red

[1960maaan]

5 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

This isn't a hate thread against you or your team, trust me. If Ashton hadn't  bluffed his way into your place , your lot would barely get a mention.
As for the Ashton obsession , it probably does feel like that , but I feel we have good reason. If while your here ( on another teams forum , on a thread discussing an ex employee who had left an absolute shit show ) you can get a grasp of why feelings still run high and you will see why there is continued animosity towards the old 2nd hand car dealer . As others have said he joined us after our Promotion Season, then ripped our successful recruitment Dept apart .

Bless your cotton socks for thinking he's cool, you don't sound like you get out much. 

I thought Paul Cook was a great appointment for you, a real good fit with the Club. But add Ashton and ....
This is what Cook said when he left.
Admitted club's player turnover made it hard to build a team
Revealed the challenges working with Town's new performance team, led by Andy Rolls ( appointed by MA surprise surprise)
in the summer, we released 27-30 players and brought in 19 new ones. Very Ashton.

This all sounds familiar .

It looks like you struck lucky with McKenna , maybe he understands how to work with him. But everyone here enjoyed all the new players coming in, until we realised the mess he was making. He was disliked here well before that TBF, many didn't like the Bull he came out with and the "corporate speak" and "buzzwords" he loves so much. All you can hope for is that your owners and Manager are forward enough to stop him doing the same with you as he did here. It didn't help our owner was friends with him and our Manager so basically gave them keys to the shop.

Anyway , enjoy your visit.
And as I say , it's not about you, if Ashton had joined Norwich the thread would have been the same, ish.
 

[Unan]

5 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

Have a look at the views of every club he’s been a part of

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/3995357.oliver-phillips-reflects-on-the-departure-of-mark-ashton-from-watford/

[Gol]

5 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

 Congratulations on literally getting nothing right in you post about us

we are predominantly a division 2/ 3 team which has had one stint in div 4 and a couple in division 1.  No-one on here has claimed we have a better history than Ipswich because we know thats not true and there is not a lot of hate on this thread about Ipswich, but of am ex employee of ours.  If you think its strange mention Ashton to Watford fans and see the reaction. 

The only reason the thread is 70 pages as anything on him goes into one thread instead of having a load of different ones.

we were already in the champ and our ground was already built (and is now a lot better than the antiquated Portman Road). We had a young exciting side which had actually won league 1 (and got more points than you did last season) and a number have gone on to play in the prem when Ashton came in.
 

He sold all that team some for good money others for not (he sold luke ayling to leeds and Luke Freeman for 250k each as two bad examples) he gutted our scouting department taking charge of it, spent more money in fees than anyone in our history (he broke our transfer fee twice) signing some 70 players, trebled our wage bill  in the process squandered what was our best chance of getting to the prem. 

the season he left our squad was worse than when he joined. we were lucky not to be relegated and lost £38 million in one year.

As a result we have had to have 2 seasons of austerity getting the last of Ashtons high earners who cost large fees this summer. 
 

there is undoubtedly an interest in how you will do because of Ashton, as there is a large gap between league 1 and the champ and who you will sign. IMO you have made you best signing already in McKenna who has proven to be a good coach. 

[ScottishRed]

10 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Have a look at the views of every club he’s been a part of

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/3995357.oliver-phillips-reflects-on-the-departure-of-mark-ashton-from-watford/

@Dom1969

This is certainly worth a read and some reflection. I cannot speak for any of my fellow Reds but I have never felt the remotest element of malice to your club, in fact the opposite.

Given what that nice Mr Ashton did here, and elsewhere, and the fact, if you believe what he says, that he has almost total control of your club, I would be very concerned.

He left us in a complete mess due to the laxity of our, hugely successful, owner, which in itself is surprisingly given how much he has achieved in the world of finance. He also had a young HC in place who was naive enough to go along with his wheeling and dealing.

You may be in for an interesting ride. PS Don’t expect to hear too much from him if things are not going well,the converse will be equally true.

[Swede]

7 hours ago, Dom1969 said:

Ipswich fan here. Feel like I need to say in peace as you have a 70 page hate thread about us, which is really weird. Is this the same Bristol City that have bounced around divisions 2,3 and 4 forever? You make Norwich City look like Man City on the honours front. 

The Ashton obsession is strange. A little worrying in some cases for you guys. He turned you from league one nobodies into championship nobodies. And your awful ground got a little better. I don’t understand the hate. Tell me otherwise.

Anyway we think he’s cool. We love his little beard and his well fitted white shirts almost as much as the fact he appointed McKenna and changed the entire ethos around the club. 

See you next season for a cider. If you want to burn some sage at Portman Road to destroy the memory of Ashton then we’d be grateful if you don’t throw the embers on our brand new pitch. 

Perhaps Dom1969 you ought to ask yourself the question, WHY is there 70 odd pages about smug Swiss tony? Do you really think that a lot of Bristol City fans are that bitter & just can't understand why the great ego himself Mr Teflon left us to join you? 

Perhaps you ought to dig a little deeper and work it out for yourself, but you'll have to get your head out of the sand first.

[downendcity]

12 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

He’s still got it!

He can bl00dy well keep it!

 

T