Latest news with #MarkAshton
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ipswich Q&A: Is there a chance Delap could stay?
In part three of Thursday's Ipswich Q&A, our expert Graeme McLoughlin from BBC Radio Suffolk looks to the long-term plan and Liam Delap's future:Gavin: Mark Ashton has talked a lot about the long-term plan. Did the Premier League come a season or two too early in the plan?Graeme: I'm not sure the Premier League can ever come too early. Maybe it came too early in terms of having a realistic chance of staying up this time around, but I very much doubt that Mark Ashton, Kieran McKenna, the Town players and ownership group would opt to spend these last 9 months in the Championship if they could have their time over again. All will have learned majorly from this experience, and I would back the club to be much better prepared for the top flight should a return happen in the not too distant Is there a chance Liam Delap could stay at Ipswich?Graeme: The manager talked about this still being a possibility at a recent pre-match press conference, but if you forced me to call this one way or the other, I'd probably edge towards him leaving. He's hit double figures for goals in his first full season in the Premier League, at a club that have ultimately fallen well short of staying up. Delap has his suitors, and given his release clause, whoever gets his signature won't feel like they've broken the bank. The one thing that gives me the slightest bit of belief that he will stay is his relationship with Kieran McKenna and just how much his game has improved under him. Come on Liam, do the right thing, and help Town get back up at the first attempt!Listen to The Blue Hour with Brenner Woolley every Monday and Matchday Preview with Graeme McLoughlin every Friday, along with live coverage of every Ipswich Town game, home and away, on BBC Radio Suffolk.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What does promotion mean for Ipswich Town Women?
Ipswich Town Women have been promoted to the second tier of women's football. The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. There are so many questions fans will want answers to. Even before Ipswich Town Women secured promotion, the club laid out its vision for the team. Earlier this season, chief executive Mark Ashton told the East Anglian Daily Times: "We want to get into the Championship and then we want to stabilise, stay in that division and then build progressively from there because the Women's Super League (WSL) is a whole other ball game, another set of challenges." The Tractor Girls will also benefit from improved training facilities at Playford Road, which are expected to be complete next year. One factor we can be sure of is that Town can expect tougher competition in the Championship. Portsmouth, for example, who were promoted to the second tier last season, currently sit ninth out of 11 teams but have secured safety. The team's manager, Jay Sadler, told the club's website they had had to "dig deep, fight and ask a lot of question of ourselves" throughout the season. He added: "It took us a little while to adapt to this level – both physically and technically – but since Christmas, we've been the team doing the punishing." The Championship will consist of 12 teams next season, and Town's opponents will include Crystal Palace, were recently relegated from the Women's Super League after only one season. Nottingham Forest were the other promoted team after winning the Women's National League Northern Premier Division. Town's other opponent include: Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bristol City Charlton Athletic Durham Newcastle United Sunderland Southampton The Championship aims to encourage further investment and expect clubs to build towards a professional model. Town's squad contains a mixture of professional and semi-professional players, but not all of the players are on full-time contracts. In 2021, midfielder Sophie Peskett became the club's first-ever professional women's player, aged 18. At the time she said it was a "no-brainer" to sign. Other players to have signed professional deals include forward Natasha Thomas, defenders Leah Mitchell and Maria Boswell, and midfielder Kyra Robertson. There could potentially be more players going full-time, but the club has not yet made any announcements. And what of transfers? The club invested in the squad, determined to win promotion, and it paid off, so the odds suggest there could be some significant activity in the summer. Town signed three players - Ruby Doe, Elkie Bowyer and Lucy Watson - on loan from WSL clubs as part of their promotion push, with experienced midfielder Ruby Seaby joining on a permanent deal in March after leaving Arsenal. Will the club try to re-sign them for next season, or is there a new list of targets? Conversely, will Town keep hold of players such as Peskett and Lucy O'Brien, who have produced eye-catching displays throughout the season? Questions have already been raised as to whether Town will continue to play their home games at Felixstowe & Walton FC's Martello Ground. Will they extend their 12-year stay on the coast, make a move to Portman Road, or go somewhere else for the new campaign? When approached, the club said it was still being decided. Town sold out their final game of the season at the 2,150-capacity Martello Ground, with Joe Sheehan's team drawing an average attendance of 726. However, they have drawn crowds of over 10,000 at Portman Road in successive seasons. Felixstowe & Walton's chief operations officer, Chris Daynes, played a role in securing the Martello Ground as Town's home venue. He said initially Felixstowe "made a significant loss" in hosting matches, with just tens of fans watching those early fixtures. "It's barely believable that the vision and plan at that first meeting to grow the support base and facilities has come off to the extent that the team [has] clinched Championship football with a league attendance of 2,000 plus," he added. Mr Daynes added he did not know yet if Town would stay, but said if Sunday had been the last game he was pleased to have played a role in Town's tenancy. Last year, 55,000 people attended celebrations when the men's team secured promotion to the Premier League. The club have yet to announce plans to celebrate the Tractor Girls' promotion. Analysis by Graeme Mac, BBC Suffolk sports editor There is no doubt that Ipswich Town Women are both ready for this promotion and deserving of it. Missing out on the Southern Premier Division title on goal difference two years ago looked to have damaged the team, as last season they finished 17 points off the pace. It was identified that something needed to change in order to make that next step, and as far as recruitment is concerned, the club have made massive strides since. Manager Joe Sheehan has hailed the roles played by general manager Rachel Harris – appointed in January 2024 – and assistant manager Lauren Phillips, who arrived a year later. Both have experience of the second tier, as do a number of the players who joined the club last summer. That has undoubtedly played a big part in a phenomenal campaign at the Martello Ground, which remains the home of the team for the time being. Mainstays within the squad, such as captain Maria Boswell, midfielder Lucy O'Brien and forward Sophie Peskett will no doubt relish the forthcoming tests at a higher level, as will Sheehan, who as manager has cultivated winning and professional standards both on and off the pitch since taking over first-team duties in 2019. Replicating the men's team in recording a successive promotion next year will be a very tall order for the Tractor Girls, with stabilising in the second tier the main priority. But it appears the ingredients are there – along with the support base - to do just that. Kaz, from Lowestoft, is a season-ticket holder for the men's team, but also follows the women's team. "For us with women's football it's just fantastic, for the young kids in this area, just women's football in general," she said. "We've had England Women's football be so successful, and now for Ipswich Town to follow them and finally make it... it's just fantastic for the club to be promoted to the Championship. "They've just got to ride that wave. I'm sure they'll get that support and everything that they want from the club anyway. "I think we do already, they'll be successful." Sue, from Ipswich, said: "It is fantastic to see the women doing so well because [older women] didn't have this opportunity. "It's great to see the young girls doing so well. "They're fantastic role models. Seeing the youngsters, their faces beaming looking at these really strong athletes, it's a great representation." Sue added that her nine-year-old nephew was just as interested in the women's game as the men's, and said the team could go far. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Ipswich Town Women exhilarated after promotion Ipswich Town Women win promotion to Championship Ipswich Women look forward to promotion party Ipswich Town Women
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What does Championship promotion mean for Ipswich Town Women?
Ipswich Town Women have been promoted to the second tier of women's football. The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. There are so many questions fans will want answers to. What are the club's ambitions for the Tractor Girls? Even before Ipswich Town Women secured promotion, the club laid out its vision for the this season, chief executive Mark Ashton told the East Anglian Daily Times: "We want to get into the Championship and then we want to stabilise, stay in that division and then build progressively from there because the Women's Super League (WSL) is a whole other ball game, another set of challenges." The Tractor Girls will also benefit from improved training facilities at Playford Road, which are expected to be complete next year. Who will Town face next season? One factor we can be sure of is that Town can expect tougher competition in the for example, who were promoted to the second tier last season, currently sit ninth out of 11 teams but have secured team's manager, Jay Sadler, told the club's website they had had to "dig deep, fight and ask a lot of question of ourselves" throughout the added: "It took us a little while to adapt to this level – both physically and technically – but since Christmas, we've been the team doing the punishing." The Championship will consist of 12 teams next season, and Town's opponents will include Crystal Palace, were recently relegated from the Women's Super League after only one Forest were the other promoted team after winning the Women's National League Northern Premier other opponent include:Birmingham CityBlackburn RoversBristol CityCharlton AthleticDurhamNewcastle UnitedSunderlandSouthampton How will the squad look next season? The Championship aims to encourage further investment and expect clubs to build towards a professional squad contains a mixture of professional and semi-professional players, but not all of the players are on full-time contracts. In 2021, midfielder Sophie Peskett became the club's first-ever professional women's player, aged 18. At the time she said it was a "no-brainer" to players to have signed professional deals include forward Natasha Thomas, defenders Leah Mitchell and Maria Boswell, and midfielder Kyra could potentially be more players going full-time, but the club has not yet made any what of transfers?The club invested in the squad, determined to win promotion, and it paid off, so the odds suggest there could be some significant activity in the signed three players - Ruby Doe, Elkie Bowyer and Lucy Watson - on loan from WSL clubs as part of their promotion push, with experienced midfielder Ruby Seaby joining on a permanent deal in March after leaving the club try to re-sign them for next season, or is there a new list of targets?Conversely, will Town keep hold of players such as Peskett and Lucy O'Brien, who have produced eye-catching displays throughout the season? Where will the team play their home games? Questions have already been raised as to whether Town will continue to play their home games at Felixstowe & Walton FC's Martello Ground. Will they extend their 12-year stay on the coast, make a move to Portman Road, or go somewhere else for the new campaign?When approached, the club said it was still being decided. Town sold out their final game of the season at the 2,150-capacity Martello Ground, with Joe Sheehan's team drawing an average attendance of they have drawn crowds of over 10,000 at Portman Road in successive & Walton's chief operations officer, Chris Daynes, played a role in securing the Martello Ground as Town's home said initially Felixstowe "made a significant loss" in hosting matches, with just tens of fans watching those early fixtures."It's barely believable that the vision and plan at that first meeting to grow the support base and facilities has come off to the extent that the team [has] clinched Championship football with a league attendance of 2,000 plus," he Daynes added he did not know yet if Town would stay, but said if Sunday had been the last game he was pleased to have played a role in Town's tenancy. Is a promotion celebration planned? Last year, 55,000 people attended celebrations when the men's team secured promotion to the Premier club have yet to announce plans to celebrate the Tractor Girls' promotion. 'The ingredients are there' Analysis by Graeme Mac, BBC Suffolk sports editorThere is no doubt that Ipswich Town Women are both ready for this promotion and deserving of out on the Southern Premier Division title on goal difference two years ago looked to have damaged the team, as last season they finished 17 points off the was identified that something needed to change in order to make that next step, and as far as recruitment is concerned, the club have made massive strides Joe Sheehan has hailed the roles played by general manager Rachel Harris – appointed in January 2024 – and assistant manager Lauren Phillips, who arrived a year have experience of the second tier, as do a number of the players who joined the club last has undoubtedly played a big part in a phenomenal campaign at the Martello Ground, which remains the home of the team for the time within the squad, such as captain Maria Boswell, midfielder Lucy O'Brien and forward Sophie Peskett will no doubt relish the forthcoming tests at a higher level, as will Sheehan, who as manager has cultivated winning and professional standards both on and off the pitch since taking over first-team duties in the men's team in recording a successive promotion next year will be a very tall order for the Tractor Girls, with stabilising in the second tier the main it appears the ingredients are there – along with the support base - to do just that. What are the fans looking forward to? Kaz, from Lowestoft, is a season-ticket holder for the men's team, but also follows the women's team."For us with women's football it's just fantastic, for the young kids in this area, just women's football in general," she said. "We've had England Women's football be so successful, and now for Ipswich Town to follow them and finally make it... it's just fantastic for the club to be promoted to the Championship."They've just got to ride that wave. I'm sure they'll get that support and everything that they want from the club anyway."I think we do already, they'll be successful." Sue, from Ipswich, said: "It is fantastic to see the women doing so well because [older women] didn't have this opportunity."It's great to see the young girls doing so well."They're fantastic role models. Seeing the youngsters, their faces beaming looking at these really strong athletes, it's a great representation."Sue added that her nine-year-old nephew was just as interested in the women's game as the men's, and said the team could go far. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Realistic hopes of survival finally extinguished'
Saturday's defeat by Wolves finally extinguished any realistic hope that Ipswich Town had of surviving in the Premier League. While there is not an "R" next to our name yet, it is very much in the post unless something dramatically unexpected for the whys and wherefores for this disappointing campaign, Saturday's game highlighted another key learning point - competing for the full 90-plus minutes is essential. Whether it be a mental or physical challenge, Kieran McKenna's side have dropped a whopping 25 points from winning positions so far this season, with a good number in the latter stages of matches as on what in hindsight could Mark Ashton and McKenna have done differently to give Town a better shot?Some aspects of Town's transfer business would likely not be repeated. Failing to target physicality and athleticism in favour of technical ability and long-term potential has been a major criticism - although maybe it will be proved right in the coming seasons?The local focus to Town's recruitment geography has also limited options and led to higher fees being paid - the English "talent tax".Continuing the point on physicality, could pre-season have been more onerous in anticipation of the significant demands of the modern Premier League? Injuries throughout the squad have severely sapped any momentum accrued from winning one-off matches, as well as testing the reasonable bounds of our squad though, as I have debated a few times in my pieces here, did Town have a fair chance to begin with? Double promotion after 22 years out of the top flight has clearly tested our reasonable capabilities on and off the field. But we are currently the "best of the rest" - it is of minimal comfort but should be hope now is that our collective experience this season gives enough insight to react better should we return, hopefully at the earliest more from Richard Woodward at the Blue Monday Podcast, external
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ipswich Town training ground upgrade gets go-ahead
A plan to upgrade Ipswich Town's Playford Road training ground has been project will cost about £30m and is likely to take 14 includes a new first team building and better facilities for the Academy and the women's club's chief executive, Mark Ashton, said he wanted to "break ground as quickly as possible now". The Blues' training ground in Playford Road, on the edge of town in Rushmere St Andrew, opened in the first team's promotion to the Premier League, the chairman and Mr Ashton said the club needed "a multi-million pound spend on the facilities at the training ground to bring us up to speed". An application was submitted to East Suffolk Council in November for a new "state-of-the-art" first team building, extended Academy facilities and an improved entrance. In the planning application, the club said the position of buildings and pitches would "minimise impact on adjacent residents".Mr Ashton was "delighted to have these works approved and we are grateful for everyone's support"."Developing our training facilities is something we have spoken about since day one at the club," he said. "To continue the club's progress we need to attract, retain and develop elite players. We need first-class facilities to do that." Mr Ashton added: "With development of the training ground being a key pillar of progression for the club, this substantial investment will enhance our facilities and environment for our first-team, Academy and women's players, and will be key to the delivery of Category One status for our Academy."He said he wanted construction work to start "as quickly as possible".Town's Premier League match at home to Nottingham Forest kicks off at 15:00 GMT on commentary is available from BBC Radio Suffolk, via your FM or DAB radio, but we do not have the rights to stream commentary on the internet. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
