Town MD Ian Milne says news on the future of manager Mick McCarthy and the release of season ticket prices for the 2018/19 campaign will “come together” in the next couple of weeks.

McCarthy is out of contract in the summer but with owner Marcus Evans having an option to extend his time at the Portman Road helm by a further two years.

Speaking just over a fortnight ago, McCarthy, who has been in charge at Town since November 2012, anticipated speaking with Evans regarding the way forward “over the next three or four weeks”.

Asked when the announcement of next term’s season ticket prices might come on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk, managing director Milne said: “It will come out in the next couple of weeks, hopefully some good news on that.”

Season ticket numbers dropped by 15 per cent to under 11,000 last summer and with attendances having continued to drop throughout the season - the 13,205 crowd for the Cardiff game at the end of last month was the lowest for a home league game for nearly 20 years - another fall in numbers is expected.

Milne admits the club needs to woo fans back: “I think one thing is the season ticket side, but also I think there’s also probably a change, a letter of intent from the club on what we’re doing in the future and what have you, without going into too much detail.

“I hope off the field we do get out our new intent with what we’re trying to do with the music [the IP1 Live event announced earlier in the week] and other things as well. But I appreciate that’s a separate thing from the football.

“We listen, the owner’s listening, we’re listening. We had a fans’ forum a couple of weeks ago and they were talking about exactly the same things as you’re talking about. They come up with some great ideas, some we can take on. I think they will be pleased with what we’re going to do about season tickets.”

Many fans are likely to make their decision whether to renew their season tickets on the management situation.

Quizzed on whether there will be any news on that front prior to the season ticket announcement, Milne responded: “I think the timing is quite important. I appreciate that it’s not just the season ticket prices, it’s gauging for next season. We’re totally into that one and, yes, the two things will come together.

“You’ve got to bear with us on timing on all of that. We understand where the fans are coming from, we totally get it and we will come out with the announcement at the appropriate time so they can make the right decision.”

You can hear Milne on Life’s a Pitch here from 1hr 21mins 40secs, while Blues legend Shefki Kuqi was on the show from 1hr 38mins 12secs and winger Mustapha Carayol from 1hr 12mins 47secs.

Photo: TWTD

warktheline added 18:01 - Mar 11 Keep 'yawning' muggletonjoe! Like the 'majority' have been for 4 years!
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juniorblue added 18:02 - Mar 11 I really, really hope that the decision is to let MM go. His relationship with the fans is not good, which must filter through to the players. Attacking football will not lead to relegation. What it will do is inspire the players and fans and breed confidence, which will in turn lead to positive results on the pitch. I agree that Milne is just the messenger, but if Evans has any sense (and he must do, being a successful businessman), MM will move on.

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blueboy1981 added 18:02 - Mar 11 warktheline .... tells you all you need to know about the thinking of some. Best left to their own level to be honest - you'll never get thro' to such people. It takes allsorts - and there are some.
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blueboy1981 added 18:06 - Mar 11 ....... condoning, and excuses, still roll out from some. Day / Aternoon out / Pint / Burger / Pie - all the criteria is there for some - nothing else matters obviously.
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Felstow1978 added 18:11 - Mar 11 There's some desperately sad feckers on here whose finger seems glued to the down vote arrow. If that's the sum total of their contribution to the discussion then I suggest they either get back to painting their caravan or ensuring their sister doesn't feel too lonely.
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Bert added 18:19 - Mar 11 The business case for retaining MM has been holed in the water many times but to the football world, except those following ITFC, MM is a catch.However, in any business, the person responsible for performance eventually reaches their sell by date and that is what Evans must consider. I don't loathe MM as some do or feel personally affronted by his way of talking but the club cannot go on as it is. If " a sense of belonging" is to really mean something then the fans have to feel it. We need an experienced manager and a motivator but I would also like to see someone like Holland or Magilton in a role giving advice on the shoulder of the manager.

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Seasider added 18:35 - Mar 11 If McCarthy is given the option of an extended contract will he accept it ? If he does ,me a 75 year old would happily join in a West Ham style demonstration.It may be alright to slink away,not renew etc for some and just moan on social media;but the diehard supporters like myself continue to attend the club they have really supported,not just followed, for most of their long life.

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brittaniaman added 19:10 - Mar 11 It was a sad day when Evans sacked Derek Bowden (he knew the club inside out) to take on a so called Clegg , another failure who knew nothing about football and now Milne
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Cakeman added 19:27 - Mar 11 It's all very odd that whatever has been decided cannot be stated now. The club needs a fresh focus on the future and the quicker that starts the better.
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Northstandveteran added 19:28 - Mar 11 Felstow1978 Yep. Only the one and I won't sound that person out. Pressing an arrow is easy. Coming up with a valid contribution, regardless of whether I agree with it or not, is another matter. Personally, I choose to only up arrow the posts I agree with and choose to debate with those I disagree with opposed to downing. However, don't let it bother you. Not a cheap dig but the elderly gentleman that likes his down arrow has not been educated or taught about online etiquette. Not his fault, just a generation thing. Apologies to those older than me (43) that do make contributions. Speaking of elderly people that I disagree with, how's the sangria tonight Swn98? 😁

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NBVJohn added 19:54 - Mar 11 So a massive own goal from this very capable of shooting themselve in the foot regime would be: Offer an incentive on early season ticket renewal prior to the announcement on the manager position and then announce that MM is staying immediately after discounted price window expires or appoint a never was like Nigel Pearson or Ian Holloway with no budget for players, and then wonder why we have gates of 10,000. This regime is capable of doing this and would consider it perfectly reasonable. They have proved their contempt for supporters already. Milne is preparing to speak and wants all to be ready to listen. He seems to think that we wait in baited breath anticipation of his wise words. What a fool.

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NBVJohn added 20:26 - Mar 11 .....and a point on Milne talking about ‘not going into detail.' Lack of attention to detail is a feature of ME's reign, from the appointments of Keane and Jewell that started the rot, the easy options of hiking ticket prices that alienated supporters, the lack of understanding of football as entertainment and the shocking ‘crumb' thrown to fans last year in the form of a ficticious 5 point plan to keep us quiet in the short term. My point is, don't expect this bloke to go into detail anytime soon. For this, he'd need a strategy, and I'm confident that there isn't one. ME And this numpty probably sit in judgement of supporters with a smug smile. 11,000 season ticket holders and no sign that this will improve. Who's laughing? The irony is that ME made his fortune from selling tickets for sporting events. He's had the opposite effect in his 10 years at ITFC.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 20:38 - Mar 11 Mick has done a fair job with the resources available, but I feel a change of style and atmosphere is now badly needed. To be honest, I'm not holding my breath. I can see Mick staying, and the club coming up with some half-arsed "offers" or "promotions" of some kind that are supposed to win the fans round - which they almost certainly won't. I will say one thing, though: I'd much rather Mick stayed than we got Pardew. Surely even ME won't make that mistake.

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Kingfisher49 added 21:08 - Mar 11 It would very apt if the club announced that MM was leaving on April Fools Day. Bring in Tony Mowbray, Mark Venus and David Lowe who are the reason for Blackburn's success, and would be a perfect fit for ITFC.
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Pilgrimblue added 22:13 - Mar 11 It will be a disaster IMHO if Evans offers MM a new deal. I love my club but watching the past few years has been very painful. Ok there's been some high points but too many lows and so for anyone to want more then you'll be sitting alone (a lot less then). We've got some good players but watching them going backwards and sideways isn't good enough and it's not all about money or injuries. Why send out Downes but then sign one of his old boys. Yesterday there was only one striker so where was Drinnan!

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nineteenseventyeight added 22:39 - Mar 11 He's a PUPPET!
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legal_blue added 22:57 - Mar 11 Thanks for everything, Mick but, to coin a phrase, #TimesUp Graham Potter, please.
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AbujaBlue added 23:31 - Mar 11 Felstow1978 - It's exactly that kind of noxious comment that sums up the environment of the news comment section lately and is why some people prefer the more reasoned discussion of the forum. At least the voting system is not anonymous anymore. I highly doubt anyone here is so thin-skinned to care, but if anyone does have a problem with a down-voting then they should feel free to message them and ask for further clarification. My own opinion is something has to change at the end of the season, whether it be a new manager or a serious amount of investment (fat chance). As much as I love stability (that is the Ipswich way), five years is a long time and a new manager would not be a bad thing. What I really don't understand, is the level vitriol towards McCarthy. For all his faults he has brought a level of stability to the club that was seriously lacking after Jewell/Keane. Without him we would have been a League One club at the end of the 12/13 season, something that is hardly ever mentioned here. No doubt the down arrows will come flooding in, but so be it.

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ArnieM added 00:02 - Mar 12 It really is simple. 1) Evans is a BUISNESSMAN. First and foremost. His interest is making money and being successful. 2) He deals with Customers ...... his businesses thrive on happy customers 3) Give the customer what they want, are prepared to pay for, at a price they can afford - anything less = no sale !
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RoyalAscotBlue added 00:29 - Mar 12 I've got a really bad feeling that Milne will soon be coming out with the "really great news" that "McCarthy has agreed to stay!"
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HackneyBlue added 05:46 - Mar 12 For many(us 3 included) its too late the damage has been done ,we all love our club but have moved on to more exciting projects on a Saturday afternoon,i take the wife shopping while my 2 sons sit in the car for 5 hours playing eye spy.Its all about habits and thousands have got out of the habit of watching the worse kind of football possible. We will not renew but maybe take in a game or 2 if it suits.ME the big problem.

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lightingblue added 06:29 - Mar 12 Guys. It's all ok doing this moaning and this that and the other. Look at what weest ha. Did the weekend! They voice their opinions that now literally everyone knows the issues. If there is this problem with the owner and McCarthy, what are you lot going to do about it? Posting silly messages on social media, clearly does not bother that much. You guys need to find an alternative way of making your feelings felt. And I do not mean in an hostile aggressive manner. Only knocking a few thousand of the attendance every now and then again clearly doesn't bother the club. Think up ways which will make the board and Evans take note if it bothers you lot that much. If not don't go complaining.

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MicksZzzTactics added 07:20 - Mar 12 If ONLY we at itfc had an hmmm **passionate & visible** owner like THIS: http://www.scoresway.com/?sport=soccer&page=news&view=article&news_id=1046210 LOL! Can you ever imagine the almost agoraphobic & extreme media-shy Marvelous Marcus running on the field at PR, in any remotely similar fashion (and cause!) as described in the above article??? HaHaHaHa
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poldark added 08:08 - Mar 12 Can't imagine happy clappers on here doing anything to upset marvellous mick
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BlueMachines added 08:16 - Mar 12 I think that the statement will read that the club offered Mick the chance to stay but he hasn't taken it up. The reality will be that they haven't offered him the chance but have agreed to let him have the last laugh over the fans so he can lord it up that it was HIS decision after all.
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