Town owner Marcus Evans will clarify manager Mick McCarthy’s future "well in advance" of the Monday 30th April early bird deadline for purchasing season tickets, the club has revealed.

Earlier today, the Blues confirmed that the price of 2018/19 season tickets purchased prior to the deadline have been reduced by 10 per cent but many fans have made it clear they won’t make up their minds whether to renew until they know whether McCarthy, whose contract is up at the end of the season, will be staying in charge or there will be a change at the Portman Road helm. After the deadline prices increase significantly.

The club subsequently released a tweet indicating that news will come before the deadline date.

Town owner Marcus Evans has confirmed that Mick McCarthy's future will be clarified to supporters well in advance of the Early Bird deadline on season tickets (April 30th)#itfc pic.twitter.com/I47mIb7njE– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) March 26, 2018

The club later added further thoughts from Evans on the situation from a letter which will go out to season ticket holders.

“As I’m sure you are aware, Mick’s contract is up at the end of the season and I’m fully aware that there will be supporters who will be waiting to see how that situation develops," the Blues owner writes.

“I continue to have a very good relationship with Mick. We talk regularly and we will sit down and discuss the best way forward for this football club in the next few weeks. And that is the sole concern for me - what is best for Ipswich Town.

“Supporters will know the result of that conversation in due course but it will be made public well in advance of the early bird deadline.”

Looking at the club’s position more widely, Evans added: “Although the league is a different prospect now from when I first invested in the club more than 10 years ago, I remain as determined as ever to see Ipswich Town back in the Premier League.

“In the next few weeks I will be outlining my thoughts in detail on how we can best go about achieving that in an interview which all supporters will have access to.”

That interview is expected to be the first time Evans has spoken on camera since taking over at Portman Road just over a decade ago.

Photo: TWTD

SheptonMalletBlue added 13:30 - Mar 26 3 stars, I meant to give you an up post. I agree with what you say, that announcement should already have been made!!
2

yungblue added 13:35 - Mar 26 Right desicion for the club. Right desicion for the fans. Mick Out, Fans In.
9

TimmyH added 13:51 - Mar 26 For God's sake why is the club making such a big thing about this?...surely just a press conference could have sorted this out.
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dusty added 13:58 - Mar 26 The shambolic way that this once fine club is being run is a disgrace.It is time for those among us, who really care about it's future, to stay strong. The carrot has been hung out in terms of season ticket renewal, therefore an opportunity exists for the waiting game to be played. Birmingham City looms, who will have been revitalised by Gary Monk so I do not fancy our chances on this match. As has already been suggested, the displeasure displayed by those who really care, can be demonstrated at the Millwall match by making their absence felt by the management.

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warktheline added 14:13 - Mar 26 "Supporters will know in due course!" ....maybe it's 'my sensitive side' but for me Evans ( like McCarthy ) has utter contempt towards fans! My 'love affair' with this club is on the 'brink'!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:18 - Mar 26 This is not being handled very well: neither for MM (whom one assumes must surely know his fate by now, even though the pretence still seems to be he doesn't) nor for the fans. Smacks more of corporate wheeler dealing than what many of us believe should go on at a football club that is (or sadly was) the heart of a community.
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nineteenseventyeight added 14:22 - Mar 26 we appreciate he saved us in the early years, we also appreciate that he has ran the club on a tight budget and we sit well in the league when that is taken into consideration. what we DON'T like is: dropping best players at home hoofing the ball arrogance disrespect towards the fans negative tactics playing players out of position not playing certain youngsters the list goes on this all out weighs the good points and the bad points are all his fault, the buck stops at him. I always wanted to like Mick, I wanted him to do well....but it aint going to happen :(

11

pazzy added 14:24 - Mar 26 if mick goes and I think he will does that mean the unhappy ones wont come because evans is still here WE MUST END THIS CRAP AND GET BEHIND OUR TEAM
-2

therein61 added 14:32 - Mar 26 Yet another total shambles from the powers that be!!!!!!
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MicksZzzTactics added 14:45 - Mar 26 "IT'S A **DIFFICULT** DECISION THAT MARCUS NEEDS TIME TO GET **RIGHT**" - Ian Milne on MM's future http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/milne-on-evans-decision-regarding-mccarthy-s-future- Aye mucho **difficult** indeed!!! (see my earlier posts ....plus Stephen Hawking's grand take on the 'String Theory' ....and Lee Iacocca's 'How to run an economical viable & Successful Business' !) HaHaHaHa Lots of other standoutish "gold nuggets" in this bland interview btw ...like this one for instance: Watson: Is Marcus tuned in to the general mood? What sort of percentage of games is he able to attend? Milne: The marvels of technology means he sees all the matches and he does get to a lot of them in person — at least half, two thirds. Hmmm "At least half, two thirds"???!!! Well I really must improve my personal "Spot the false mustache, false teeth teeth & false nose wearing super agoraphobic ultra rich fella the in the bluetinted wig" act, mustn't I??? HaHaHaHa

4

tractorboybig added 14:45 - Mar 26 he is staying
-1

J45 added 15:18 - Mar 26 Whether mick stays or goes this is massive news, is Marcus Evans finally getting the message he needs to step up and give this club some direction. Who knows mick might even do well with if he has some backing. I personally want to see someone New given a chance now I think there are so many supporters against him that he can't recover but none the less this news is a big step in the right direction. The only thing that worries me is they will send out ian Milne in a wig and say it's marcus Evans;)

5

oldelsworthyfan added 15:27 - Mar 26 The 'Ramsey era' and the 'Robson era' were the two most successful periods in ITFC's history which provided new, exciting and successful football, orchestrated by two young, virtually untried, but talented managers. Keane, Jewel and McCarthy have served up the 'same old' boring, uninspiring, stuff which has not been worthy of our once admired club. McCarthy simply has to go and I guess all that's stopping ME is that he has not got the new man lined up. Let's hope this time he can be more imaginative.

7

Trigger67 added 15:38 - Mar 26 MM is staying - but not as Manager. ME wants him to take on the role of Director of Football with specific responsibilities for continuing his "excellent" track record in sourcing good, young loanees from the premier league and identifying good (but cheap) signings from the lower leagues etc. He will also fulfill the administrative duties of the Managers role. Brian Klug will be appointed Head Coach, responsible for the first team. ME is a great admirer of Klug's work with the Academy. Couple this with ME strong wish for Academy youngsters to graduate to the first team and you can see why this might be ME's dream solution. What to do with TC though? - not to mention MM's ego! Just a theory on my part but it might explain the current "up in the air" situation we appear to have at the moment.

3

brittaniaman added 16:06 - Mar 26 The trouble with Evans is that Dino can do the Talk Talk to him as he knows nothing about football, also he thinks that the sun shine out of Dinos Backside, So he is probably waiting until all the balls are in his favour before he dare mention that Dino is staying,( the Surge of ticket sales) Lol !! would do that, Let us hope that some of the balls fall out of his favour

5

Suffolkboy added 16:30 - Mar 26 So they've got everyone at it again ; as ME owns and funds ITFC ,and keeps Portman Rd open it's entirely within his remit to announce whatever he wants when he wants BUT it's obvious even the moronic moaners have grasped the need for essential injections of funds and support for the proper Management of the Club ! I do believe MM has ALL.the equipment and ability to achieve ; as has been said we've been without many talented and skilled players who'll hopefully populate the pitch next term ! AND we've a crop of exceptional youngsters being cultivated on the training grounds ,encouraged at all levels by enthusiastic coaches many ex- players .Our ambitions and expectations were set by many at totally unreasonable heights ,but there is great promise to come ( how is it we've lots of youngsters getting international recognition ?) AND it's high time Milne became more than a public ghost ; there's lots to do AND we need a renewed commitment to ensuring the main pitch is something to be proud of. and to play on ! Digitum extractum Mr Milne !!

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itfc2001 added 17:05 - Mar 26 Cost of ticket irrelevant. Would pay same price if we had some entertainment and forward thinking plan. Will not renew until MM departs.
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MVBlue added 17:06 - Mar 26 Evans just never wanted to pay him off
3

itfc2001 added 17:29 - Mar 26 No need to panic and renew, If I remember you could renew on early bird deal up to the first game as ticket sales were so poor last year. Just cancel those DD payments by end April. If MM is still hear they can drop them 50% and 1000's wont renew.
4

1RWR added 17:31 - Mar 26 For what it's worth, my theory is this: 1) MM won't have his contract renewed 2) ME won't announce his departure until AFTER the Middlesborough game 3) MM won't get clapped/booed off the pitch after Middlesborough 'cos nobody will know what the decision is 4) MM will drive off into the sunset without any flack or aggro & quickly forgotten! That's my theory anyway........"that'll do pig, that'll do!".

2

whosroundisitanyway added 17:33 - Mar 26 nineteenseventyeight My thoughts entirely.
2

blue75 added 17:35 - Mar 26 Sounds to me like McCarthy might not be deciding his own destiny after all.
5

RobITFC added 17:45 - Mar 26 What a shambles, no way to run a club, I believe the club needs a change but I must say I do feel a bit sorry for MM if he is to be told to go, imagine how he feels at the moment (unless he already has been told?) , the press conference this week should be interesting and maybe give the game away depending on how MM reacts to the questions about his future unless the press are too scared to ask after the last time!

4

black_shuck added 17:46 - Mar 26 He's staying. Mick signed the contract extension last Christmas. ME and everyone at ITFC have spent the last 4 months thinking of a ways to break the news to the fans.
4

andygizmo added 17:54 - Mar 26 Just saw Steve McLaren buying an umbrella in B and M at Copdock.
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