Town have announced that manager Paul Cook has been relieved of his duties following this afternoon’s 0-0 FA Cup draw with Barrow at Portman Road.

Blues CEO Mark Ashton told the club site: "Firstly, we would like to thank Paul and his team for their efforts in what has been a difficult transition period for everyone.

“I know how much Paul wanted to succeed at this club. However, following discussions with the board, we have decided a change is needed for our long-term interests.

“At this moment, there is no one lined up to replace Paul. There will be an extensive search to find the best replacement for the club. I will communicate more to the media and our supporters on Monday.”

It seems likely that former Colchester manager John McGreal, who joined the Blues as an U23s coach on Thursday, an appointment we understand wasn't made by Cook, will be put in caretaker charge.

Cook, 54, joined the club in March having been appointed by former owner Marcus Evans following Paul Lambert's sacking with the Blues dropping out of the play-off zone during his couple of months in charge.

The summer saw a major overhaul of the playing staff with 19 senior additions coming in along with new backroom staff - first team coach Franny Jeffers, goalkeeper-coach John Keeley and coach Ian Craney joining another first-team coach Gary Roberts - and around 30 players departing.

Despite the Blues having one of the largest budgets in League One, they made a slow start to the season and they have remained inconsistent and currently sit in 11th in the division.

Cook's record in his 44 games with Town reads a disappointing won 13, drawn 17 and lost 14.

The Blues new ownership backed Cook's appointment by Evans but, as reported by TWTD at the time, the man they eyed for the job was Lincoln City boss Michael Appleton, who worked for Ashton and chairman Mike O'Leary at Oxford having previously had links with the pair at West Brom.

Town are likely to look for a head coach rather than an old-style manager and other candidates we understand will come into the reckoning are MK Dons boss Liam Manning - who started his coaching career with the Blues having been an academy player - and Plymouth's Ryan Lowe.

Photo: TWTD

Linkboy13 added 20:01 - Dec 4 Said today at the football i wouldn't be surprised if he was sacked and was laughed at. I dont think the players ever got to grips with the 4321 system and didn't understand there roles without Liam Richardson who was obviously the brains behind Cook's success. The owners are saying they currently dont have any body lined up which i find hard to believe. A few years ago i would have said Neil Warnock but i think his days are gone. Is it time to go for a manager from abroad . Also i don't think player recruitment has been particularly good with too many lightweight players brought in Chaplin, Aluko, Fraser, Edwards, Coulson etc these are not bad players but the balance is not right. This was exposed badly against Rotherham where it was men against boys.

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PortmanTerrorist added 20:01 - Dec 4 Boom. Sorry it has come to this, but delighted we have owners who refuse to accept anything but success.
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thechangingman added 20:01 - Dec 4 Always sad when a person loses their job, so I don't want to gloat. However, I've never thought he was the right guy for our Bright New Era, so hopefully they'll spend time getting the right person in. I feel sad for him as a man, but glad my club can start building properly for the future. Onwards and upwards... COYB!!!
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blues1 added 20:02 - Dec 4 While I'm surprised he wasn't given more time, I can 7nderstqnd the decision as the football has deteriorated over the past few games. Whoever the next man is, I wish him luck tho, bcse with some of our fans, no doubt they'll want him out if we lose his 1st 6 games.
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Help added 20:05 - Dec 4 Looks like McGreal was brought on board for a reason, and not that as previously advised. Let's see Reid, Jeffers and all the other scouse's move on now please. Dont think the inexperienced backroom really was working was it. Can we at least make sure the new manager/coach can bring all his staff with him. I at least get the feeling this lot will do their due diligence unlike the Evans years.

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gosblue added 20:05 - Dec 4 Business is business. ROI = Return on Investment. Would you invest your money in an under performing enterprise? There is now less than a month to the January window so it had to be now. This allows time to find a new management team and to give them time to suss out what we need in January. I would imagine a centre-back and two additional strikers as a priority.
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chopra777 added 20:06 - Dec 4 Surprised at the timing considering we have some tough matches coming up. But predicted probably in the new year. This is a combination of poor tactics with our talented squad. Probably the lack luster penalty shoot out this week did not help. Then today we should have put out the Northern Lights. Very difficult to change the style of play.and will it affect the players that PC chose from his previous clubs. A big ask of any new manager to get us promoted this season via the play offs. It is a huge ask to find the right manager. It goes to show the owners want results not mediocrity. Let's hope for the future.

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Telford_Blue added 20:06 - Dec 4 I'm going to be controversial but I think this is a joke. We have been served dire rubbish over the past few seasons (with slightly better football under lambert) and at times under cook we have played football that I have been excited to travel a 400 mile round trip to watch. Yes this is a poor patch I recognise that but we are not out of the FA cup and we are certainly not out of the promotion push. The play offs are more than realistic. Now we will not be able to give anyone a chance. I know cook has had nearly as many games as Lambert but he has only had half that with his team. Rome wasn't built in a day. My only thought is that despite their words, Cook was not the new owners first choice. If we now head to a dogs of war long ball merchant (warnock etc) I will not care about results, I will not watch. I loved the football under Burley as even defeats never meant we compromised those play proper football principles. I can't believe cook has lost the players already? I also have no idea who will be coming in and cannot suggest anyone I would like who I think will come. Thanks PC for at least reigniting my passion for town. Your honesty was refreshing. I know this will get the - button smashed but it's my view and I'll stand by it.

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martin587 added 20:08 - Dec 4 It was inevitable.I just hope all the back room staff go as well because they were worse than PC.The next appointment must be the right one and I have faith in the owners to do this.
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Bert added 20:09 - Dec 4 Wow, my mouth is still open. This is a very brave decision by the Board and it will split opinion but if I had given an employee a sizeable investment and it was not showing a return by now I too would be considering an alternative strategy and person. The fact that it has happened without any real speculation is a shock and I would imagine the players will find it so too. I didn't quite warm to PC but he certainly had the passion but perhaps not the skills to manage what is a big club in a shabby league. This could go either way but it is now up to the players to earn their crust for it is they, in the main,who have brought about the downfall of their boss. Time may yet be on our side.

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EssexTractor added 20:11 - Dec 4 I applaud the decision of withdrawing Cooks services. But difficult for supporters to know all the “behind the scene answers” but was Cook Ashtons first choice, and were all the signings of Cooks sole choosings or partially Ashtons ..if the former well now Ashtons real knowledge, gained at many clubs will really be tested . To see if he can decide upon the man ( men) to truly bring consistent exciting football back to PR. None of Cooks “ assistants” should remain The American owners will not want us floating about aimlessly without a manager for too long. Many will throw names into the ring …but it would seem odd if no potential successor had not already been discussed at the highest level.

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DavoIPB added 20:11 - Dec 4 I really like him as a person. Seemed up for the job and put loads of effort in. This season on occasion has been some of the most exciting football I have seen from Ipswich. However some very strange tactical decisions and some very very strange player selections. I'm sure there is more to it than just the results. Maybe his chats with the press which have been getting odder by the week and how he is now blaming players and fans. Think just the wrong club for him. We actually played some good football in the last previous two games and still looked a decent side but results were rubbish and its success that counts.

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Elwood added 20:12 - Dec 4 I'm sure all you experts will give the next guy 6 months
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Linkboy13 added 20:15 - Dec 4 Help John Mcgreal is a scouser as well. I think people are putting two and two together and getting five.
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Linkboy13 added 20:15 - Dec 4 Help John Mcgreal is a scouser as well. I think people are putting two and two together and getting five.
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DaGremloid added 20:16 - Dec 4 I was never a Cook fan right from the start but I don't like to see anyone lose their job. However this is definitely the best decision for the club. We've been going nowhere all season and PC has appeared clueless tactics-wise on more than one occasion. Despite wondering if some of the players have been bemused by his tactical nous - or lack of it - I wonder if maybe some of them could look in the mirror at themselves a little. Having said that, they came to the club on the back of having played for PC before, but the big difference was he had a no.2 who it seems obvious now was the power and the brains behind the throne. It could be that for many of the players this wasn't what they were expecting. I hope we take our time getting the right manager this time. We weren't going to get promoted this season - that was clearly obvious to many of us - so I'm happy to wait for the right appointment rather than rush someone in and end up in the same boat. I agree with many on here who say we should aim higher.

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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 20:16 - Dec 4 Inevitable unfortunately given the age we live in now (all about fast success). Seems a genuine good guy and very sad hasn't worked out for him and us. Something clearly hasn't clicked. Is it the background staff/training? Who knows. More change and more time to gel up ahead. Far from an ideal scenario.
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BlueFinn added 20:18 - Dec 4 Can't see why he was sacked. Can't see why he was hired. We are in the wilderness.
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happybeingblue added 20:19 - Dec 4 shocked and sad that cooky has gone, unless we have an immediate replacement i think it is a poor decision. im guessing it was a marcus evans appointment all along,hes been here 9 months is that long enough to rebuild our great club ?
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runaround added 20:19 - Dec 4 I think this is a real shame but he had shown no signs of being able to improve us despite having a good squad at his disposal. I personally would like to have Liam Manning or Ryan Lowe. However if it's Ashton's call I would think it might be Streaky Lee
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blueboy1981 added 20:20 - Dec 4 Personally, I liked Paul Cook, honest, hard working Guy who knows the game well. But, at our request this is no longer the Ipswich Town we once knew that gave Managers time to build a successful team - this through new ownership is now essentially a ‘results matter' Club, just like many others are today. Owners put money in - they now expect success and money back from that success. It's fair to say PC's team recent results have not been good enough, and his reluctance to change his formation, especially at home to two up front has not impressed many. This time, whoever comes in, has to be right - otherwise the Ipswich Town Merry Go Round of Managers will continue to do nothing but further damage our Club. Best Wishes for your efforts Paul Cook and your future - a good, honest, hard working and dedicated man.

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townthroughmyveins added 20:22 - Dec 4 Our inconsistency was our only consistency!!! Its so true. We have a great side that could be capable of walking this league but it requires good honest management and a serious assessment of how to make this team gell and it clearly is not doing so at the moment. Something was very wrong with this squad and i am not sure if the management had lost the dressing room but it sure as hell seemed so. Lets hope fingers crossed that whoever comes in can sort this for the last half of the season. I for one would love to see George Burley and i know the naysayers would disagree, but honestly hand on heart who here could imagine anyone doing worse than cooke, lambert hurst...the list goes on. :)

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SeasonTKT_Cobbold added 20:24 - Dec 4 Warnock anyone?!
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ringwoodblue added 20:28 - Dec 4 ^^^ Please please not Warnock.
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Marinersnose added 20:28 - Dec 4 I wanted to give the man a chance but he's been a total fraud. Decisive move by the owners. Very pleased to hear this.
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