Town boss Kieran McKenna will take charge of the Blues for the 100th time when they face West Brom at the Hawthorns live on Sky Sports on Saturday evening (KO 5.30pm).

McKenna was handed the reins at Portman Road in December 2021 and, after watching the 1-1 draw with Sunderland from the stands, was in the dugout for the first time for the 1-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

That win, courtesy of a James Norwood goal, was the first of 58 in his first 99 matches, the Blues having drawn 27 and lost only 14. His win percentage of 58.59 is the highest of all Town managers.

That form saw the Blues win promotion from League One last season and up to second in the Championship a third of the way through this campaign.

“It's not something that I spend a lot of time reflecting on, but sitting here right now, of course, I'm very proud to be the manager of this football club,” McKenna said when asked about reaching the milestone. “I was proud to be manager for one game and the first game against Wycombe.

“To be sitting here after 99 games, getting ready for the 100th and for an awful lot of those games having gone pretty well and the club to be in a much better position now, it’s something that I'm really proud of. 

“I'll always say it's a great honour to be manager at this football club with the history and tradition and the supporter base and some of the people who have been in this position before me. It’s something I'm very proud of and to do it for 100 games is great.

“Something that I think way in the future I'll look back on with great pride and hopefully I’ll look back on many more good games as well.

“It's something to be proud of, but in the day-to-day it's really now just focusing on West Brom and the next game and that's what we've done right the way through.

“That's what we'll continue to do, try to live in the moment and enjoy the next challenge. I'm sure I will look back in time and be proud of some of the things we've achieved so far, but for now, the focus is always on the next thing.”

The next thing could be returning to the top of the Championship if the Blues take more from their game against the Baggies than leaders Leicester are able to from their home game with Watford earlier in the afternoon.

Until losing 2-1 at Southampton in their final game before the international break, the Baggies had won three on the trot and were unbeaten in four.

They currently sit in seventh in the table, 13 points behind the Blues having finished ninth last term.

At home this season, they have won five, drawn two and lost one, a 2-1 reverse to lowly Huddersfield at the start of September.

Only three teams in the Championship have conceded fewer than the 17 they have shipped in their 16 games so far this season and only seven have scored more than their 26, including the Blues’, whose 36 is the most netted by any team in the division.

“A really strong team, no doubt about it,” McKenna reflected. “I'd say of those who came down from the Premier League, they're certainly as strong as anyone in terms of the experience in the squad, the physicality in the squad, the quality in the squad.

“Lots of players who were there in the Premier League campaign and added some top-end Championship quality to that. Really good squad, well organised and well coached and a really tough proposition.

“It's a big challenge, but it's exactly the type of challenge that we want. This league and certainly this month ahead is full of challenges, tough opponents and tough grounds to go to.

“But that's one of the reasons we wanted to be in this division. We want to test ourselves and we want to improve. We want to have these big challenges and have a chance to go and compete on that level and try and put in some big performances and see if we can get some big results against these types of teams as well.

“One we're really looking forward to. We know it's a really difficult proposition, we also know that we're a difficult proposition as well and they'll have to respect our strengths. But I think it should be a really good game.”

McKenna believes the Baggies will be among the contenders come May: “You look at the team, there's a lot of them who were there in the Premier League campaign, we played against them with Man United and they're really strong physically and had some good players then, and a lot of them still there and they've added on top of that some top Championship players.

“A really strong team, well coached and well organised as well, so I've got no doubt that they'll be up there at the end of the season. But we're probably going to say that for quite a few of the games in the next month.

“We're going to face a lot of strong teams. These are certainly one of them, certainly playing there and in a 5.30pm kick-off first game back after the international break with the energy and the atmosphere that usually brings in a stadium.

“That's a big challenge but one of the types of big challenges that we want to go and try and attack head on.”

McKenna says West Brom manager Carlos Corberán isn’t someone he has crossed paths with: “No, I know he coached Leif [Davis] and Leif's U21s [at Leeds] and he worked with Richard Keogh [at Huddersfield], so we spoke a little bit last year. A very well thought of coach but not someone I've come across.”

Town CEO Mark Ashton and chairman Mike O’Leary both have significant history with West Brom, having grown up as fans of the club and having been on the board at the Hawthorns.

“I'm seeing Mark later today, so I'm sure we'll have a chat about it,” McKenna said. “I know for him and his family as well, West Brom was a really important club for them, so I'm sure he'll enjoy going back there.

“He is very proud to be with Ipswich at this time and the same is true with Michael O’Leary.

“So, hopefully, it'll be a good day for them, made all the better by a good performance and hopefully a result.”

McKenna probably won’t stray too far from the team which beat the Swans prior to the international break, although with one or two more options following returns from illness and injury.

Vaclav Hladky will be in goal with Brandon Williams perhaps coming in at right-back for Harry Clarke having missed three games prior to the break after being unwell.

Davis will be at left-back, but McKenna has options at the centre of the defence with Axel Tuanzebe vying with Luke Woolfenden for the right-sided role.

Cameron Burgess will probably continue on the left, despite having had a busy international break which involved a game in Australia. George Edmundson is the alternative.

Massimo Luongo similarly spent time away with the Socceroos and so Jack Taylor may continue in central midfield alongside Sam Morsy.

Wes Burns returned from his shoulder injury for the final half hour against Swansea and so could return to the right side of the three behind the striker with Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead in the other roles. George Hirst will be the number nine.

West Brom could have forward Josh Maja and midfielder John Swift back in their squad after injury, while central defender Semi Ajayi and midfielders Grady Diangana and Jayson Molumby returned from international duty without suffering injuries.

Manager Carlos Corberán believes his squad is stronger than the one which lost to the Saints a fortnight ago.

“It’s always very positive to see the group grow,” he told his club’s official website. “We have recovered players who were out of the team through injury, players like John Swift and Josh Maja.

“Jeremy Sarmiento has also had two more weeks to recover too and get fitter and stronger.

“We have more options in attack and I think we are always stronger when we have everyone available and ready to compete.

“We need to see how John Swift and Josh Maja react to the training sessions this week before making a decision about Saturday’s game.

“The decision will be based on the physical values that they have achieved and the reaction of the body to the stimulation from training during the week. I am feeling positive about both players though.”

Adam Reach (quad), Daryl Dike (Achilles) and Martin Kelly (ACL) are long-term absentees.

Regarding Town, he added: “We are going to manage this game with the same level of respect that we manage every single game with.

“We know Ipswich are in the position they are in because they are doing very good things.

“They have only lost one league game all season and they have been competing in a very good way with a lot of stability. They clearly have a great understanding of the way they want to play.

“It’s our next challenge and every game is a challenge. You have challenges against teams in both bad and good positions in this league.

“We need to find the right way to compete against them and then beat them. This year, every team can beat any other team. You need to put so much work and effort in to achieve a positive result.”

Historically, Town have won 33 games between the sides (30 in the league), West Brom 22 (21) with 17 (15) ending in draws.

The Blues last won at the Hawthorns back in March 1999 when Manu Thetis netted an overhead kick before later being sent off in a 1-0 success.

Town most recently beat West Brom at Portman Road in the League Cup quarter-final in December 2010 with a Grant Leadbitter penalty the difference between the sides.

The teams last met at the Hawthorns in March 2019 during the Blues’ relegation campaign when Jon Nolan’s 48th-minute header saw Town to a 1-1 draw, the hosts having taken the lead via Stefan Johansen’s deflected fourth-minute free-kick.

Town will feel they should have claimed all three points having been on top throughout the second half and having had chances to claim what would have been only their second away victory of the campaign.

Following the match, shortly after giving his post-match press conference, Baggies boss Darren Moore was sacked.

At Portman Road in the previous November, Kayden Jackson netted his third goal of the season five minutes from time but the Blues fell to a 2-1 defeat to West Brom, who climbed to second.

Jay Rodriguez gave the visitors the lead on 26, Harvey Barnes doubled the margin in the 77th minute before sub Jackson made the most of a Tosin Adarabioyo error to pull a goal back for Town, who almost claimed what earlier had seemed an unlikely point when another sub, Jack Lankester, hit the post with a free-kick deep in injury time.

Town winger Kyle Edwards, who is on loan at Oxford, came through the academy at West Brom and made 21 senior starts and 28 sub appearances, scoring four times, before being released in the summer of 2021 when he joined the Blues.

Blues CEO Ashton was born and bred in West Bromwich and grew up supporting the club. He was a youth goalkeeper with Albion - playing under Town legend Brian Talbot - and subsequently held various community and coaching roles before switching to the business side of the club, eventually joining the board.

Town chairman O’Leary is another former boyhood Baggies fan-turned-director and was the chief executive at the Hawthorns for two years.

West Brom centre-half Ajayi was on trial with Town in January 2015 when he played a game for the U21s, while full-back Conor Townsend was the subject of an offer from the Blues in the summer of 2018 but they lost out to the Baggies when the former Hull City man left Scunthorpe.

Saturday’s referee is Gavin Ward from Surrey, who has shown 42 yellow cards and no red in 11 matches so far this season.

Ward’s most recent Town match was the 3-2 home victory over Plymouth last month in which he yellow-carded Woolfenden, Luongo, Williams and Edmundson as well as two Pilgrims.

Argyle were adamant they should have been awarded a penalty and Edmundson shown a red card after sliding in on Mustapha Bundu just before half-time, however, replays of the incident were inconclusive at best.

That was Ward’s second Town match this season having already visited Suffolk for the 3-2 home victory over Cardiff in which he booked Williams, Broadhead, Burns, Harry Clarke and three Bluebirds.

He was also in the middle for the pre-season friendly against Luton at Colchester, in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout, and the 3-0 win at Peterborough in April in which he booked Morsy, Chaplin, Burns and one Posh player.

He was also in charge of the 2-0 home defeat to Rotherham in November 2021 in which he again yellow-carded Morsy and three of the visitors.

Before that, he refereed the 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood in March the same year in which he cautioned Gwion Edwards and two home players.

Prior to that he took control of the 3-2 home victory over Leeds in the final Championship game prior to relegation from the Championship in May 2019 in which he booked Jackson, Toto Nsiala, and one White, and showed Blues captain Luke Chambers a late straight red card for a foul for which he also awarded the visitors a penalty.

Ward was also the man in the middle for the 6-1 pre-season thrashing at Charlton ahead of the start of the 2017/18 campaign and refereed the 1-0 away victory over the MK Dons in December 2015 in which he yellow-carded Chambers, Jonathan Douglas and Freddie Sears.

A month earlier he had taken charge of the 2-2 draw at home to Wolves in which he again cautioned Chambers and two visiting players.

Ward also took control of the 3-1 home victory over Cardiff in April of the same year in which he booked Cole Skuse, Tyrone Mings and Christophe Berra and two visiting players. Prior to that he refereed the 2-0 defeat at Rotherham that February.

Squad from: Hladky, Walton, Clarke, Williams, Donacien, Davis, Woolfenden, Burgess, Edmundson, Tuanzebe, Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, Ball, Humphreys, Burns, Jackson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Harness, Aluko, Hutchinson, Hirst, Ladapo, Jackson, Scarlett.

Photo: TWTD

suffolkpoker added 17:04 - Nov 23 wow 100 games... time goes quickly when your having fun!
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MK1 added 17:48 - Nov 23 Be happy when you can put another zero on the end of that.
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Suffolkboy added 20:51 - Nov 23 Don’t you just love having this man as Manager ? — backed by a great off field team too ! Onwards ITFC ! COYB
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slade1 added 06:18 - Nov 24 I used to skip through these notes when McCarthy Hurst, Lambert and Cook were here but I read every word that Kieran has to say because its interesting and sensible, We are lucky to have such a knowledgeable man who knows the game and tactics inside out. A professor of football. ps. WBA were not relegated from the premier Keiran, that was 3 seasons ago lol
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markytitfc added 09:23 - Nov 24 Slade1 Read it in context
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blueboy1981 added 11:20 - Nov 24 The start of a VERY testing run of Fixtures, let’s hope McK has fixed that leaky defence - or else !!
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Chickenstochurchmans added 12:05 - Nov 24 Bit of respect for Mick O’Brien, Phil. 64.1% win percentage and the Irishman who got the professional ITFC ball rolling in the first place.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:46 - Nov 24 Dosnt time fly when you are enjoying yourself , Long may you reign Kieran . COYB
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:50 - Nov 24 well done Blueboy managed to get your little hint of negativity in lol. Cheer up we are bound to lose a game soon, you will be able to give it a right old go then .
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blueboy1981 added 18:02 - Nov 24 Dirty’ - a Dose of Reality will do you no harm ! - just watch the GA Column, maybe with some apprehension over this next period …. !! But lets hope there is no need - Yes ??
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dirtydingusmagee added 22:27 - Nov 24 blueboy agree it is going to be a tough month ahead , but hey we are in a good place enjoy the moment and hope for the best, i doubt [if honest] many imagined we would be in this position now, so lets stay positive, dont talk up a down turn in fortune .
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 23:33 - Nov 24 Lees draw at Rotherham means a point in this one would be a great result!
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:14 - Nov 25 blueboy, with respect, i must say when it comes to a reality check , i think you and a few others are the ones needing it . Lets just IMAGINE one day Mark Ashton was sitting at his desk ,feet on table with a spliff, and reading the comments on here, and he decided to get rid of Kieron, and replace him with someone who thinks knows better, ie blueboy, WHERE would the club be then ? i would hazard a guess and put my money on us being in the brown stuff. THAT IS REALITY, so lets let the club under the regime we have now do their job . Keyboard management isnt reality.

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blueboy1981 added 10:12 - Nov 25 Dirty’ … you get away with mentioning Words that I don’t - Interesting ?
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Ebantiass added 11:34 - Nov 25 No doubt a very tough fixture ,we would do very well to get something from this game. I fear we will need many goals as our defence is not too solid as of lately. We can however score goals and teams know we score from all over the park. Can see another high scoring game possibly 3-3 Good luck lads and the travelling bluearmy.
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Linkboy13 added 12:50 - Nov 25 Would be a massive boost to have both Williams and Burns back . We can win this league if we can sort our central defence out. Both Wolfenden and Burgess are decent but at this level decent is not good enough. The pace and mobility of championship strikers have found them wanting at times.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:02 - Nov 25 blueboy, it may be the way they are used , it was tongue in cheek no offence intended no accusations,just lightening up the post , cant imagine it could be anything else, if my post needs editing im happy for it to be edited and im sure it would have been . Dont worry about it. wink
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