Ipswich Town have enjoyed a season beyond their supporters’ wildest dreams after following up their promotion from League One last season, sealing a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
In doing so, they have become just the fifth team to win back-to-back Premier League promotions after Watford in 1999, Manchester City in 2000, Norwich in 2011 and Southampton in 2012.
Here we take a look at how Ipswich finally ended their long wait to return to the Premier League.
Ipswich’s Premier League past
For 22 years Ipswich have been away from the Premier League but will begin their third spell in the division when they return next season.
Their first spell was between 1992 and 1995 with Ipswich securing one of the coveted places in the inaugural Premier League season of 1992/93, winning the old Division Two the previous season.
After their relegation in 1995, they spent five seasons in the second division before returning for the first time in 2000 with a play-off final victory over Barnsley.
They enjoyed a remarkable first campaign back, securing fifth place and qualifying for the UEFA Cup under George Burley, who was named Premier League manager of the year.
But the following season everything went wrong and Ipswich were relegated, beginning a spell outside England’s top flight that lasted more than two decades.
What happened next?
Ipswich experienced a gradual and painful decline. At their lowest point, the Tractor Boys found themselves finishing 11th in League One as several managers tried but failed to steer them in the opposite direction back to the Premier League.
Joe Royle initially came close by reaching back-to-back Championship play-off semi-finals in 2004 and 2005. But they found themselves treading water for the next nine seasons.
Permanent managers Jim Magilton, Roy Keane and Paul Jewell came and went during this period until Mick McCarthy’s side (pictured below) also reached the play-off semi-finals in 2015.
Then came three more seasons out of the promotion picture before, in 2019, they were relegated to the third tier, League One, for the first time since 1957, after finishing bottom under Paul Lambert.
Lambert could not bring Ipswich back and neither could his successor Paul Cook.
Ipswich finally struck gold with new American owners Gamechanger 20 Ltd, who ended Marcus Evans’ 13-year ownership in 2021 and are backed by an American pension fund, appointed Kieran McKenna.
Who is Kieran McKenna?
McKenna was a young midfielder at Tottenham before being forced to retire at the age of 22 with a hip injury before he could make his first-team debut.
Since then he has successfully channeled his energy and expertise into coaching.
McKenna had Academy roles at Spurs and Manchester United before joining the first-team coaching staff at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho, Ralf Rangnick until Ipswich handed him his first managerial role in December 2021.
McKenna’s Ipswich Impact
A sign of what was to come was there in McKenna’s first half season.
Although he was unable to secure a play-off spot after winning when he was 12th, he won seven of his first 10 matches, keeping seven clean sheets in that run and eventually went a club-record 559 minutes without conceding a goal.
Then came back-to-back promotions, with Ipswich’s points total this season surpassing Southampton’s previous league best of 88 promotion places, set in 2012.
McKenna achieved both promotions playing some bold and brave attacking football which has certainly entertained the supporters.
Ipswich scored 101 goals in League One and led the Championship scorers with 92.
Playing from the back is key to his philosophy and the meticulous McKenna’s methods have paid off on countless occasions.
Winger Wes Burns’ off-foot goal against Coventry in December, which went viral, was just one example of a goal scored by Ipswich at the end of a move that started close to their own goal.
As well as a win for his coaching, Ipswich’s promotion is also a result of the never-say-die spirit McKenna has cultivated.
No team has won more points after falling behind their own 32 or scored more goals in the last 15 minutes than Ipswich’s 25.
Substitute goals have also been a feature of McKenna’s Ipswich side as his side have tested the owners’ motto of running into adversity and demanding to fight to the end, a nod to the pension fund’s fireman and policeman instincts. and which ultimately supports the club.
Key players
Leif Davis (left back, 24)
The Englishman joined from Leeds in 2022. He topped the League One assist charts, with 14, and repeated the trick in the Championship with 18 before the final day. A stage set player and big outing from open play too with Ipswich’s tireless running up and down the left. Goals from his cut-backs were a common feature.
Sam Morsi (center midline, 32)
The Ipswich captain and Mr Consistent. The fans’ player of the year failed to start just four league games all season. His 14 bookings and 73 fouls – the league’s highest in the last weekend – and the second-highest tackles in the division (116) underline the Egyptian’s fighting qualities.
Vaclav Hladky (goalkeeper, 33)
Cezch were Ipswich’s No.2 during their League One campaign, but grabbed their chance in the Championship with both hands following a pre-season injury to former first-choice goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Hladky has started every league game this season and is key for Ipswich playing from the back, good with his feet and an impressive distributor. He has also made countless spectacular stops on his way to 14 clean sheets, the third-highest percentage in the league before the finals.
Omari Hutchison (extreme, 20)
The former Arsenal Academy prospect is on loan at Ipswich from Chelsea. Hutchison really came to the fore during the run-in, bringing an impressive end to his first senior loan spell.
Skilful with a work ethic to match, the left-footer has caught the eye with some spectacular goals, including his long-range double at Hull last month, his assists, tricks and acrobatic backhand celebration.
How did the season go?
Most predictions for Ipswich were a season of consolidation. At best, an outside push into the Championship play-offs.
But these expectations have been significantly exceeded.
Ipswich were rarely far from the automatic places after picking up where they left off in League One last season.
Their lowest position was sixth after their fourth-leg home defeat by Leeds, their only defeat in their opening 16 matches.
After that setback against Leeds, fourth place was as far as Ipswich fell after a run of two defeats and six draws in nine games over Christmas, New Year and February.
But six straight wins followed, taking them back up to second place, and Ipswich’s confidence during the season was further fueled by the run of late wins.
None more so than Easter Monday’s 3-2 success over Southampton thanks to Jeremy Sarmiento’s 97th-minute winner.
At that stage Ipswich were top before an East Anglia derby defeat to Norwich and three consecutive draws saw them drop out of the automatic places again.
But Leeds’ 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers reopened the door to automatic promotion.
And they finally took full advantage of their last two games against Coventry City and Huddersfield Town to seal second place in the Championship and reclaim a place in the Premier League.