Ipswich

[New Forester]

Well done our ex Pompey lads! Straight up. It can be done.

[itsaintfunny]

Ipswich have invested well in the team and deserve promotion.
Think I saw somewhere its 22 years since they were last in the Prem.

[meakinsl]

Southampton in Play offs with Leeds who they beat today but could be a difficult proposition in the final if both make it, could yet be playing them next season, well done to Ipswich, bit of an inspiration although even in wildest dreams can’t see us getting automatic next season but looking forward to first few games which should give us some idea on how we will fair

[GreenBlue]

Birmingham are relegated. We won't be facing them next year which is good as they would have invested heavily. Plymouth and Blackburn will be easier propositions.

[Mickemo]

Congratulations to Ipswich Town, thoroughly deserved double promotion, McKenna has done a sterling job and looks to be destined to bigger things (no disrespect to Ipswich).

[Blue Walter]

Obviously the investment by the Ipswich owners has paid off. Mckenna has done a brilliant job, but they have spent big. Their team was at least two years in the making which meant they were the class act of League One last season. Last season they looked like a good Championship side then and they have now proved they are.

As we know promoted clubs have a clear out at the end a successful season, more so when going up to the Premiership. It will be interesting to see if the players with Pompey connections get to play in the Premiership. I suspect that Chaplin might but I wonder whether Hirst or Harness may well be in the jettison crew.

Big clubs in League One again next season with Birmingham and Huddersfield joining Charlton.

[Jaspers ghost]

Southampton in Play offs with Leeds who they beat today but could be a difficult proposition in the final if both make it, could yet be playing them next season, well done to Ipswich, bit of an inspiration although even in wildest dreams can’t see us getting automatic next season but looking forward to first few games which should give us some idea on how we will fair

We are going nowhere this season IMHO .

I just hope both Derby games pass off without idiots from both sides .

[Blue Walter]

I can understand the rivalry and the sheer tribalism that come to the surface in derby games, I know that from personal experience. What I don't understand is the violent nonsense that accompanies it, or the want to inflict physical harm on people just because they support another team. Most people know supporters of other teams, including Southampton, I have Saints supporting friends and even family. We can all mix socially and domestically and act in a civilised way without the need to cause harm on each other. When it comes to the actual match day derby some people lose control of themselves and verbally, and sometimes physically, assault people who they would normally be fine with.

On the other hand there is nothing like Pompey beating Saints for me. I still get that warm glow of satisfaction and joy when I hear that song 'Is this the to Amarillo' by Tony Christie. My mind goes back to that warm sunny day when LuaLua somersaults his way into Pompey legend.

[phat_chris]

I can understand the rivalry and the sheer tribalism that come to the surface in derby games, I know that from personal experience. What I don't understand is the violent nonsense that accompanies it, or the want to inflict physical harm on people just because they support another team. Most people know supporters of other teams, including Southampton, I have Saints supporting friends and even family. We can all mix socially and domestically and act in a civilised way without the need to cause harm on each other. When it comes to the actual match day derby some people lose control of themselves and verbally, and sometimes physically, assault people who they would normally be fine with.

On the other hand there is nothing like Pompey beating Saints for me. I still get that warm glow of satisfaction and joy when I hear that song 'Is this the to Amarillo' by Tony Christie. My mind goes back to that warm sunny day when LuaLua somersaults his way into Pompey legend.

Dunno why, but I always smile when I see a 4-1 scoreline no matter who is involved in the match.

[Pompey1984+1]

They haven't spent crazy money by championship standards. They posted losses of £18 millon the season they got out of league one though.

[Pompey55]

They haven't spent crazy money by championship standards. They posted losses of £18 millon the season they got out of league one though.

They posted losses of 12 million the year before plus much like our own owners an increase in shares (equity) of 14 million
So as they had no real expenditure on infrastructure as we had they have spent a total of 44 million to get here they are
Wage bill on its own in 2021/22 was 16 million almost 40% more than our income for that season
Their wage bill for 2022/3 was close to 20 million
Is that not crazy money for league one ?
Their is no way we could replicate that on income alone with our current capacity

[Blue Walter]

They haven't spent crazy money by championship standards. They posted losses of £18 millon the season they got out of league one though.

They posted losses of 12 million the year before plus much like our own owners an increase in shares (equity) of 14 million
So as they had no real expenditure on infrastructure as we had they have spent a total of 44 million to get here they are
Wage bill on its own in 2021/22 was 16 million almost 40% more than our income for that season
Their wage bill for 2022/3 was close to 20 million
Is that not crazy money for league one ?
Their is no way we could replicate that on income alone with our current capacity

Apparently, by Championship standards, they have spent a fraction of what most successful Championship teams spend this last season. However, they basically built their team the season before but their spending by League One standards was enormous. They still done well though considering they were competing with teams that wealthy due to parachute payments.

[Quantum of Stowmarket]

Thank you for a mention over there (down there) on the South Coast. Yes it was 2002 the last time Ipswich were in the top league and you can take it from me that for the most part it's been pretty awful, uneventful, going nowhere, achieving nothing, half-empty stadium, little to no hope of ever making it back. In fact it's been all those things. Marcus Evans (owner before O'Leary and Game Changer Group) very nearly sent us into League 2 - League 2 ! - only three or four seasons back and but not for the grace of god and McKenna and the new owners coming in, we would surely be there now. Mark Ashton was a big failure with Bristol City but as CEO with us he's actually helped our progress and been a pivotal part of the new success. A lot of fans myself included were doubtful when he came over but credit where it's due he's been an integral part of where we now find ourselves and going to be once again a Premier League club name from August.

Yes we haven't spent much at all, a number of shrewd loan players came in over the season and really fitted in and worked well with the existing squad. Revenue was up by a big margin by way of gate receipts (we get over 25,000 plus for most home games even midweek) while merchandise and club memorabilia has sold increasingly better than ever before during our new resurgence. Next seasons season tickets are already on sale and you can bet there's going to be bumper sales and eagerness not seen for many a year particularly given the promotion.

We've lost only 6 games in the league, amassed 96 points and total league highest scorers, so if any rival fans try an attempt as to "why we deserve it" I think the answer can be found in those statistics alone. How we managed to lose to a team from the 6th or 7th division of the league tiers in the F.A Cup at Portman Road back earlier this year even now escapes me but whatever injustice occurred that day I think has now been redeemed by the players and the humiliation of that game paid back in full by way of automatic promotion to the highest league after 20 plus years of being away from it all.

I don't know how long McKenna can feasibly remain in charge with us. Two successive promotions, all those games won, so few lost, and so many goals scored with it, his star has to be burning brightest of all club names outside of the premier league but now we're back and going to be part of it, can he really make it at the highest level. There will be no repeats of the 9 - 0 defeat we suffered there once upon a time as the squad and team set-up we have right now is so much stronger and prepared than before but it only takes a few of the most pivotal players we have (Hladky, Burns, Chaplin, Morsy, Broadhead etc) to leave or move on and the manager with it, for real cracks to appear and worry we can or will drop back to the second league at the first attempt without even having the chance to really experience top level football again after so long away.

We can't play you now (as we're moving on up from the Championship) despite your promotion also and that's a shame as I look forward to when us and Portsmouth meet twice a season and the game chatter between sets of fans but it's been 22 years since we were a top level club name and while some of our fanbase may be or are simply blinded by the current success and focused only on next season and the perhaps misguided belief we can only get better or expect greater reward without really taking proper time to survey the potential or eventual pitfalls, I think I speak on behalf of everyone at Portman Road that it's a pleasure to be a Premier League club team once again.

Yes it feels strange, as would any team that's been away from it all since 2002, but a pleasure all the same. We're relieved to have avoided the play-offs as our record the past 27 years in far from impressive and beaten just about every time we were involved and if we were to have fallen into it we would have played Norwich - in which very likely we would have been beaten over two games (they have a clear psychological edge, we haven't won against them in any game for 15 years) and all the hard work for this season really would have been for little or nothing. Now we can sit back and watch them sweat and suffer. I've read on a number of rival sites how good it would be to have both big name East Anglia clubs in the premier league - but they're not us, they don't understand the rivalry. Sorry but it's Town or nothing - I don't want them with us. I wish them every misfortune and sincerely hope they fail to make it and miss out. They've had enough time and fun to provoke our own misfortunes and underachievement, now it's their turn to squirm and worry and we can look on and enjoy it when they eventually miss out.

We're looking to expand Portman Road in the future with lots of (proposed) new facilities, increased capacity and sports halls and a swimming pool but premier league again or not I think some are getting a little carried away with the last two seasons success and need to understand we could just as quickly or easily fall back into League One in a short time if we aren't properly prepared for the next season ahead and most influential names within the club set-up were to ever move on or try an attempt with a bigger more established team. Can't think of much else to add to it as covered the basics but from a fan of the club who's been with every game this season and seen the success of the last two years build from the ashes of near total disarray before it, I feel that's pretty good summing up.

[Blue Walter]

Hi Quantum of Stowmarket, thank you for your post and a greater insight into your Club.

I don't think we will be able to match your feat of two successful promotions, it would be a nice thought but unrealistic. I think our aim would be initially to stay in the Championship and become established there before anything else. I would think your owners had the advantage of inheriting a ground and infrastructure already in place, whereas ours was a shambles. I would think our owners will approach the Championship in much the same way as League One where we 'marked time' for a period whilst the club, as a whole, was made ready for the step up. Our owners are ambitious but their by word is pragmatism. That is not criticism because we have visited near oblivion on several occasions in the last 30 years. I was talking to someone recently who was involved in saving our club and then selling the club to the Eisners. He told me that the club could have carried on and competed at the lower level but they would have had to close large parts of the ground. He told me that our present owners were the only people that had an interest in underpinning the clubs infrastructure and had the ability to do it. I think this is the biggest difference in our club and a club like yours where your team was the main financial beneficial as you were 'oven ready' as a club. None of our previous recent owners had any interest, or financial ability, to build the club up but had only focus on the team.

So Norwich is your Southampton? I would have thought that being neighbours you would have had a nice friendly sharing existence. A sort of neighbourly love of shared existence in your corner of the country. We have that matey and chummy relationship with Southampton down here. Often we hear the Fratton End chant "Saints are our chums, hurrah for Saints". So it does surprise me that you talk in such disparaging terms concerning your dear neighbours.

Anyway good luck for next season and I hope Chaplin becomes a real star that I thought he could be when he played for us.

[blue-two]

Hi Quantum of Stowmarket, thank you for your post and a greater insight into your Club.

I don't think we will be able to match your feat of two successful promotions, it would be a nice thought but unrealistic. I think our aim would be initially to stay in the Championship and become established there before anything else. I would think your owners had the advantage of inheriting a ground and infrastructure already in place, whereas ours was a shambles. I would think our owners will approach the Championship in much the same way as League One where we 'marked time' for a period whilst the club, as a whole, was made ready for the step up. Our owners are ambitious but their by word is pragmatism. That is not criticism because we have visited near oblivion on several occasions in the last 30 years. I was talking to someone recently who was involved in saving our club and then selling the club to the Eisners. He told me that the club could have carried on and competed at the lower level but they would have had to close large parts of the ground. He told me that our present owners were the only people that had an interest in underpinning the clubs infrastructure and had the ability to do it. I think this is the biggest difference in our club and a club like yours where your team was the main financial beneficial as you were 'oven ready' as a club. None of our previous recent owners had any interest, or financial ability, to build the club up but had only focus on the team.

So Norwich is your Southampton? I would have thought that being neighbours you would have had a nice friendly sharing existence. A sort of neighbourly love of shared existence in your corner of the country. We have that matey and chummy relationship with Southampton down here. Often we hear the Fratton End chant "Saints are our chums, hurrah for Saints". So it does surprise me that you talk in such disparaging terms concerning your dear neighbours.

Anyway good luck for next season and I hope Chaplin becomes a real star that I thought he could be when he played for us.

That's how I brought my boys up. Hurrah the scummers.