The English Championship has seen many exhilarating ascension myths, following the miracle of Leicester City, the football world has welcomed another dark horse contender for promotion— Ipswich. Although this team fell out of the Premier League 22 years ago, they have finally shown their former glory again after a long period in the doldrums. Ipswich’s journey of resurgence reminds us of Leicester City’s “Foxes spirit,” but this time, it’s played out by a group of underdog grassroots players and a young, promising coach.
In this Championship promotion battle, other well-known teams failed to become the focus of attention. Instead, Ipswich has shown remarkable strength, defeating numerous rivals, and firmly grasping the ticket to the Premier League in their hands. Their feat tells the world with strength that even if they were once forgotten, they will never give up the pursuit of their dreams.
To some extent, Ipswich’s road to rise owes much to their coach, a post-85 tactician and team manager who has excelled in football strategy and team management. Since taking over, he has not only shaped a team capable in both offence and defence but has also led them to leap from the Football League One to the Premier League in just two years. This steady and proactive approach to scoring points has undoubtedly added valuable substance to Ipswich.
In attack, Ipswich showed strong scoring ability throughout the season, leading the Championship with an impressive 92 goals. This not only reflects their explosiveness on offence but also demonstrates the team’s overall fighting spirit and execution. Defensively, with only six losses, they also proved that Ipswich is far from mediocre.
Behind this Ipswich team is the shadow of Solskjaer. Two of his former assistants at Manchester United, who each chose a different path, and Ipswich’s manager came from one of these two. McKenna made a name for himself during his time at Manchester United and then chose to coach independently. He has combined his coaching philosophy with the tactical essence of Manchester United, shaping Ipswich into a microcosm of a Premier League runner-up team.
Indeed, Ipswich’s road to rising was not smooth, but it is precisely such a team, with determination and teamwork climbing to the peak, that resonated with countless fans. Now, “Tractor Boys” are set to bring their big wheels to the Premier League’s pitches. Let us wait and see their impressive performance on the Premier League fields.
When McKenna’s tactical design is implemented on the pitch, the effect is significant. The right-back’s inward tactics endow him with the role of a third centre-back, while the left-back is assigned a more proactive task—they are responsible not only for the team’s ball-playing and assists but also for transitioning into an offensive wing-back. The double pivots protect in front of the centre-backs while not forgetting to use long passes to initiate quick attacks. Such tactical arrangements make the left flank the team’s primary direction of attack, while the right side takes on more of a role in cutting inside for shots and combinations.
Under this tactic, Ipswich Town’s left-back Rief Davis’s assist power was explosive, reaching 18 times, a brilliance not inferior to Robertson in the lower league, while the versatile Chaplin emerged at the shadow striker position, as evidenced by his scorecard of 13 goals and 8 assists. But it’s not just the offense that commands respect, it’s their fighting spirit—the team scored 27 goals in the last half-hour of the matches this season, especially the 16 goals in the final 15 minutes.
In the Ipswich lineup, every striker has killer abilities, regardless of youth or experience, each with their own unique value. Even in the elite-packed Premier League, their performance might not be top-notch, but in the Championship, they are already capable of changing the course of the game on their own.
By comparison, what raises questions about Ipswich is the identity of the team’s biggest star. It might be the center-forward Kayden Jackson with Chinese heritage, whose naturalization has been a topic of hot discussion, a Welsh giant who has always been a clear-cut support player on the field. Despite Connor Chaplin’s heroic performance this season, wearing the number 10 jersey for many years, he’s never experienced playing in the top-flight league in his 27-year career. As for players like Morsey, Sam Morsy, and Hutchinson, even in the Championship, they are not so-called star players.
Moreover, Ipswich heavily relies on substitutes from Manchester United, like Brandon Williams and Tuanzebe. Without these players joining, Ipswich’s lineup would be somewhat thin. Located in Suffolk, East Anglia, this team is not very competitive in the market, with agriculture, horse racing, and container ports drawing more attention than football.
In McKenna’s first full season in League One, even as a Championship team, Ipswich maintained its cost-effective transfer strategy, with a summer transfer window spend just under €2.5 million.
Facing the upcoming season, they prefer to rent Hutchinson from Chelsea again instead of investing heavily to celebrate the promotion. In this context, it is difficult to say how strong Ipswich really is.
It’s easy to understand why, during the season in which Ipswich went from a potentially relegated team to a strong contender for promotion to the Premier League, the club’s financial support did not involve large expenses. The team largely relies on the efforts of players from various places, who earn respect through their fighting process and achievements. Clearly, compared to some other clubs, Ipswich lacks a luxurious roster, does not have a solid youth system like others, nor a strong market appeal and fan base. However, they still try their best to do the best they can.
In the challenge of the Premier League, Ipswich’s survival journey may be fraught with difficulties. In the past, Ipswich’s history in the Premier League is not optimistic: the 9-0 defeat to Manchester United in the 1994-95 season remains a significant mortification in the Premier League history to this day; in 2002, they suffered two rounds total 11-0 defeat to Liverpool; in one Boxing Day match in the old Division One, they even suffered a 1-10 defeat to Fulham. However, Ipswich has had its moments of glory, winning their only top-tier league championship in 1961-62, and defeating AZ Alkmaar in the 1980-81 UEFA Cup final, securing a precious European trophy.
In the upcoming season, with revenue from TV broadcasting and league profit sharing, Ipswich will receive at least 100 million pounds in income. With these funds, they will welcome their richest years in history. However, it is clear that their current, relatively modest squad needs a comprehensive upgrade. Coach McKenna might need to utilize his connections from Manchester United as well as the wider transfer market to further strengthen the team’s capabilities. Last season, Luton, with a similarly insufficient roster, miraculously advanced, showing that despite commendable courage, strength is the key factor for staying up in the league.
Despite facing challenges, Ipswich does not lack resources in terms of celebrity support. Singer Ed Sheeran is one of their jersey sponsors and is also an ardent local fan. He concluded his Divide tour in 2019 and stated that the club is an important part of the community, and he greatly enjoys watching Ipswich’s matches. Such support is an encouragement for the team, with the hope of bringing a longer and more successful journey in the Premier League in the future.
