Ipswich town squad size



This is coming from a club that said 25m Adam Webster wasn’t worth the 2.5m we paid 😉

For any Sunlan fans still interested in Ipswich’s squad, a better articulated view of Ashton, courtesy of @DaveFevs

“Hi, tried to post last night, but unable to do so. Bristol City fan in peace. Quite like your club, always seemed to do things properly.

Firstly most Bristol City fans have no feeling of entitlement to the Premier League, far from it. Our history, bar two short spells in the top flight has yo-yo'd between the second and third tier.

Onto Mark Ashton. I'm one of the more vocal posters on our forum OTIB (one team in bristol) and Twitter (@fevsfootball), so thought I'd take up the offer for a "sensible" (you can decide after this post) City fan to give their reasons.

Firstly a bit of history.

2012 - Ashton first came to City in 2012/13 as a consultant for his company Tactical Change Ltd. He got rid of the Head of Recruitment (Russ Richardson) who was Derek McInnes's man and implemented a recruitment database. He will tell you he delivered Cat 2 Academy status but he didn't.

When McInnes was sacked for poor results and terrible recruitment of older players on big contracts who went through the motions (players sourced using Ashton's database), Sean O'Driscoll was appointed and re-laid the foundations. Bringing a Head of Recruitment back in (Keith Burt) from Forest, binning the database and went back to traditional scouting methods.

O'Driscoll / Burt brought in Fielding, Pack, Flint, Derek Williams, and gave Joe Brian, Bobby Reid and Wes Burns game time.

Results were crap, but most fans feel he helped build the foundations for Steve Cotterill (who along with Burt) signed Ayling, Little, Wilbraham, Korey Smith, Kodjia, Wilbraham, Luke Freeman, Ryan Fredericks etc as we romped to the Lg1 title and began life in the Champ.

We struggled in 15/16 and with our owner Lansdown wondering whether to sack Cotts, Ashton was brought back in (again as consultant) early December 2015 to sack Cotts. Cotts knew the writing was on the wall because Burt (with O'Driscoll) had thrown Ashton's crappy database in the bin. Cotts was sacked then Ashton officially announced as Chief Operating Officer (COO), but getting his feet under the table. Lee Johnson appointed.

He quickly removed Keith Burt, then the scouting network (people like Mervyn Day over time). By the following summer he self-promoted himself as CEO, yet was far too involved in Recruitment. Our latest accounts show he earned £540k p.a. salary....four times that of other directors and out of kilter for a club whose football side had revenues of £16m.

He made good money selling players inherited from the previous recruitment teams but of the 69 players signed during his time here, very few were true successes (Webster and Brownhill the two main ones), quite a lot of 'meh' signings and a series of players that never played, many leaving on free transfers because the re-contracting strategy was piss-poor. It suits Ashton to have high churn, so he can curry favour with fans with each new signing. I blame Johnson and Ashton for this - they were a dangerous combo that resolved probs and boosted each other's egos by signing players, not by coaching on the training ground. Johnson famous for always wanting another "club in the bag" (his Dad's saying), Ashton enjoying the thrill of a new signing. Quite a lot of Wasseman players....ring a bell?

Basically over his time our costs grew stupidly and performances on the pitch dropped until Johnson sacked, and Covid has brought forward our struggling finances. Ashton went very quiet in his final year here. The club's pre-season tour to Florida in 2019 was him first sounding out US Investors (NSL investors looking at UK)....eventually culminating in Gamechanger Ltd. He took his eyes off the ball at City as he and O'Leary started working on the Ipswich deal.

He is a footballer wannabe, not good enough to make it as a keeper at West From...worked in their Community Programme for years but his CV would lead you to believe he was a Director there. He wasn't...he might've given himself that title.

It was at West Brom he got to know Mike O'Leary (your Chairman) and links to Eales at Oxford, etc.

It is well worth chedcking Companies House for the various businesses that Mark Anthony Ashton is or has been linked to:

Tactical Change
Grove Life
Alicydon (O'Leary)

either himself or with his wife (ex-wife?).

then look at LinkedIn and see the links to Luke Werhun (can never remember whether he's his nephew or brother-in-law), who has only ever worked in football for Ashton. No idea what qualifications he has to be Head of Operations at City and Club Secretary.

Then of course you'll find Andy Rolls and Andy Costin too. Rolls oversaw our shambolic injury record last season. I can't comment any more than that, but the cynic might look at his time at Arsenal and West Ham too.

Ashton has built himself a protective bubble. I'm sure he's a decent enough Football Administrator, but he does not know the football-playing side, the bit he is desperate to be associated with, hence why you have no recruitment dept....because it gives him control to use his contacts not scout players based on their ability / fit to the managers system. I see you're not even using data. I appreciate you let a lot of players go, but players signed earlier in the window must be wondering why another player has been signed in their position. Fraser and Barry etc must be worrying what they signed up to. Cook, I'm disappointed in, but he's the fall-guy....don't forget he talked himself out of the City job when interviewed last summer. I think he saw through Ashton at the interview.

There is no jealousy, I am so glad he has gone. I am angry that he pulled the wool over the eyes of our owner, I'm very disappointed Lee Johnson didn't have the balls to call him out over transfer business.

Go and ask Watford fans their view!

No smoke without fire.

Go and look at Bristol City's accounts, the rising costs, wages, amortisation. I'd love got see the money trail to agents.

No sensible City fan builds their view of Ashton by the way he talks or dresses, they have formed their opinion on how badly he ran our football club. Without the players he sold that were there before he arrived, his ability to recruit players is pretty poor, usually with overpaid fees and wages - he benefitted from an inflationary market....thats no longer viable.

Sorry, bit of a rant, but don't think we are jealous he's left us for you. I hope you see through him...it might take a couple of windows for you to realise he's out of his depth, and will constrain your club going forward.

Feel free to respond with any questions (or abuse!!!) 😂😂😂
I gave up after the first line. Most Ipswich fans thought you absolutely robbed us only paying 2.5m for him. Although im sure after add one it ended nearer 4m but even that was daylight robbery.
 
I gave up after the first line. Most Ipswich fans thought you absolutely robbed us only paying 2.5m for him. Although im sure after add one it ended nearer 4m but even that was daylight robbery.
My mate Brian ( massive ITFC fan) who I met on holiday 20 years ago, reckons a resounding win on Satday Vs Bolton :rolleyes: .
He's too tight to pay for Sky so he didn't see Bolton totally outplay Burton. Given you are still tinkering about with your team, I have a feeling you might get a shock IF, Bolton play anything like the way they did Monday.
 
I imagine they got up the following season then? Seem to remember it was around then that Stewart and that got them in Europe
I *think* they lost in the playoffs in our Reid season of domination, then won the playoffs the following year, then finished 5th in the PL (when we got 7th) so achieved Europe!

Good times for both teams. Stewart was a right goal scorer like. Envious that they made Europe but what a run they went on, never minded Ipswich but don’t like this whole pension fund/spend stupid money in L1 thing they’ve got going on. Funny that they haven’t won yet mind :lol:
 
I *think* they lost in the playoffs in our Reid season of domination, then won the playoffs the following year, then finished 5th in the PL (when we got 7th) so achieved Europe!

Good times for both teams. Stewart was a right goal scorer like. Envious that they made Europe but what a run they went on, never minded Ipswich but don’t like this whole pension fund/spend stupid money in L1 thing they’ve got going on. Funny that they haven’t won yet mind :lol:

I don’t like it either. We’ve seen it play out before very recently here though.

Walton

Vincent-Young - Edmundson - Burgess - Coulson

Morsy - Evans - Fraser

Edwards - Bonne - Chaplin​

Looks decent at this level and they should be challenging. Jackson, Woolfenden, Piggot and Burns all good options. I expect them to pick up and the fall short - similar to what we’ve done on a few occasions.

On a side note, loved Marcus Stewart when he was here.

 
I don’t like it either. We’ve seen it play out before very recently here though.

Walton

Vincent-Young - Edmundson - Burgess - Coulson

Morsy - Evans - Fraser

Edwards - Bonne - Chaplin​

Looks decent at this level and they should be challenging. Jackson, Woolfenden, Piggot and Burns all good options. I expect them to pick up and the fall short - similar to what we’ve done on a few occasions.

On a side note, loved Marcus Stewart when he was here.

Add Tom Carroll, Rekeem Harper and Louie Barry to the bench and it’s a very competitive swuad.

The thing is, I have no idea if they have any specific underlying football philosophy ‘play style’ that’s being implemented, or whether it’s just try to get a load of random championship players in to win us games.

The thing I’m most excited by with our squad is the football we’re producing - playing it out from the back, direct forward passing at every opportunity, link up play between midfield and forwards - so refreshing and it’s clear as day that Speakman and LJ are executing something specific.

We’ll have to wait and see, and it’s only the 6th game approaching, but being 9? Points behind is already a handicap
 
Add Tom Carroll, Rekeem Harper and Louie Barry to the bench and it’s a very competitive swuad.

The thing is, I have no idea if they have any specific underlying football philosophy ‘play style’ that’s being implemented, or whether it’s just try to get a load of random championship players in to win us games.

The thing I’m most excited by with our squad is the football we’re producing - playing it out from the back, direct forward passing at every opportunity, link up play between midfield and forwards - so refreshing and it’s clear as day that Speakman and LJ are executing something specific.

We’ll have to wait and see, and it’s only the 6th game approaching, but being 9? Points behind is already a handicap
Barry won’t be getting near it in my opinion. I doubt Villa will be too happy about it and I doubt many other clubs will be giving much consideration to loaning their best prospects to Ipswich any time soon in a hurry (not that they need it).

They do have Celina to add to that line up though.
 
That faint sound you can hear is a penny starting to drop.


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Here's your mate Ashton spouting off
Imagine buying 19 new players man :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ashton on Town's summer spend, finance rules and planning ahead

There was a plan apparently !

Mind 38 players left so they had to get some in !!!!
 
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Big piece in The Athletic with Cook and Ashton front and centre talking about how great their summer has been.


You'd think, given that they have no wins from their first 5 games, they would have the sense to read the room and keep their heads down at least until they start to win games?
 
My mate Brian ( massive ITFC fan) who I met on holiday 20 years ago, reckons a resounding win on Satday Vs Bolton :rolleyes: .
He's too tight to pay for Sky so he didn't see Bolton totally outplay Burton. Given you are still tinkering about with your team, I have a feeling you might get a shock IF, Bolton play anything like the way they did Monday.
Bump :lol:
 
Big piece in The Athletic with Cook and Ashton front and centre talking about how great their summer has been.


You'd think, given that they have no wins from their first 5 games, they would have the sense to read the room and keep their heads down at least until they start to win games?
Saying how good it’s been then playing so shit, the manager is almost putting a target on himself for the sack.
 
If you recruit based on being mates with the agent, then you are taking a big gamble.

The Celina transfer really interested me.

Ashton initially tried to get him early in the summer before he’d spoken to Cook about it (from MA’s lips, not conjecture on my part). Celina’s agent - ICM Stellar Sport, have several Ipswich players, especially new signings with them. Why would you go after a player without speaking to the manager? Trying to get onside with the fans early on, the fans liked Celina when he was here, many fans anti-Mick McCarthy because MM thought he didn’t do the basics so didn’t play him. Fans are a sucker for a flair player.

It fell through over a heart issue (now resolved).

When he did sign on deadline day, surely they’d already recruited plan B? Just like Szmodics and Palmer all over again!

But then, again from MA’s lips, Cook had to really convince Celina he could fit into Cook’s playing style. So a vanity signing for the CEO who they didn’t scout (if they scouted at all - they have no recruitment Dept) to a specific manager system requirement.

But, I have no sympathy for Paul Cook for allowing this to happen, just like I didn’t with Lee Johnson. You just have to say no, and be prepared to stand up to the CEO even if it means leaving your job. LJ had enough credit in the bank to force the issue with SL, and if not backed could go and get a job elsewhere. I don’t think any recruiting clubs would look badly on a manager saying he left because the CEO tried to force players on him. Most would think it showed prudence.

I don’t think Cook will have any credit in the bank with Ipswich’s new owners, especially as the CEO and Chairman are mates and the Chairman and CEO worked to get the new Owners to invest. But Cook still has a lot of credit in football, and I’m sure prospective employers would look on him favourably if he called out Ashton.

However, in both Johnson and Cook’s position, who turns down a player? That’s their downfall.


Nigel Pearson joined because Mark Ashton had switched off/was asleep at the wheel and allowed the process to happen knowing he was on his toes to Ipswich, and did not care on what terms the new manager joined.

Prior to this, when Holden was appointed, Ashton desperately needed to buy some time and it was important his position was not diluted in order to exact his exit strategy. Hence, any experienced manager that was interviewed could see the problems in our club and surely sought to amend/rectify as part of their vision moving forward which was not acceptable. Hence we ended up with Dean Holden.

The cards fell perfectly for Mark Ashton, during possibly the most conceited and self-serving 12 months any individual has had at our club. Injury crisis’ not being dealt with, transfer insanity, contracts being allowed to run down and literally millions of pounds walking out of our door unchecked.


Ultimately it set us back 3 years, but we can thank our lucky stars it did not cost us our Championship status as that could have led to 82 repeating itself, and that we ended up with Nigel Pearson at the end of it.

If you think this is over-dramatic it is not. We have been very fortunate.
 
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