'Vast majority worship him' - three years in, McKenna still has backing

In the relegation zone and thrashed 4-0 at home, Ipswich Town's players may have feared the reception coming their way. But the strangest thing happened at Portman Road on Saturday.

While the Newcastle fans jubilantly celebrated a superb, dominant victory in one corner, the supporters in blue and white were also in an upbeat mood. Someone banged a drum, others jumped up and down, thousands chanted in support, and those that stayed applauded.

Anyone entering the stadium would have thought the hosts had snatched a point, not suffered their heaviest defeat in just over a year and their worst at home since Aston Villa put four past them in the Championship in 2018.

It was a fact Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was quick to acknowledge and express gratitude for.

"The crowd were very good," said the 38-year-old in the week of his three-year anniversary with the club, who were halfway up League One when he took over.

"The game was realistically over at 3-0. Of course we didn't give up and when they got the fourth it was about showing the right character - and the crowd did too.

"They stuck with us really well. They know the journey we've been on and understand how hard it's been to be as competitive as we've been this season. We're grateful for their support and don't take that for granted."

But the Premier League is a tough learning ground and the lessons do not get any easier, with Arsenal away and Chelsea at home Ipswich's next two assignments.

The ruthless nature of the Premier League has already seen Ipswich's relegation rivals Leicester, Southampton and Wolves sack their managers this season.

But Town legend Mick Mills, who captained the club to their FA Cup and Uefa Cup glories in 1978 and 1981 and made a record 741 appearances for Ipswich, felt there was no danger of McKenna losing his job.

Asked if there was any pressure on the Northern Irishman, Mills replied "none whatsoever", adding: "If you use management like a bank account then he has a lot of money in that account and will have to do a lot of bad things to go overdrawn.

"I've loved these three years, I really have. Kieran is the main person responsible for this, then it's people like [chairman] Mark Ashton and the off-field team and the players, and the fans have come back to the club.

"Southampton and Leicester are different to Ipswich as we've been away from the Premier League for a long time. If we do slip back down it's not a catastrophe and will be something we have to accept. But I'm absolutely convinced this team that might go down is better than the team that brought us up.

"Kieran will not be able to win over everyone, but anybody that knows anything about football knows Kieran McKenna was a good appointment and is a good manager to have."

Ipswich, English champions in 1962, came fifth in the Premier League and qualified for Europe in 2000-01, but were then relegated the next season.

Home fans have not been able to celebrate a top-flight win at Portman Road since a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in April 2002.

Relegation, administration, three play-off failures, mediocrity and another relegation followed as a generation of Ipswich fans only knew disappointment and heartbreak.

When Paul Cook was sacked in December 2021, the club, heading towards their lowest league finish since 1952-53, was at its lowest ebb.

A 0-0 home draw with League Two Barrow in front of fewer than 6,500 supporters proved to be one humiliation too many, although managerless Town then lost the FA Cup replay anyway.

In came McKenna. His playing career had ended at 22 because of injury, but he built his coaching reputation at the youth set-ups at Tottenham and then Manchester United, before working with their first-team squad under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

Ipswich was in his first managerial job at the age of 35. Fans hoped it would not be a disaster. Instead, he has taken them on an adventure beyond their wildest dreams.

Back-to-back promotions followed, and in style. They scored 101 goals and got 98 points in League One, followed by 92 goals and 96 points as they swept straight through the Championship.

"The club had been stagnating for years and it was unlikely to be a quick fix. There was no magic wand - or so we thought," said Brenner Woolley, who has commentated on Ipswich for BBC Radio Suffolk since 2003.

"Kieran's arrival has to be the best moment in the club's recent history. There have been so many highs, bringing so much enjoyment to an entire generation who'd had so little to enjoy."

It is not only the fans who have been stunned by the club's progress, but the players too.

Left-back Leif Davis joined Ipswich from Leeds in 2022 and has been integral in Town's success.

"It's hard to take in considering where we were two years ago," he said. "When I came, they said, 'We'd love to be established in the Championship in four years'.

"That seemed realistic, but getting to the Premier League within two years, it's been a dream and amazing to involved with. But we're not satisfied just being here. We want to do well."

Ipswich's starting 11 on Saturday included six players who were with the club in League One. But this was the first time the team had looked out of their depth, a harsh reality check a week after they had gained their second away win, a 2-1 success at Wolves.

"This was one of the most disappointing days of the season," said lifelong Ipswich fan Phil Ham, editor of independent supporters' website TWTD., external

"It's always going to be tough against a team like Newcastle with their line-up. You come into home games hoping, and most times we've been competitive, but every time Newcastle broke they looked like they were going to score.

"People are realistic about the size of the challenge, having come up two divisions in two years, and there was an expectation there would be days like this. But there's no clamour for a change and people realise we've come a long way in a short time."

After 17 matches, Town are 19th, level on points with Wolves and ahead of Southampton, but still only two points adrift of safety.

They drew 2-2 with Aston Villa, beat Tottenham 2-1 away, and were unlucky to not defeat Manchester United in Rubén Amorim's first game in charge, drawing 1-1. But a big concern for Ipswich fans is the 15 points they have let slip from winning positions.

"We believe Town are capable of staying up, and while it's going to be very tough, there are signs they can upset the odds," added Woolley. "It would be a monumental achievement though."

And McKenna has a lot of credit with loyal supporters, he said.

"The tiniest minority of fans have had the odd grumble when wins have been hard to come by, but the vast majority worship him.

"I would be staggered if relegation resulted in him getting the sack. I can't see that at all. Whatever happens this season, there's no-one I'd rather see in charge of Ipswich Town."