Ipswich Town’s brief return to the Premier League came to a bitter end on Saturday as a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United confirmed their relegation with four games still to play.
The match at St James’ Park was emblematic of Ipswich’s turbulent campaign, marred by costly errors and missed opportunities. Ben Johnson’s sending off in the 37th minute, after two quick yellow cards, left Kieran McKenna’s side with a mountain to climb.
Alexander Isak opened the scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after Julio Enciso brought down Jacob Murphy. Dan Burn doubled the lead with a towering header in the 56th minute, and substitute William Osula put the result beyond doubt with a late third.
The defeat leaves Ipswich 15 points adrift of safety, sealing their fate and confirming an immediate return to the Championship after just one season back in the top flight.
A tough return to the top
It’s a cruel conclusion to what had been a fairytale journey. Promoted twice in successive seasons from League One, Ipswich captured the hearts of many neutrals with their rapid rise and attacking flair under 38-year-old manager Kieran McKenna, appointed in 2021.
But the step up to Premier League level proved too steep. Ipswich managed just four wins in 34 league matches, struggling to compete against the division’s elite. Heavy defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City in their opening two games offered an early warning of what was to come.
Their first league victory didn’t arrive until November, a 2-1 win at Tottenham that ended a 10-game winless run—but hopes of a turnaround soon faded. Despite the impressive performances of Liam Delap, goals were hard to come by, and defensive lapses continued to haunt them.
A particularly damaging blow came in February, when Ipswich suffered a home defeat to bottom-placed Southampton, a result that foreshadowed their eventual collapse.
The end was inevitable
Speaking after the defeat at Newcastle, McKenna admitted relegation had long been expected.
“We’ve been through it the last few weeks, we knew it was pretty likely. At the end we’ve fallen short, but it’s not for lack of effort,” he said.
“Today’s mathematical confirmation doesn’t change much. We’ve already been through the emotions. It’s been an incredible journey—from League One to the Premier League—in an unprecedented way.”
Ipswich’s relegation, alongside Southampton and Leicester City, marks the first time in Premier League history that all three newly promoted teams have been relegated with as many as four games remaining.
What next for Ipswich?
The Tractor Boys will now look to regroup and rebuild in the Championship. McKenna, despite failing to secure survival, remains highly regarded and could be central to any future promotion push.
Whether Ipswich’s hierarchy will stick with him remains to be seen, but few can argue against the remarkable progress made during his tenure—from mid-table League One to a fleeting, but memorable, shot at Premier League football.
AFP
