Speaking at last night’s PLC AGM, Ashton was very optimistic about where the club was heading under manager Kieran McKenna and did not hold back when imagining where Ipswich could be if they continued their impressive growth.
“I think in three years, we have built the first stage of a huge rocket ship. But this is not the end, it is simply the end of the beginning,” he said.
“If I look at where we’ve come from and come to, where we’ve arrived at and the challenges that we face ahead, you’ll remember me talking at the last AGM about the four pillars of the football club upon which we would rebuild this amazing club.
“The first of which was the football department, and that was the appointment of Kieran, the further enhancement of his coaching staff, the development of the training facilities, the further enhancement of our academy, our recruitment, our analysis etc.
“In the last 12 months we have continued to develop all of those areas. Kieran has signed a new long-term contract with the football club, which wasn’t an easy thing to achieve but was supported by the board in its entirety and was a very, very important part of our summer following promotion.#
Town sit 18th in the league and are tipped for relegation this season but Ashton has full faith in McKenna who he thinks will lead the side to safety after what has been a tricky start.
“On the pitch, the first team, it’s difficult. Are we surprised by anything? Not really. If you ask my honest opinion, I’m really pleased with the performance. In fact, I’m delighted with the performances.
“What hasn’t happened is that the results haven’t quite followed as we would have liked. A couple more wins and I think we’d all be feeling a little bit different. But my optimism, my determination, my belief in Kieran, the players, the staff, and this football club doesn’t move one millimetre.
“But that is the Premier League. It’s brutal and we have to deal with it. For us to win a game, we have to be 10 out of 10 every time, nine, nine-and-a-half just doesn’t get you across the line.
Financially the club is growing rapidly and Ashton was not shy when boasting about how far the club has come and stated that this is only the beginning.
“From a financial perspective. Let’s be really clear about this football club is. When I joined this football club, our revenues were circa £13 million. We will break through £153M this year. That is a growth curve that I challenge anyone in world football to match.
“We are not little Ipswich, we are not sleepy Suffolk. This rocket ship will not stop. Anyone who knows me, anyone who has worked with me, I am not interested in bobbing along. We will move forward and we will move forward with power and pace because if we don’t, that lot up the road will go past us again. Not under my watch.
“This is only the end of the beginning. We have a lot to do. We’re not perfect, we will talk about some of the things where we’re not perfect that we don’t get quite right I’m sure. But I promise you, this management team, this board, when they wake up every single morning, their primary focus is how we make your football club better. How do we move forward?
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