Ipswich Town Deepdale 23/8/2025

Ipswich Town Deepdale 23/8/2025 - Printable Version

+- Sports Babble - sports forum (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk)
+-- Forum: Football (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: English Football Leagues (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=2)
+---- Forum: Sky Bet Championship (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=49)
+----- Forum: Preston North End (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=86)
+----- Thread: Ipswich Town Deepdale 23/8/2025 (/showthread.php?tid=13907)

Ipswich Town Deepdale 23/8/2025 - themaclad - 22-08-2025

[Image: e10bdc40-316a-11ef-b18e-0d9058ef7187.jpg]

[Image: Screenshot-2025-08-22-073205.png]

The boys from Suffolk return to Deepdale after a one year absence, the last two times we played them we lost 4-2 at Portman Road and won an epic clash at Deepdale 3-2, just about hanging on after being 3 up at half time.
Didn't have the best of season in the money league, however possibly have a good chance of going back there again next season.

https://www.itfc.co.uk/matches/

MANAGER

Kieran McKenna (born 14 May 1986) is a professional football manager and former player who is the manager of EFL Championship club Ipswich Town.

Born in England, McKenna was raised in Northern Ireland and played youth football for Enniskillen Town United and Ballinamallard United before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2002, and had represented Northern Ireland at youth level before a hip injury curtailed his playing career.

After studying sports science at Loughborough University, McKenna coached Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at under-18 level, and also worked as a first-team coach and assistant manager at Manchester United before being appointed as manager of Ipswich Town in 2021.

Good manager this fella

RECENTS

[Image: Screenshot-2025-08-22-072908.png]

INS AND OUTS

[Image: Screenshot-2025-08-22-073144.png]

Team News

Daniel Jebbison and Mads Frøkjær are being given a chance to return for this fixture, however manager Paul Heckingbottom said they will not be risked if they’re “touch and go”.

PNE are still without a number of first team players, including Brad Potts, Jordan Thompson and Robbie Brady, who are all yet to feature this season.

After such a positive performance last time out against Leicester, it’ll be interesting to see what changes, if any, the gaffer chooses to make on Saturday.

The Visitors

Ipswich Town have made a steady return to life in the second tier following their relegation from the Premier League, having drawn their opening two fixtures against fellow promotion contenders Birmingham City and Southampton.

The Tractor Boys have gone from strength to strength under Kieran McKenna, achieving successive promotions in 2022/23 and 2023/24, although fell short in the top flight.

While they’ve lost a couple of their key men from the previous campaign – the likes of Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson – their squad still looks well capable of another promotion push, and they’ll be hoping to add to their ranks before the end of the window, too.

Match Officials

Referee: Matthew Donohue
Assistant Referees: Andrew Fox and Jacob Graham
Fourth Official: Dale Baines

Matthew Donohue, who took charge of five PNE fixtures last season, will be the man in the middle on Saturday.

The referee last officiated North End in the final home match of the 2024/25 campaign, against Plymouth Argyle.

Matt likes a red card usually against us

THE BOSS

This Wednesday marked a year in charge for Paul Heckingbottom and he feels the side are in a better place than when he first took over, although the manager feels there’s still areas they can improve.

It seems a long time ago that Hecky and Stuart McCall took charge of their first game – a 1-0 victory over Luton Town – and a year later, they’re getting ready for the visit of Ipswich Town.

Hecky said: “It has gone quick, definitely. It does fly when you're working. The seasons roll into one, if you like.

“Are we in a better place? Yeah, I think so. We are in lots of ways, but there's lots of ways where we still want to improve and make sure we do better.

“So, for example, I've been really pleased with what we've done in the transfer market so far, but in my eyes, we've still got a lot more to do. You see that. Last year we had more bodies than we've got now. I think we need more numbers because we're behind on what we were last year.

“But you don't want to do that at the expense of quality. I think for me, the last few players we bring in need to be at a level where we can feel the improvement, we can feel the value. Do you know what I mean? Not just collect them because we need an extra body. I’m pleased with the way things have gone so far this window but there's still more to do.”

Those numbers which the manager talks about haven’t been helped by an injury list longer than he’d have liked.

Some what you’d call key players have been missing at the start of the campaign, and the manager is hoping to see one or two return this weekend.

Hecky said: “I would like a couple of them back. Obviously, say if you get to the Portsmouth game [next Saturday] and they’re touch and go then you're taking a big risk when they've been out for so long.

“I think it's always better to err on the side of caution then give them that extra couple of weeks and train, when they've been muscle injuries in particular.

“But I'm hoping it doesn’t come to that. Jebbo (Daniel Jebbison) is not far away now, potentially this weekend, again without risking him. Mads (Frøkjær) is probably similar. They’re back and fit and ready when they are, you know, there's nothing we can do about that.”

There’s plenty of positivity in the North End camp following last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City, and Saturday sees another relegated side come to Deepdale.

Ipswich Town have made a steady start to life back in the second tier with two draws so far and they’re very much expected to be right up there come the end of the campaign.

Hecky said: “It's difficult because I never want to say too much because if I'm really honest here now, people say I’m disrespectful towards certain teams and others, but Ipswich have got different strengths in my eyes.

“Things that we got away with against Leicester at the weekend, I don't think we'll get away with them against Ipswich and likewise things that we really had to focus on to stop against Leicester are less important against Ipswich in my eyes.

“I think we just have to focus on taking that tactical element into account. I think we just have to focus on ourselves and delivering the same intensity of performance, the same mentality and approach to the game. If we do that, I'm always happy with us anyway.”

MACS VIEW

Good start, excellent last week, another tough game on Saturday, with a front three of Billie Jean(Take your time), Hirst and Clarke with Sammy playing in the hole, that is a cracking attacking line up. If they have a 16 year old wonder kid to bring on, we could struggle.
Personal view only one change Offiah for Pol, suspect Clarke may have a field day aginst our Spaniard