The Revival of The Tractor Boys an Ipswich Town Story

[leckuno]

Welcome, fellow football managers, to a thrilling narrative that will take us deep into the heart of Ipswich Town Football Club. Prepare to embark on a remarkable journey, filled with ambition, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of glory. This is a story of redemption, as we aim to restore Ipswich Town to its former glory and make the Tractor Boys a force to be reckoned with once again.

Our tale begins in the aftermath of a challenging period for the club. Ipswich Town, a historic institution with a rich footballing legacy, has experienced its fair share of struggles in recent years. Promotions have eluded us, and the relegation battles have taken their toll. However, we believe that within the depths of adversity lie the seeds of triumph.

As the newly appointed manager, it is my solemn duty to rebuild the team from the ground up, instilling a new sense of belief and purpose within every player that dons the blue and white jersey. Drawing inspiration from the club's glorious past, we will craft a vision that marries tradition with innovation, and we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of success.

But success will not come easily. The challenges ahead are formidable, the obstacles numerous. We must navigate the intricacies of the transfer market, strategically identifying and acquiring players who will strengthen our squad and bring the necessary skill and passion to the field. Scouting talents from across the globe, we will build a team that embodies the spirit of Ipswich Town, a team that will fight with every ounce of their being for the badge on their chest.

Tactical astuteness will be paramount. We will meticulously analyze our opponents, exploit weaknesses, and craft strategies that maximize our strengths. The training ground will be a crucible of discipline, hard work, and constant improvement, as we shape our players into a cohesive unit capable of conquering any challenge that lies in our path.

Off the pitch, we will immerse ourselves in the vibrant community of Ipswich. Engaging with fans, connecting with local businesses, and embracing the indomitable spirit of the Tractor Boys faithful, we will forge a bond that extends far beyond the confines of the football pitch. Together, we will create an atmosphere that inspires both players and supporters, igniting a flame of passion that will burn brighter than ever before.

Through this Football Manager story, we will chronicle our triumphs, our setbacks, and the personal journeys of each player that contributes to our resurgence. From the young academy prospects seeking to prove their worth to the seasoned veterans yearning for one final shot at glory, their stories will intertwine with ours, painting a picture of determination, sacrifice, and triumph against the odds.

So, my fellow managers, are you ready to join me on this exhilarating expedition? Together, we will witness the renaissance of Ipswich Town, as we rise from the ashes and restore this storied club to its rightful place among football's elite. This is our chance to etch our names in the annals of football history and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

Fasten your seatbelts, for the journey promises to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, battles, and unforgettable moments. Welcome to the world of Ipswich Town Football Club, where dreams will be realized, heroes will emerge, and a new chapter in footballing history will be written.
​

 

[leckuno]

Preseason

Board Vision

Well the board have high expectations for us this season in the league with us being expected to get promoted this season from getting in the top 2 so we're might have to make sacrifices in the cups to cut down the amount of games we're going to play over the course of the season

Supporter Vision

The fans have the exact same expectations as the board and they have a higher influence with the board that I would like so we're going to have to work hard to keep them on our side over our time at the club as well.

Squad

We have a huge squad at the moment which means we are going to be able to trim some of the fat to free up some cash and reduce the wage budget a bit. We have a lot of cover in a lot of positions with the only one lacking being the left wing in my opinion so that will be the focus of the transfer window

Transfers

We manage to shift a few of the younger players out on loan but we did let keeper Vaclav Hladky leave the club on a permanent deal for £90,000 and it also get £5,000 off the wage budget as well

As I said we needed a left winger so the player we've brought in on loan is Samuel Edozie from Southampton and will go straight into the starting line up for the season ahead.

Papa Johns Trophy

I don't think we could of asked for a better group to be honest and it should mean we can rotate the squad here to get through and give other players a bit of a rest

The Start

A busy start with 7 games to get us going with a tough game against Bolton to start us off before we enter the Carabao Cup in the 1st round as well to add to it all​

 

[leckuno]

The Start

Ipswich v Bolton

Not the empathic start we had wanted but Chaplin does just enough to get our season off to a winning start

Forest Green v Ipswich

We get off to a flyer with 2 goals in the opening 6 minutes to get our first win on the road.

Carabao Cup 1st Round
Ipswich v Portsmouth

We had a great draw for the cup and Lane's sending off was the catalyst for us to push them as Jackson scored and excellent hat-trick

Ipswich v MK Dons

I really expected a better result here but a bad tackle gave MK Dons their chance and we drop our first points of the season

Burton Albion v Ipswich

Another game where we dropped points cheaply as we needed to fight back just before half time

Shrewsbury v Ipswich

We're finally back to winning ways as Evans scores an absolute screamer for his 2nd goal before Jackson taps in for the all important 3rd.

Carabao Cup 2nd Round
Charlton v Ipswich

Another lucky draw for us as we avoid Championship teams as Evans gets another goal before Ball heads in from a well taken free kick to see us into the 3rd round

Ipswich v Barnsley

Another comanding run as we continue our unbeaten run as we show the fans we are going to put up a decent fight for the automatic promotion spots.

Papa Johns Trophy
Ipswich v Aston Villa U21s

We got a bit complacent in this match as we thought it was going to be a walk in the park but they pegged us right back after we scored before a 2nd half stalemate but at least we got the win on penalties

League

Well after 6 games we're just behind the top 2 and still unbeaten in the league so its all go now for the remaining 40 games.

Transfers

We had another 2 players leave the club before the end of the window

Sam Morsy was the highest earner at the club on £12,000 a week so its great to get him off the wage bill as he wasn't a guaranteed starter for us. Donacien was going to be 3rd choice RB so again we were happy to clear his £4,000 of the wage budget again.

We then had a couple of players join the club as well to add some more depth to the club

Zidane Iqbal

Iqbal joins from Man Utd to act as cover from Morsy leaving on a fraction of the wage and actually comes in as one of our better midfielders as well

Jude Soonsup-Bell

Soonsup-Bell joins on loan from Spurs to again add a bit more cover up top as he's an exciting young talent and we'll give him a chance and see how he does.

September

Thankfully we have a bit of a quieter month after the 9 games last month​

 

[leckuno]

September

Accrington Stanley v Ipswich

Accrington didn't have a chance against us today as went in at half time 5 up as Soonsup-Bell gets his first goals for the club.

Ipswich v Cambridge United

Connor Chaplin is showing early on that he's going to be key for us this season as he keeps popping up with important goals already from the right wing.

Ipswich v Bristol Rovers

This time the only goal of the game comes from down the left wing as Edozie cuts in from the wing to get the 3 points.

Sheffield Wednesday v Ipswich

A boring draw here as Sheffield Wednesday played great defensive football to keep us out.

Papa John's Trophy
Bristol Rovers v Ipswich

It was a great opening 10 minutes with 2 goals but thankfully we found it a lot easier to beat them away from home.

Plymouth Argyle v Ipswich

A disappointing result here and not a lot to say as we get our first loss of the season

League

We sit top of the league by a single point but its all very close underneath us after 11 games.

October

7 games this month but we have some big games against Portsmouth, Derby and Charlton to look forward to.​

 

[leckuno]

October

Ipswich v Portsmouth

We showed our fighting spirit here as Scarlett scored a nice goal to put Portsmouth ahead before we changed things up a bit in midfield which helped us get the ball down the channels more and we get the 3 points

Morecombe v Ipswich

What a second half if your a neutral as we controlled the opening half hour of the 2nd half taking a 3 goal lead with 15 minutes to go and god knows what happened but we then imploded and somehow conceded 4 goals in the final 12 minutes to lose the game with conceding in the 97th minute with the final kick of the ball.

Ipswich v Lincoln City

The last game took its toll on us as we grind out a goalless draw which was lucky as Lincoln had a goal chopped off for offside in the 2nd half as well

Papa John's Trophy
Leyton Orient v Ipswich

We came so close to winning in normal time but a mess up in defence let them slip through taking the game to penalties which we were able to win.

We are able to finish top of the group with just a single victory in normal time and 2 wins on penalties to see us into the next round.

Ipswich v Derby

One of the games I was worried about this month and we were lucky to get the 3 points as Chaplin was able to poke home at the back post from a cross from Edozie to get us back to winning ways.

Port Vale v Ipswich

Chaplin has been in excellent form playing as an Inside Forward down the right as he gets another 2 goals here for us to get us a nice win.

Charlton v Ipswich

Sadly another draw for us here but again Charlton was going to be another tough game for us this month and played well against us.

League

We still sit top of the table here by 2 points but its still very close behind us and its going to be tough to stay there over the rest of the season

November

A nice quiet month thanks to the World Cup starting but we start with back to back cup games against Hartlepool to get through​

 

[FM_TNSSO]

That Morecambe game

 

[leckuno]

That Morecambe game

yup still gives me nightmares and took me a day to come back to it after rage quitting after it haha

 

[leckuno]

November

FA Cup 1st Round
Ipswich v Hartlepool

A much closer game than I would of expected here but thankfully Chaplin was there to rescue us and get us into the 2nd round

Carabao Cup 3rd Round
Ipswich v Hartlepool

A much more difficult game this time as Hartlepool score in the exact same minute as they did in the last game but we had just enough to win it on penalties

Ipswich v Cheltenham Town

2 goals in quick succession here just before half time to get us the 3 points

Exeter City v Ipswich

A boring draw here as neither teams could take their chances.

Papa John's Trophy 2nd Round
Ipswich v Chelsea U21s

We had the fear after going a goal behind early on but Jackson put in a great performance with 2 well worked solo goals to get us into the 3rd round

League

We're now tied at the top of the table but keep top spot on goal difference but only 9 points between us and 9th

December

Another busy month again as we need to fit in 3 cup games as they really take their toll at this level.​

 

[leckuno]

December

Ipswich v Fleetwood Town

The draws are starting to rack up now so hopefully the don't cost us our position in the league

FA Cup 2nd Round
Ipswich v AFC Wimbledon

We had a fortunate draw and John-Jules ran riot against the Wimbledon defence to secure his hat-trick

Ipswich v Peterborough United

John-Jules continues his form here as he gets us off to the best possible start with slotting it home in the opening minute

Papa John's Trophy 3rd Round
Cambridge United v Ipswich

We got off to a good start again but then got the fear as Cambridge managed to equalise but we turned it round in the final 10 minutes with two goals from set pieces.

Wycombe Wanderers v Ipswich

Yet another draw here sadly

Carabao Cup 4th Round
Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich

I feel we managed to do ok here to keep it to just the 3 goals as we didn't expect much going into this game.

Ipswich v Oxford United

Thankfully straight back to winning ways here as Chaplin scores two and then sets up John-Jules for his goal as well for a MOTM performance

Portsmouth v Ipswich

Portsmouth gave us a great game here but Edozie did just enough to slot home from the left hand side of the box to get the 3 points.

League

We've got a point lead at the top of the table again as we try and keep our promotion hopes alive.

January

We make it into January where we get to mix the games with the transfer window as well. We've got another 2 cup games to look forward to as well​

 

[leckuno]

January

Lincoln City v Ipswich

We can't rea;;y complain about this result as they were the better team

FA Cup 3rd Round
Ipswich v Preston North End

A much better game here as John-Jules shows why he's on Arsenal's books with another great performance in a big game.

Papa John's Trophy Quarter Final
Manchester United U21's v Ipswich

I thought it was all over after the sending off but we pulled it back right at the death to get it to penalties but sadly it wasn't to be

Ipswich v Plymouth Argyle

Fatigue got the better of us here as all the games close together started to take its toll on the players.

Ipswich v Morecombe

Finally back to winning ways in the league after a great 2nd half after the players were given a couple of days off

Oxford United v Ipswich

Two goals in quick succession are again good enough to get us 3 points

Ipswich v Accrington Stanley

Thank goodness the sending off didn't come any earlier as we managed to put the game beyond Accrington in the opening half hour

FA Cup 4th Round
Ipswich v Shrewsbury Town

We couldn't of asked for a better draw here if we tried as John-Jules is at it again in the cup to get us into the 5th Round

League

Its still incredibly close at the top of the table as we're now past the halfway stage of the season

Transfers

We picked up where we left off in the summer in selling players not needed to reduce the bank balance and help keep us in the black as we sell 4 players which were all arranged in the run up to the window

Then on deadline day Newcastle came in with an offer for Cameron Humphreys which the board took upon themselves to accept which they wouldn't then budge on when I tried to chat to them about it.

Its not the worst deal in the world but he would of been a huge player for us if we'd been able to keep him. They have loaned him back to us for the rest of the season as part of the deal.

We did end up brining one player in as it lets us start building for next season as we bring in Todd Cantwell from Rangers for £1,600,000 and he brings in Premier League experience with him

February

A nice quiet month which should hopefully let the players recover a bit after a busy December and January​

 

[FM_TNSSO]

Cantwell is an amazing signing for League One! It actually amazes me that your assistant only rates him as a 3 star player!

 

[leckuno]

Cantwell is an amazing signing for League One! It actually amazes me that your assistant only rates him as a 3 star player!

Really helped he was transferred by rangers. I really need to get a new assistant as my current one is ****, can’t afford anybody better though at the moment

 

[leckuno]

February

Cambridge United v Ipswich

Another draw that could end up costing us but I guess we can still be happy to have a point

Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday

A much better result as Edozie has a great game with 2 goals and an assist

Bristol Rovers v Ipswich

How we didn't win this game is ridiculous as it took them going down to 9 men for us to equalise.

Ipswich v Forest Green Rovers

Iqbal got us off to a great start with a wonder strike to open the scoring.

MK Dons v Ipswich

Thank goodness for an own goal as it was just enough to get us the 3 points here again

League

After an undefeated month we have managed to increase our lead at the top of the table to 6 points now.

March

Another 5 game month here so we can hopefully make the most of it with the FA Cup game against Sunderland​

 

[leckuno]

March

FA Cup 5th Round
Ipswich v Sunderland

We took a defensive approach for the opening 90 minutes making a few changes throughout but after 90 minutes we brought on Chaplin with fresh legs and he ran riot against a tired Sunderland as we progress to the Quarter Finals.

Ipswich v Burton Albion

The last game really took it out of us as we had to rotate the squad a bit and we did well to walk away with a point.

Bolton Wanderers v Ipswich

Clarke's sending off just after half time cost us here as he committed a foul just outside the area and they were able to make the extra man count.

FA Cup Quarter Final
Brentford v Ipswich

We didn't have any real expectations here and did well to stay in the game as long as we did and we got the positive of scoring a goal as well

Ipswich v Shrewsbury Town

It looked bad at half time going in 1 down going by the last few results but we really turned it round in the final 20 minutes to record a big win

Barnsley v Ipswich

Another huge performance for us here as Soonsup-Bell ran riot and scored an incredible 4 goal

League

We're still top but the lead has been cut to 3 points. Thankfully we still have an 8 point lead over 3rd though

Youth Intake

We had a decent intake with 2 players who look like might be able to make it one day for us or we can hopefully sell them

April

A nice busy end to the end of the season here and it looks like the title is going to go to the wire unless results go our way​

 

[leckuno]

The Run In

Derby v Ipswich

Of course its the player who we sold Derby in January that comes back to haunt us with the equaliser to deny us the 3 points late on

Ipswich v Wycombe Wanderers

A much stronger first half performance here makes all the difference thanks to the goal right before half time.

Cheltenham Town v Ipswich

Not much to say on this one as we were disappointing

Ipswich v Charlton

Another game we should of won but dropped points in

Ipswich v Port Vale

Thank goodness for Edozie as he gets us off to a lightening start with a great solo goal and we never looked back after that

Peterborough United v Ipswich

We left it late on here to cement our victory but we made sure we did it in style with Soonsup-Bell being the standout performer

Ipswich v Exeter City

We guarantee promotion in style here with a game to spare as we have a great team performance and we make the most of our set pieces here as well

Fleetwood Town v Ipswich

Not how we wanted to finish off the season here but Humphreys score on his final game for the club and gets to say bye to traveling fans as he walks off

League

Thanks to Bristol drawing their final game of the season then we still manage to win the league by 2 points instead of having to do it on goal difference. Bristol will of course be joining us along with Barnsley who won the play offs. Now I wonder if we can get any players off the likes of Derby.

Budgets

Not the best budget for going up to the Championship so we're going to have to try and sell players to heavily improve the squad. Luckily there are a couple of players we will look to move on. We do get a £30,000 in the wage budget though which will help attract players and offer some new contracts​

 

[leckuno]

Season 2

Transfers Out

We have been very busy over the course of the transfer window so far with selling a number of players who we felt weren't going to be up to standards this season or were better to get them off the wage budget to free wages up for new players to come in. We tried to do a lot of our business early on so we could concentrate on trying to fill the gaps in the squad.

Transfers In

We've signed 12 players so far so I'm not going to post a screenshot of each of them. Again we did a lot of our business early on with paying small fees for a number of players who's deals were ending at the end of the season to snap them up early to save us having to fight out precontract deals with them. Everybody we've signed are young and exciting players which is what the club needs to take it forward.

Preseason

We had a good preseason as we lose 3 of the games we expected to lose as they were more glamour friendlies for the cash rather than games we really thought we could win.

Squad & Tactic

We've now got a much smaller squad than last season but with a lot more quality so hopefully the size of it won't come back to bite us with the number of games we're going to have to get through this season.

I've decided to stick with the same tactic as last year and play with a DM to try and help out the defence a bit but also be able to play the ball forward from them and hopefully Simmons fills that gap for us this season.

Expectations

Nothing too surprising from the board this season as they just want us to do our best to stay in the Championship come the end of the season along with not embarrassing ourselves in the cups.

We do still have a bit of cash to play with if we find the right players along with plenty free in wages as well

August

Not the worse start to life in the Championship apart from playing Burnley in the final game of the month.​

 

[leckuno]

August

Cardiff City v Ipswich

Its a dream start for us here as we get off to a flying start with Dowell showing what he's going to bring to the team with his experience.

Carabao Cup 1st Round
Oxford United v Ipswich

It seems like early goals could be our thing this season with our 2nd in 2 games as John-Jules is the scorer this time.

Ipswich v Reading

A poor challenge in the box almost cost us here but thankfully Poole was able to make the most of a set piece and rise above and head it in very late on.

Coventry v Ipswich

John-Jules with another early goal here but sadly we couldn't hold on this time as we settle for a draw.

Carabao Cup 2nd Round
Cardiff City v Ipswich

Cardiff were much harder to break down this time and took us all the way to penalties where we crept through to the 3rd Round

Transfers

There were more players leaving the club over the course of the month all boosting our transfer kitty and reducing the wage budget again but sadly no players came in to bolster the squad.

League

Very respectable 8th spot after just 3 games. Just another 43 to go

September

The Burnley game has been moved to this month and now we need to face them along with Norwich in the cup followed by Blackburn​

 

[leckuno]

September

Huddersfield Town v Ipswich

We got very lucky here as Huddersfield looked to have won the game late on but thankfully the goal was given offside

Ipswich v Stoke City

What a game for John-Jules as he knocks in a great hat-trick for us.

Ipswich v Burnley

We always knew this was going to be a tough game and it was as we fell 2 behind. Our goal did us straight back into the game but sadly wasn't enough

Ipswich v Hull City

It was a pretty quiet game but Donley was able to take his chance and slot it past the keeper from just outside the 6 yard box.

Carabao Cup 3rd Round
Norwich City v Ipswich

What a disappointing opening 8 minutes for us and our fans as it looked like our main rivals were going to run riot but thankfully we stemmed the flow and even managed a goal back just before half time.

Ipswich v Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn was always going to be tough and they went ahead on the half hour mark but it looked like we were going claim an unlikely draw but sadly Blackburn got a goal right on the whistle to win the game.

League

We find ourselves in 10th spot now nicely positioned in the table 7 points from 1st and 6 points ahead of the relegation zone.

Transfers

Wanting a bit more depth upfront and on the wings we bring Jude Soonsup-Bell back to the club on loan for another season on deadline day.

October

Some more big games this month as we come up against Sunderland and Southampton​

 

[leckuno]

October

Middlesbrough v Ipswich

We've been known for our early goals so far this season but this time is super sub Soonsup-Bell who comes to the rescure right at the death to win us the game

Bristol Rovers v Ipswich

A really disappointing result considering they came up with us last season as I felt we had more than enough to beat them

Ipswich v Sunderland

A good draw here against a strong Sunderland team as we managed to keep them quiet in front of goal

Ipswich v Rotherham United

We got very lucky here to walk away with a point as Rotherham had 2 goals chopped off for offside.

League

Still hovering around midtable so I'm more than happy with that as we stay away from the expected relegation battle

November

A very busy November as the Southampton game got moved which I'd rather avoid as much as possible if I can​

 

[leckuno]

November

Southampton v Ipswich

Dowell got off to a flying start in just the 2nd minutes but sadly Southampton were just too strong for us in the end

West Brom v Ipswich

Well we got absolutely destroyed here by West Brom as there was just nothing we could do

Preston North End v Ipswich

We really needed a result here not to end up in a spiral of defeats and Donley was able to produce a top class finish for the only goal of the game.

Ipswich v Birmingham

We follow it up with a strong first half to get our 2nd win in a row.

Millwall v Ipswich

We got very lucky here thanks to a penalty and Chaplin continues his form from the spot to slot home.

Nottingham Forest v Ipswich

I feel that we were good value for a draw here but Forest's squad is just too good and their new striker makes the difference.

League

Down to 13th in the league now but we're still positioned nicely away from the relegation spots by 10 points so we do have a nice wee cushion.

Transfers

We have made two transfers this month off the free transfer list and they are two big players with plenty of Premier League experience between them.

Shandon Baptiste joins the club after 2 seasons with Brentford in the Premiership after playing in the lower leagues with Oxford.

Next in was the forgotten boy Dele Alli who also joins us to make our new midfield duo complete. Hopefully Alli can rediscover some of his previous form and take us to the next level or make us a nice profit to bolster the squad later on.

December

A nice busy month ahead in the run up to the new year with some big games to look forward to as well.​