Ipswich Town Braced For Christmas Carnage

Ipswich Town chairman and chief executive Mark Ashton has revealed the playing squad are braced for the hectic festive period which could define their season.

The Tractor Boys dropped back into the Championship this season following a brief stint in the Premier League. Although they suffered relegation, their solitary campaign in the top tier was seen as somewhat of a free hit after they secured back-to-back promotions to earn their spot in the division.

Under the guidance of Kieran McKenna, the Suffolk-based side were widely praised for their performances against some of Europe’s elite clubs. As a result, they were viewed in the summer as one of the favourites to win the Championship.

Slow Start But Play-Off Places Within Touching Distance

Ipswich initially struggled to adjust to life in the EFL, failing to win in any of their opening 4 matches. A 5-0 thumping of Sheffield United in September seemed to kick them into life but back-to-back defeats against Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic saw them return to the bottom half of the table.

 

Thank you for your support at Portman Road, Town fans. 👏

We’ll need you for the next three on the road. 🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/uhWddW6OCp

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) November 22, 2025

McKenna’s side drew 0-0 with Wrexham at the weekend to extend their recent unbeaten run to 5 matches though. This run includes successive 4-1 away victories over Queens Park Rangers and Swansea City, and there is a sense that the tide is starting to turn.

Still, Saturday’s stalemate was somewhat of a missed opportunity. Another home win would have seen the club move upto fourth. Instead, they currently sit eighth, 1 point behind Hull City in the final play-off place.

Festive Period Represents Huge Opportunity To Stake Promotion Claim

With 2025 nearing its end, the bust festive period is upon us. Ipswich still have 9 games to play between now and the end of the year, starting tomorrow night with a trip to Hull.

 

On the road. 🛣️ pic.twitter.com/imcaSEu3LB

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) November 24, 2025

The 1981 UEFA Cup winners will be on the road in 6 of their remaining fixtures this year, including a Boxing Day trip to Millwall before a visit to league leaders Coventry City 3 days later. As a result, it’s all hands on deck to pick up as many points as possible to pull themselves into promotion contention.

Addressing the schedule, chairman Mark Ashton has admitted the squad are well aware that days off will be at a premium in the coming weeks, including a training session set for Christmas Day. Speaking to BBC Look East, he said:

“We have an incredible number of games in a short period and the depth of the squad will be tested but that’s what we’ve built and prepared for and with Kieran at the helm, I think we’ll be really competitive.

“There’s no days off, we’ll be in Christmas Day, that’s just what we do – Kieran’s mentality is that we’re in and we work.

“If you take your foot off the gas at any point in time, people will come past you, your competitors will move in front (of you), and there’s no way Kieran, myself and the staff will allow that.

“We’ll keep our foot on the gas and push forward hard and quick and try to get as many points on the board as we can.”

Following tomorrow night’s clash at the MKM Stadium, Ipswich face another away day when they travel to Oxford United on Saturday.