New Ipswich Town investors’ stance on Kieran McKenna and Mark Ashton reveales
Jake Zahnow and Sam Simon have praised Kieran McKenna and Mark Ashton after their investment into Ipswich Town.
- Ipswich Town investors impressed by Ashton & McKenna’s work and committed to club’s success on and off the pitch.
- Recent investment deal won’t disrupt current management structure, focus on long-term growth for the team.
- Aim for Premier League return this season, investors emphasize importance of continued success under current leadership.
New Ipswich Town investors Jake Zahnow and Sam Simon have heaped praise on Mark Ashton and boss Kieran McKenna for the work they have done at Portman Road.
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It’s been a brilliant few years for the Tractor Boys since they were bought out by US investment group ORG, as they have helped deliver huge success for the club on the pitch, and major growth off it.
They brought in Ashton as CEO, with McKenna coming in as the new head coach, and he has worked wonders in the past two years, initially guiding the team to the Championship.
Now, Ipswich sit third in the second tier, with back-to-back promotions a very real possibility as they chase their Premier League dream.
Therefore, anything to disrupt that setup would be a concern, so some eyebrows were raised when the club announced on Friday that US private equity firm Bright Path Sports Partners had bought a 40% stake in the club in a deal worth up to £105m.
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Yet, speaking to Town TV, as quoted by the East Anglian Daily Times, Zahnow and Simon made it clear that they aren’t planning any major changes, as they insisted Ashton and McKenna were part of the appeal that brought them to the club.
“I’ve had the pleasure of being invited over by Mark [Ashton] and Ed [Schwartz] to the promotion game from League One into the Championship last year. That’s where my partner Phil [Ciano] and I got hooked on this particular club, this management team, and that was the beginning of a long journey that culminates here today,” said Zahnow.
“We love the management, it’s amazing. The manager, the history of the team, the potential for growth, passionate fans. Really, what’s not to like? They’re amazing people, and I always say that I invest in people, I invest in management. This was perfect for us as a sign of sport. Mark shared how much will be invested into the league, the players, the facilities, the training ground. We’re big believers in investing for the future, and this is not for one or two years, this is for 100 years and on. This team got started in 1878, so this is beyond us,” Simon added.
