Ashton: Next project is our training ground

[hallamblue]

Taken from last nights Ipswich Town FC Forum:

Ashton: Training Ground Rebuild the Next Big Project
Wednesday, 13th Sep 2023 20:11


Town CEO Mark Ashton says a multi-million pound rebuild of the club’s Playford Road training ground is the next big project which will be undertaken.

Over the summer, the Blues spent £2.5 million on renovating the Portman Road pitch, while the training ground has already had similar hybrid surfaces installed, but with much bigger work still to come.

“The next big project for us is the training ground,” Ashton said at this evening’s Fans’ Forum at Portman Road.

“We’ve invoked architects to work with us on the design for the training ground, we need a total rebuild of the training ground for the first team and we need a more professional environment that [manager] Kieran [McKenna] can work in, develop players, enhance players, recruit players to.

“We’ve got the pitches now, but we need a multi-million pound spend on the facilities at the training ground to bring us up to speed.

“That is the next project. I think Kieran would have kicked me if I’d have said anything else.”

Quizzed on the club’s plans for the former Staples site behind the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, chief financial officer Tom Ball added: “With Staples, it’s a case of being a little bit patient, to be honest.

“The main thing for us was dropping the building, a) to stop a rates bill, but b) to allow the works to be done on the pitch over the summer. It was a very handy grounds compound.

“The reality is that we don’t just look at that as Staples and what are we going to put on that piece of land.

“We look at Portman Road as a venue and as a football stadium and also work with the council and look at the town of Ipswich and ask ‘What does the town of Ipswich need in the town centre?’.

“The Staples site is adjacent to the football club, it’s also a two-minute walk from the train station. We’ve got to think around all the best uses of that land, mainly for the football club because we’re biased, but for the town as a whole and what delivers the best return for the town and the county.”

Regarding the long-term plans for a rebuild of the Cobbold Stand, which is now more than 50 years old, Ball continued: “It’s something that we’re working on and as soon as you say you’re working on it I think everyone anticipates that something will happen immediately.

“We’re working on it because we like to have options, we want to have things there ready for when the time is right and the time when we’re looking at it, we’re talking years away, we’re not talking 12 months, we’re not talking 24 months, we’re talking a good few years into the future because we want to be firmly established wherever we are and we don’t want to be turning fans away.”

Ashton also announced that the memorial garden behind the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand for the ashes of fans previously interred on the pitch will open on 11th November.

In addition, the Blues CEO revealed that a couple of smaller screens could be sited around the ground at some point in the future.

[Bluemike]

It's incredible the transformation that is going on at the club, on the pitch, off the pitch, behind the scenes, you name it. Where would we be without Gamechanger. The pressure that must be on Mark Ashton is immense, yes they provide him with the funds etc but boy does he have to use it wisely and successfully, for me he's doing an incredible job and those bitter Bristol City fans really must have something wrong with them.

[hallamblue]

You could argue that Ashton’s job is being made so much easier BECAUSE he has such a huge financial backing. It’s much easier to attract the better players when wages can be paid snd transfer fees seemingly no object. Yes we are working within FFP constraints and it’s a credit to the club that we are now properly run and not gun ho with our spending. Interestingly Ashton is now implementing the same development processes here that he did at Bristol. Perhaps he just follows the money at clubs? I’m not sure exactly what the Bristol fans gripe is in detail, but I thought it was along the lines that he was billy big Bollox whilst spending the money. But when the wheels started to come off and debts be incurred, it wasn’t his fault …. They blame him for the debt due to the spending he sanctioned?

I notice today that Ashton had been very quick to blow his trumpet re “ introducing the Three Lions to Ipswich Town”. Somehow it is all his doing? Well a certain Frank Yallop actually raised the Three Lions awareness to Ipswich Town long before Ashton cane into the scene, when he spoke to his friend / associate, Brett, when he was working at Phoenix Rising!

I fully acknowledge Ashton has and is doing a great job…, he has huge financial backing to facilitate that. And as we all know American businessmen drive a hard bargain. They back high and expect in return, high achievement. All fine whilst it’s going well. I’ll say again, there’s a side to Ashton that makes me almost question (again) his ego / motives. He’s quick to claim credit. Let’s see what happens down the line when things are not going along so well.

[Bluemike]

Personally I don't for one second believe Ashtons job is easy, I reckon its very full on, intense and stressful. I don't think most of what has happened over the last Eighteen months would have happened without him, it doesn't go unnoticed on me that KM refers to Ashtons contribution in most interviews he does, he also states he's brilliant to work with. I don't know about the Yallop thing tbh but making someone aware of something is one thing, making it happen and putting it all together is light years further on from that.

[hallamblue]

Lol, Yallop is not a financial man is he!

My point was simple. Ashton has claimed that GC buying Town was ALL down to him. This is not true. Had Yallop not even raised the Three Lions awareness of Town and our attributes loooong before Ashton had even left Bristol, it’s possible the Three Lion’s would have bought another club.
The guy has an ego the size of America. He needs to be a bit more reserved in blowing his own trumpet. Be good at your job yes. But be a bit more generous in acknowledging others input too.

Taken from a much earlier interview with Yallop…

I think it’s quite clear that Yallop suggested Town to our new owners many months before Ashton had even left Bristol.

”
Yallop worked with the Three Lions, Brett Johnson, Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer, who make up part of the Gamechanger 20 group which took control of the club just over 18 months ago, when head coach and president of soccer operations at Arizona United from 2016 to 2017 during which time the club changed its name to Phoenix Rising.

The former Canada international says he mentioned Ipswich to the trio as an English club for them to consider”.

“I straightaway said I think there’s a sleeping giant that I know about and it’s Ipswich Town.

"And they didn’t really say too much, they maybe looked into it at that point and I think we mentioned it one more time towards the end before I went back to San Jose and went to the Fresno job [general manager], which was a lot closer to home.

"And then down the road, they called me up and said ‘We’re talking to them at the moment’. And I was like, ‘That’s fantastic!’ and then they didn’t say anything until they actually did the deal.

"From my side I said, ‘You won’t get a friendlier, nicer club in this country to buy’. I guess I said something right! I didn’t have to put any money up, so that was good.

"Did I get a finders fee? I didn’t, I keep looking in the post but nothing’s come yet!

[Bluemike]

Fair play to Frank Yallop for bringing it to their attention, one thing though Liz, where have you seen Ashton actually saying it's ALL down to him ? I'd like to read why he said that etc.

[Steve]

Fair play to Frank Yallop for bringing it to their attention, one thing though Liz, where have you seen Ashton actually saying it's ALL down to him ? I'd like to read why he said that etc.

In the fans forum Wednesday night Ashton did say his greatest achievement Was introducing Ipswich to the owners Mike. Being honest he didn't dwell on it for long but it is what he said.

I don't know the ins and outs of who mentioned what to whom and when. I did hear Frank Yallop mention something but if this is all we can find fault with Ashton then thank the lord. Yes Mark does have a huge ego Liz, however this is in his nature, its huge part of him. Long as it brings the best out of him then no problem. Lots of successful people have huge egos, from world champions in sports to politicians. Personally I feel Ashtons best decision was bringing in the manager. There is no doubt both Mark Ashton and Kieran admire, respect, trust each other and really get along.

Far as Bristol fans, who knows. Maybe the owners pockets were not as deep as they lead people to think. I do know this, at the moment our club is in the very best state it has been for absolute years, generations. Yes the club has money but so far without doubt the money is being spent wisely and on the superstructure of the club whether on players, staff, stadium or training ground

[Bluemike]

Spot on Steve, I just find it odd that Ashton would openly say that if it wasn't the case. Aside from everything, as you say we are in one hell of a good place now and a lot of it is down to McKenna who was brought here by Ashton, nobody else.

[hallamblue]

Fair play to Frank Yallop for bringing it to their attention, one thing though Liz, where have you seen Ashton actually saying it's ALL down to him ? I'd like to read why he said that etc.

Sorry gif delay Mike. I’ve been travelling through the numerous reports on twtd that were taken from the Clubs recent Fans Forum :

“CEO Ashton was asked what he was most proud of in his time at the club having taken his job in June 2021 but having been part of the Gamechanger 20 Ltd takeover which was completed earlier in the year.

“That’s a question that Ed Schwartz [CEO of ORG, the US investment firm which manages funds on behalf of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, which holds a 90 per cent stake in Gamechanger 20 Ltd, of which he is a board member] asked me just after we were promoted, ‘Tell me, in the first two years of your tenure, what do you think has been the best decision that you’ve made?’.

“And for me, the answer’s really simple. It was identifying this football club as the football club that our owners should invest in and acquire. Had I got that decision wrong at that point, none of this would have happened.”

Please don’t get me wrong on this. Ashton us park of the whole club infrastructure approach in our re emergence …. But I do find him sometimes just a bit too full of himself. He could do with a bit more humility at times that’s all.

[hallamblue]

Fair play to Frank Yallop for bringing it to their attention, one thing though Liz, where have you seen Ashton actually saying it's ALL down to him ? I'd like to read why he said that etc.

Sorry for the delay Mike. I’ve been trawling through the numerous reports on twtd that were taken from the Clubs recent Fans Forum :
This is the link to whole article

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... wished-for

“CEO Ashton was asked what he was most proud of in his time at the club having taken his job in June 2021 but having been part of the Gamechanger 20 Ltd takeover which was completed earlier in the year.

“That’s a question that Ed Schwartz [CEO of ORG, the US investment firm which manages funds on behalf of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, which holds a 90 per cent stake in Gamechanger 20 Ltd, of which he is a board member] asked me just after we were promoted, ‘Tell me, in the first two years of your tenure, what do you think has been the best decision that you’ve made?’.

“And for me, the answer’s really simple. It was identifying this football club as the football club that our owners should invest in and acquire. Had I got that decision wrong at that point, none of this would have happened.”

Well actually it was Frank Yallop that brought this club to the attention of the Three Lions s good year before MA was even involved. They eventually recruited MA through his connections with the Chairman ? (The one above Ashton anyway)…. I suspect The three lions thrn adked his views of our club in his capacity as a financial director.

It just erks me that he’s claiming all the plaudits , when had Frank Yallop not raised our profile with the owners they’d probably have bought a different club.

Please don’t get me wrong on this. Ashton is part of the whole new club infrastructure approach in our re emergence …. But I do find him sometimes just a bit too full of himself. He could do with a bit more humility at times that’s all.

[Bluemike]

I may be wrong but I'm understanding it reading all that is that Yallop brought ITFC to the attention of GC and Ashton convinced them we were the club to invest in so they're both right really.

[hallamblue]

Yes I’d agree that’s how it quite likely to have happened but my impression in reading Ashtons comments ( no mention by him of Yallops initial introduction between club and owners) that it was all down to him (Ashton) that it ever came about. That’s how I’ve interpreted that tbh, because I’d watched / listened to Yallops interview months ago . That interview was mainly about his involvement with Phoenix Rising and how he came to be there having left the Club here and then the UK and his he’d been talking to Brett and their sins to do a similar job in the uk. Yallop flagged us up to him. They’ve obviously taken things seriously from that point and done further research and due diligence, at which point Ashton then comes into the picture somehow.

Chatting about it to you now raises another question.

Would MA have been advising the newly formed GC whilst he was still employed by Bristol City I wonder? Because the process of negotiating with Evans had been going on for about a year I believe, and Ashton didn’t leave BC until about a month b4 he joined the senior management at Town until after GC had bought us.

[Bluemike]

He may well have started the ball rolling while still at Bristol City, I guess we'll never know.

Regarding Ashton and his egotistical arrogance I just feel after years of neglect and weakness at the top with sad arse yes men this is exactly the type of person we need at the helm, a no nonsense, cutthroat businessman man who takes no crap from anyone, look at the people we've had in the recent past, they've all been pathetic and basically put us where we were before the new set up arrived, supposed to be Ipswich people ffs, they nearly drove us into the ground with their lack of business acumen and soft underbelly, I'm really pleased with who we have, who I regard to be a cracking CEO now.

[hallamblue]

Yes, you’re right on that. I do need to relax a bit more about Ashton I think. It’s a bit of an internal battle lol but I’ll get there .

Got yer case packed yet? Have a brilliant time both of you x

[Bluemike]

I'm packing over the next day or Two and heading to the airport Monday evening, pick the ship up in Palma Tuesday afternoon. Cheers mate.

[hallamblue]

Don’t forget my postcard from every port

[Bluemike]

Don’t forget my postcard from every port

Lmao I'll probably be home before those bloody things arrive.

[marko69]

Don’t forget my postcard from every port

Lmao I'll probably be home before those bloody things arrive.

ASHTON FOR NEW POST OFFICE MASTER!

[hallamblue]

….. strike brothers….. strike now !! N

[Bluemike]

And ships captain !!!!

[hallamblue]

Hope your vessel isnt called Titanic II then!!!