Roy Keane’s departure from Ipswich Town will be officially announced later today.

Keane’s turbulent 20-month reign at Portman Road has come to an end after multi-millionaire club owner Marcus Evans finally lost patience with his high-profile manager.

The move comes after a disastrous sequence of results which has left Ipswich precariously placed just outside the Championship relegation zone. Pressure had been mounting on Keane for the last few weeks. The writing seemed to be on the wall when Keane said he had spoken to Evans about his budget for the January transfer window, and they had agreed to “play it by ear.’’

It’s all a far cry from the excitement when Keane was appointed at Town boss in April 2009. the iconic former Manchester United skipper promised Town fans they he would take the club back to the Premier League.

Instead, the team suffered the worst start to a league season in the club’s history, only winning their first game at the 15th attempt. Stuttering performances for the rest of the campaign saw Ipswich finish 15th.

This season started much better, but six consecutive defeats saw the team plummet from the play-off places to 19th place. Crowds have also slumped as Town fans have turned their backs on the team’s less than entertaining style of football.

And fans have become increasingly disenchanted by Keane’s inconsistent selections, with three, four, or even five changes for every game. There have also been reports of bust-ups with certain players, including Spanish striker Pablo Counago and former skipper Jon Walters, both of whom now play for other clubs.

Keane’s signings record has been mixed, with misfiring striker Tamas Priskin and misfit winger Lee Martin among his blunders. Keane has also mystified fans by letting quality players leave – most notably young striker Jordan Rhodes, midfield playmaker Owen Garvan, and full-back David Wright.