It's been a good year for Ipswich Town in 2022. Here are a few thoughts that were aired by managers, players, journalists and columnists after games throughout the last 12 months.
JANUARY 8, 2022
GILLINGHAM 0 IPSWICH 4
Kieran McKenna: "We’ve got some good momentum behind us now. It doesn’t always come off as well as it did today, but when it does come off we have to enjoy it.
"We honestly haven't spoken to the players about points totals or play-offs or positions in the league.
"That's what fans do and that's great. Hopefully we give them something to believe in. You want fans to be believe and be excited about the team and the direction you're going."
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
IPSWICH 3 BURTON 0
Kieran McKenna on Kayden Jackson: "I'm delighted for him as a lad, first of all. As I've said before, his personality from the first day has really pleased me.
"He's obviously had a statement performance today but I've not learned anything new about him. I've seen that in training every day, I'm just pleased he's been able to show it to a wider audience.
"He's really impressed me with his pace, his movement and his work rate off the ball. And he's a good crosser off of both feet. He's very good with his movement patterns."
MARCH 26, 2022
IPSWICH 1 PLYMOUTH 0
EADT chief football writer, Stuart Watson: "This was Town's first win of the season against a side currently in the top seven. Following 'close but no cigar' draws against in-form trio MK Dons, Portsmouth and Oxford, this felt like a milestone moment for a team making exciting progress.
"No longer is one step forwards being followed by two steps back. Under McKenna, the Blues (now unbeaten in 11) seem to be learning and improving by the week."
APRIL 9, 2022
SHREWSBURY 1 IPSWICH 1
Karl Fuller, EADT columnist: "For at least the sixth year in a row, we have reached the point where we cannot wait for the season to be over.
"But unlike the last five years, for me at least, it is because I am really itching to get on with the next season. Sure, when the last few seasons have reached this point, we just hoped the next one would be better, but I really believe that next term will see hopes realised."
JULY 30, 2022
IPSWICH 1 BOLTON 1
Andy Warren, EADT football writer: "Optimism was in the air at Portman Road as Town began their fourth attempt at promotion from League One, but things didn’t go according to plan as new signing Leif Davis gave away a penalty which was converted by Aaron Morley to give Wanderers a deserved lead.
"Town had struggled to get going during a tough first half but scrambled level by the interval, as a clever set-piece routine saw Evans convert well from Conor Chaplin’s low corner."
AUGUST 13, 2022
IPSWICH 3 MK DONS 0
Kieran McKenna: "It's three points, no more than that. It's very early in the season. Things went our way today and I thought we deserved that.
"It's one game at a time, it's a long season... all the cliches. I couldn't care less about where we are in the league and won't do for quite a long time. It's all about performances.
"That was the best performance that we've had so far. We previously had two games in the league where we had very good spells, but today was the longest we managed to maintain it."
SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
SHEFFIELD WED 2 IPSWICH 2
Stuart Watson: "This is a result that the majority of Town fans would have taken before kick-off. Eight games in and the Blues remain both unbeaten and top of the table.
"Remember, McKenna's men were comfortably beaten 1-0 at Hillsborough back in January. So this competitive performance was another mark of progress. Beating a likely promotion rival, however, is still a box to be ticked at the start of this season."
OCTOBER 15, 2022
IPSWICH 0 LINCOLN 1
Lincoln boss and former Blue, Mark Kennedy: "Today we showed real belief in each other. We have a very good group of people, and an incredible group of players, but I don’t think they believe that sometimes, maybe that’s what you get when you have a younger squad.
"I’m really pleased for the guys because defensively at set pieces, we’ve been excellent this year – one of the top teams in the league, but offensively we’re one of the worst."
NOVEMBER, 19, 2022
EXETER 0 IPSWICH 2
North Stander columnist, Terry Hunt: "A comfortable, straightforward away win. No late drama, no throwing away of a lead. Just a thoroughly professional and impressive performance. More of the same please.
"A really good display at a potentially difficult place to go. It was well deserved reward for the 1,200 travelling who, thanks to the demands of TV, either had to set their alarms for some unearthly time before dawn, sort out an overnight stay. Well played, folks."
DECEMBER 29, 2022
PORTSMOUTH 2 IPSWICH 2
Town goalscorer Conor Chaplin: “It was a tough one but coming from behind twice you could saw we showed good resilience and it was a good point.
"But, on the balance of the game, I think it was two points dropped really. That’s my overriding feeling because I thought we were clearly the better team. “If we follow this up at Lincoln, which we know will be a very, very tough game from when we played them at our place, it’s a great Christmas period."
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