Ipswich Town chief executive Mark Ashton has thanked the club's US owners for spending 'millions and millions' of pounds on a new Portman Road pitch.

The Blues' ageing home surface, which has shown real signs of wear and tear of late, will be dug up this summer.

Undersoil heating and high-draining sand will be installed below a modern hybrid surface (a combination of natural and artificial grass) and served by a new sprinkler and irrigation system.

That work follows three modern pitches having been installed at the Playford Road training ground over recent months.

"It's fundamental that we have a pitch that can sustain the style of play that Kieran (McKenna) wants from his team," said Ashton.

"This is a huge investment. We are talking millions and millions of pounds. But it's a forever investment.

"We couldn't do this without the ownership group. They have stood right behind the plan and we can't thank them enough for that.

"They have never, ever dug right down at Portman Road, so it's going to be interesting what we find."

Town's head groundsman Ben Connell said: "The pitch we have now is from the 1930s and it underwent a partial reconstruction in the 1970s, so that's a long, long time ago.

"It's going to be a busy summer. The pitch build is going to be at least six weeks, so we will have to start work as soon as the last game finishes. Obviously we don't know when that date will be at the moment because there may or may not be play-offs."