CHIEF executive Simon Clegg has revealed that club owner Marcus Evans is a regular spectator at Blues away games.The reclusive multimillionaire businessman is determined to keep a low profile, but Clegg reassured supporters that he has lost none of his enthusiasm for the club despite the poor start to the season.

Elvin King

CHIEF executive Simon Clegg has revealed that club owner Marcus Evans is a regular spectator at Blues away games.

The reclusive multimillionaire businessman is determined to keep a low profile, but Clegg reassured supporters that he has lost none of his enthusiasm for the club despite the poor start to the season.

Evans is expected to be at the Madejski Stadium today when Ipswich will be looking to get off the foot of the Championship table with a victory over Reading (kick-off 3pm).

“He is an unassuming person and could be in the directors' box, in a hospitality box or sitting in the midst of Town fans behind the goal,” said Clegg.

“Marcus is a regular for home games and has been to four or five of our seven previous away matches.

“He is just as passionate about taking the club forward now as he was when he first took over the club.

“He has shown with his investment and his willingness to assist the manager in further strengthening the squad that he remains committed to getting Ipswich Town into the Premier League.”

Despite going into today's match with just one win in 15 matches, Clegg says that the aims are the same as when he took over as chief executive from Derek Bowden last April.

“Our plan is still the same,” added Clegg. “It is not the be-all and end-all but the main priority is to see Ipswich Town promoted to the Premier League as soon as possible.

“All our resources are going towards that, although we cannot lose sight of the fact that we are running a business and have to live within our means.”

Producing quality young players is also high on the list of priorities for Evans, which Clegg confirmed when he said: “We are going to continue to invest in the future of the club through the academy with academy manager Sammy Morgan doing an excellent job.”

Clegg, who was chief executive of the British Olympic committee before taking the Town job, revealed that he has been amazed by how supportive Town's fans have been.

“I did not realise how special Ipswich fans are,” he said. “The support they have given in what has been a disappointing start has been fantastic.”