IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today revealed that the mindset at Portman Road must now change following the takeover by Marcus Evans.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today revealed that the mindset at Portman Road must now change following the takeover by Marcus Evans.

“We must now focus on opportunity,” said Sheepshanks.

“This is what I am trying to encourage throughout the club. I want everybody employed by Ipswich Town to embrace the huge opportunity given to us by Marcus Evans.

“It has from now on to be a 'can do' as opposed to a 'can't do' philosophy.

“For the last few years we have been living under tight controls - risk constraints if you like. Now that has changed and the mindset must change.”

Sheepshanks is happy with the way the takeover is working and says he still has scope to control transfers.

“I do consult Marcus, of course I do, but I did that to the board before the takeover,“ said Sheepshanks. “Marcus is happy for me to negotiate. I have the same latitude as before.

“Chief executive Derek Bowden will continue to negotiate players' contracts as before and Marcus is very supportive of manager Jim Magilton's judgement on the players he wants to bring in.“

Sheepshanks said there was nothing to fear over new board member Martin Pitcher spending time at Portman Road looking over the way the club works.

“Martin and the Marcus Evans group are getting a total understanding of how we run to get a better idea of how we do things.

“They can then come up with some ideas. It is not a root and branch investigation.”