Mark Kennedy has left his role as Ipswich Town Under-21 manager to take up a coaching position at Manchester City’s academy.

The former Republic of Ireland international was brought to Portman Road, as a player, by his former international team-mate Roy Keane in the summer of 2010 – signed for a fee of £75,000 from Cardiff City.

After making 34 starts and three substitute appearances for the Blues, the ex-Millwall, Liverpool, Manchester City, Wolves and Crystal Palace man began coaching at Playford Road late in the 2011/12 season and was named Under-21 boss by Paul Jewell the following summer.

McCarthy, who is yet to name Kennedy’s replacement, said: “We are disappointed to see Sparky go but we wish him all the best for the future.”

Town’s Under-21s recently finished seventh, in a table of 10, in the Professional Development League Two South Division,