Ashton excited by ‘incredible potential’ at Portman Road

MARK Ashton claims the chance at Ipswich Town was too good to turn down after starting work at the League One club following five-anda-half years as Bristol City CEO.

Ashton has taken over at Portman Road following the American-led buyout of the Tractor Boys and is joined in Suffolk by mentor and business partner Mike O’Leary as chairman, plus former Bristol City colleagues Luke Werhun, Andy Rolls and Andy Costin.

His departure from Ashton Gate was confirmed in April and while Ashton paid tribute to Steve Lansdown in his first interview as Ipswich CEO, he did commit one final Robins-related faux pas. Ashton was castigated by City fans last August, in the wake of Dean Holden’s appointment, after calling the club “Bristol” in an interview with BBC Radio Bristol’s Geoff Twentyman and repeated it while discussing his new League One job.

“Very difficult decision to leave Bristol,” Ashton said at Portman Road. “Some great people, great club ... a fantastic owner, who have been incredibly supportive to me for the last five and a half years. So, yes, it was a difficult decision to make but I just think this, and I’m looking around the club now, the opportunity is fantastic, the potential is incredible.”

Former Ipswich owner Marcus Evans sold Ipswich for £40m to investors Gamechanger 20, in which American trio Brett Johnson, Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer are playing a leading role. Ipswich, under the management of Paul Cook, should possess the largest transfer budget in League One.

Incoming Bristol City CEO Richard Gould, who’s arriving from Surrey Cricket Club, begins work later this month.