Kieran McKenna resigns as Ipswich Town manager a month after sealing Premier League return
Kieran McKenna has stepped down as Ipswich Town manager just weeks after securing the club's return to the Premier League. The 40-year-old is taking a break from football to spend time with his family, despite having two years left on his contract.
Kieran McKenna has stepped down as manager of Ipswich Town, just weeks after guiding the club back to the Premier League. The 40-year-old has decided to take a break from football to spend time with his family, despite having two years remaining on his contract.
A record of three promotions in four seasons
McKenna took over at Ipswich in December 2021 when the club were in League One. In his first full season he secured promotion to the Championship, then repeated the feat a year later, finishing second to return Ipswich to the top flight for the first time since 2001. Relegation followed in 2024-25, but the club kept faith and was rewarded with an automatic promotion in 2025-26 after a final-day win over QPR. In all, McKenna led the Tractor Boys to three promotions in four full seasons, a run the club chairman called "legendary".
It is with a mixture of gratitude, pride, sadness and contentment that I have decided to step down from the honour of managing this historic football club.
- Appointed as Ipswich Town manager when club was in League One.
- Leads Ipswich to promotion from League One to Championship.
- Secures second consecutive promotion, taking Ipswich to Premier League for first time in 22 years.
- Relegated from Premier League; club keeps faith.
- Finishes second in Championship, winning automatic promotion with final-day victory over QPR.
- Resigns as manager, citing need for a break and family time.
Following Fulham links, a family break
McKenna had been heavily linked with the vacant manager's job at Fulham following Marco Silva's departure, but he insisted he would not be taking that role or any other in the near future. Instead, he is stepping away from the spotlight to dedicate time to his family. He said the decision was made after reflection and a desire to bow out on a high.
After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far.
Chairman 'gutted' but respectful
Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton expressed sadness at the departure but said he understood the decision after five intense years. He praised McKenna's transformation of the club and the connection forged with supporters.
The mark he, his staff and his players have made on Ipswich Town and its community will live forever. It has captured a generation.
Ashton added that McKenna's achievements placed him "in the same breath as the legends of this club". Ipswich will now accelerate contingency plans as they prepare for a Premier League season under a new manager.
