Ipswich Town’s Top Secret Summer Raid: Mark Ashton Declares War on Big Clubs for ‘Best of the Best’ Staff – and the Strategy Might Just Shock You
In a bold and head-turning move, Ipswich Town chairman Mark Ashton has revealed his ambitious summer blueprint to supercharge the club’s recruitment department—and he’s not playing small. In fact, he’s aiming to pull talent straight from the powerhouses of the football world.
“I think it evolves every single day,” Ashton told EADT and the Ipswich Star in a revealing interview. “There will be more people coming into the recruitment department over the summer. We’ve made a decision to bolster that again.”
But Ashton didn’t stop there—he threw down a challenge to the football elite.
“That takes time, because you’ve got to find these people and then get them out of the clubs that they’re in. And the reality is that we’re probably trying to take people out of quite big clubs because we need the best of the best.”
Let that sink in—Ipswich is no longer just shopping for players; they’re going after the very minds behind Europe’s sharpest scouting operations.
“We’ll be investing more into the recruitment department again this summer,” Ashton added, making it clear that this isn’t a one-time strategy—it’s a foundational shift in how the club is building for the future.
Data Dreams and International Ambitions
While Kieran McKenna has been at the helm of seven transfer windows—signing 43 players—only Jens Cajuste (Napoli) and Ben Godfrey (Atalanta) have arrived from overseas. That’s something the club seems determined to change.
In late 2024, McKenna was pressed on whether Ipswich could replicate the data-driven magic of Brighton or Brentford, whose recruitment strategies have unearthed undervalued international gems.
“I don’t know the ins and outs of their systems, but I get the gist of it,” McKenna admitted. “They’ve got people who have done it for a large number of years and have probably got a market advantage because of that. Look at some of the recruitment they’ve done from international markets and the value they’ve found. They’ve done a fantastic job.”
He added with refreshing honesty: “For us, we’re on our own journey with that. Other clubs are way ahead. It’s for us to build a system up, but that takes time. It’s still very much a work-in-progress, to be honest.”
Secret Analytics Deal Revealed
In an unexpected twist, it has been revealed that Ipswich had previously used Tony Bloom’s coveted Jamestown Analytics system—the same cutting-edge tech powering Brighton’s recruitment juggernaut. However, the plug was pulled on that access when the two clubs became Premier League rivals.
Now that Ipswich is back in the Championship, the system is reportedly back in their hands—a potentially game-changing tool if they can harness it properly.
High-Profile Departures Add Drama
But while the recruitment department is poised for growth, there are significant changes elsewhere. Jamie Osman, the club’s head of analysis, has left after only a year to launch his own consultancy. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been hit by another shakeup with Lee Grant stepping away from Ipswich to take up the managerial role at Huddersfield Town.
These changes mark a period of transformation—and opportunity.
So, is Ipswich Town quietly building a Premier League-ready recruitment empire behind the scenes? With plans to lure elite analysts from the biggest clubs in Europe, access to advanced data systems, and a clear investment push, fans might soon witness a revolution in Suffolk. One thing is for sure: Mark Ashton isn’t just talking—he’s about to act.
