Damien Delaney (undisclosed, Queens Park Rangers)
Lee Martin (undisclosed, Manchester United)
Colin Healy (undisclosed, Cork City),
Shane O’Connor (free, unattatched)

Ipswich had a disappointing season last time out under Jim Magilton.

The aim would have been to reach the playoffs but they fell short despite having what looked on paper as a decent squad.

They had mixed form all season and after their troubles on the road the year before it was the opposite this time as they struggled at home last year. The goals of Kevin Lisbie kept them in contention though who along with Jon Stead meant they were never far away from the playoffs.

Their 3-1 win over QPR gave them a late hope of a top six finish but Jim Magilton's side failed to build on that and despite thrashing Norwich Magilton was sacked with two games to go.

They stunned football by appointing Roy Keane and he got off to a flyer winning his first two games to leave them finishing in the top ten once again.

Roy Keane's arrival at Ipswich has got everyone talking and Ipswich are now strongly fancied to make a return to the Premiership.

Keane has experience of the Championship and it is all good as he won promotion with Sunderland in his first year. He'll have a big job on to repeat that but has added to an already decent squad with Damien Delaney and Lee Martin who will add quality on the left.

Delaney was hit and miss at QPR but will be a good player for them and they already had a decent squad with Stead, Lisbie and Jon Walters all very good players at this level.

I doubt Keane's spending is done yet either and if he can add some more quality to the squad they have a great chance of going up. Still something doesn't sit right with Keane especially with the way he left Sunderland and you do wonder what will happen if things don't go well for him.

He should have a big impact though and I expect Ipswich to make the playoffs this time around.

PREDICTION: 5th in the Championship

I asked Ipswich fans on an unofficial message board for their thoughts on the new season and here is what they had to say.

How do you think Ipswich will fare this season?

This is our year, champions!

Who are your players to watch out for?

Probaby one's we will sign shortly but of the ones we have Dutch defender Pim Balkestein is brilliant.

Is your Manager the right man for the job?

Yes, I couldn't be happier

Which three teams will be promoted this season?

Ipswich, West Brom and Reading

Which teams will be relegated?

Anyone of about 8 clubs, I'll g with Doncaster, scunthorpe and Blackpool

How do you think QPR will fare this season?

I hope you do well as Jim Magilton is a legend so would be nice to see him come up as well but i think he'll do his usual and just miss the playoffs

One of Ipswich Town's best ever players Alan Brazil had a short spell at QPR in 1987 but the Scottish forward had put a bit of weight on and looked like the Michelin man in hoops.

He scored one goal for QPR before retiring from football with a back injury blaming the Loftus Road pitch rather than all the pies he had been eating.

Chris Kiwomya is another famous striker to have played for both sides. He helped Ipswich to promotion to the Premiership in 1992 and was a top goalscorer for them before joining Arsenal in 1995.

He came to QPR in 1998 and got his chance towards the end of the season scoring some crucial goals including a hat trick on the final day of the season to keep us in the division.

He was top scorer in 1999/00 season with Stuart Wardley and was just behind Peter Crouch for top scorer the following year before being given a free transfer after not showing the best of attitude to our relegation battle.

Georges Santos has also played for both sides along with Simon Walton.

When this site first started this was a regular fixture. In the 1998/99 season Kevin Gallen looked like he would give us a 1-0 win just days after Gerry Francis won the manager of the month award. Gallen's goal was cancelled out in the last minute by Matt Holland to send them home with a point.

The return fixture was always going to be tough as Ipswich sat in the playoffs and we looked doomed to relegation. Chris Kiwomya gave us an early lead but it didn't last and the home side ran out comfortable 3-1 winners.

After defeat in the playoffs that year Ipswich were one of the favourites to go up the following season. Rangers stunned them though with two brilliant wins in the 1999/00 season. Ipswich took an early lead and threatened to run riot against us at Portman Road.

Gavin Peacock got us level just before half time before we took control after the break. Two goals from Rob Steiner and one from Stuart Wardley gave us our biggest away win of the season and sent us all home very happy.

The return game saw Rangers run riot again. Even Sammy Koejoe looked a different class as he got on the scoresheet along with Peacock and Kiwomya in a 3-1 win. Rangers fans joyfully sung "Your gonna lose in the playoffs" to the dejected Ipswich fans but they had the last laugh by winning the playoffs and then finishing in the top five in the Premiership a year later.

In 2004/05 the two sides produced a couple of entertaining games. Ipswich dominated the first half at Loftus Road taking a deserved lead as their former trainee Adam Miller made his home debut for QPR. Paul Furlong scored two sensational goals to put Rangers ahead at the break but Ipswich finally turned their possession into goals in the second half and ran out 4-2 winners.

The Ipswich players mocked QPR with the soccer am Easy chant when the third went in but they weren’t laughing quite so hard a few months later when the two sides met again.

Highly rated goalkeeper Kelvin Davies fell on his arse after 2 minutes and allowed Paul Furlong to give us the lead before Dan Shittu wrapped up a welcome the points in the second half.

In the 2005/06 season Rangers produced their best home performance of the season against them as goals from Gallen and Rowlands helped us to a 2-1 win which could easily have been a much bigger win. The away game was an enjoyable one as Stefan Moore got on the scoresheet along with Paul Furlong to give us a 2-1 lead. Typical Rangers though we threw it away in injury time to leave with just a point.

In 2006/07 Ipswich did a rare double over us. At Loftus Road Simon Walton was among the scorers for Ipswich as they thrashed us in front of the Sky cameras. The return game wasn't much better for us as Furlong scored for us but we still managed to lose 2-1.

In 2007/08 season we drew both games with Ipswich. The home game saw Sylvan Legwinski score a screamer to open the scoring before substitute Marc Nygaard came on to grab us a point.

The game at Portman Road was a good one with both sides going all out for a win but were unable to break the deadlock on a 0-0 draw.

Last Season Ipswich did the double over us with a 2-0 win at Portman Road and a 3-1 win at Loftus Road.

Click on the match for a report of the game from this web site.