Championship 2015-16 season preview: Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town had their best season in a decade last term, but it ended in perhaps the worst way imaginable with a playoff semi-final defeat to arch rivals Norwich City, who went on to achieve promotion to the Premier League.

So, after a 14th consecutive year at Championship level the Tractor Boys' supporters will expect them to go one better after a solid summer transfer window.

Bournemouth swooped to sign highly-rated defender Tyrone Mings, but with an Â£8m fee and two players coming the other way, Ipswich will feel that they got the better deal.

That money has been used to strengthen the squad and the Blues appear ready for a promotion push.

In

Josh Yorwerth (Cardiff City), Brett Pitman (Bournemouth), Jonas Knudsen (Esbjerg), Giles Coke (Sheffield Wednesday), Larsen Toure (AC Arles-Avignon), Jonathan Douglas (Brentford), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth, season-long loan), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal, season-long loan)

Out

Darren Ambrose, Paul Anderson (Bradford City), Elliott Hewitt, Jack Marriott (Luton Town), Noel Hunt (Southend United), Stephen Hunt, Omar Sowunmi (Yeovil Town), Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth), Anthony Wordsworth (Southend United), Matt Clarke (Portsmouth, half-season loan)

Last season - 6th

Manager - Mick McCarthy

When McCarthy arrived at Portman Road in 2012, Ipswich were in real danger of dropping down to the third tier for the first time since 1957. The former Wolves boss immediately righted many of the wrongs and Ipswich comfortably secured their Championship status for another season.

The following season brought an eighth-place finish before Ipswich had their best term in a decade in 2014-15, squeezing into the playoffs on goal difference before the crushing defeat to Norwich. His style of football is far from the sexiest in the league, but McCarthy's history of promotion from the Championship suggests that the Blues will be there or thereabouts this season.

McCarthy made more substitutions than any other manager last season and with more squad depth this season, expect plenty more tinkering from the Yorkshireman.

Key Player - David McGoldrick

Daryl Murphy's impressive 27-goal haul saw him top the scoring charts by six goals last season but another season of 20 or more goals from the Irishman is unlikely.

The season before it was McGoldrick who led the way for the Tractor Boys and if he can stay fit and regain top form it could make a huge difference for the Suffolk side.

With the machine that is Murphy, poacher Pitman and the scampering Freddie Sears, Ipswich have arguably the strongest strikeforce in the league, but McGoldrick's magic is something that none of the others can offer.

Possible starting lineup

Bialkowski; Chambers, Smith, Berra, Parr; Maitland-Niles, Skuse, Bishop, Fraser; Sears, Murphy

First game: Brentford (A), Full fixture list

Sports Mole says

There appear to be many strong candidates for promotion this season, but Ipswich are somewhat going under the radar with most bookmakers putting them around eighth or ninth-favourite to go up.

With McCarthy's record in the Championship, the fact that they have last season's top striker, a stubborn defence and new faces on the wing - an area where they have lacked talent in recent years - the Tractor Boys should be one of those in the mix.

The worry will be that Murphy cannot get near last year's total, but if he goes off the boil there are other options in attack and Arsenal teenager Maitland-Niles has been especially impressive in pre-season.

Mings had a stellar breakout campaign, but either Jonathan Parr or new signing Knudsen should fill in at left-back. There do not seem to be many weak links - Ipswich will not be a team most look forward to facing.