Keiran McKenna has surprised Ipswich Town fans with his decision to step down from his role as manager in order to take a break from football, not long after achieving a second promotion to the Premier League.
The Irishman led Town to finish second in the Championship behind eventual winners Coventry, returning to the top fight at the first time of asking since suffering relegation in the 2024/25 season – earning three promotions in four seasons in his first senior role.
McKenna, 40, first arrived at Portman Road in December 2021 and became just the fifth manager since the Premier League was formed in 1992 to achieve back-to-back promotions between the third tier and England’s most elite division.
Graham Taylor, Joe Loyle, Nigel Adkins, and Paul Lambert are the only other managers to have made it on the list, achieving the feat at Watford, Manchester City, Southampton, and Ipswich’s local rivals Norwich City respectively.
McKenna said in a statement on the club’s website: “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.
“To manage this club has been an absolute privilege. Over the last five seasons we have been on an incredible journey that has brought so many of the best experiences in my professional and personal life.
“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.
Town’s outgoing boss added that he departs the club “with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge optimism for the future of the club.”
To add to Ipswich’s success this season, McKenna cemented himself as an iconic figure among fans by ending their 16-year wait for a victory over Norwich and achieving a first double in the East Anglian Derby for 33 years.
Ipswich will now begin their search for a new manager to take on the mammoth task of ensuring that they remain in the Premier League beyond the 2026/27 season and deny the Canaries a chance to exact their revenge.
The club’s chairman Mike Ashton said: “Kieran will be greatly missed but he and his family leave us with our immense gratitude for all he has done. He will always be welcome at Portman Road.
“Thank you for everything, Kieran. It’s been an absolute pleasure.”
Though McKenna has been linked to the Fulham job following confirmation that Marco Silva will replace Jose Mourinho as manager of Portuguese first division side Benfica, but with the aim of taking a break from the sport this now seems unlikely.
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