It has been confirmed that the wife of Ipswich Town star player Sam Morsy gave birth, but sadly, the child did not survive.

Ipswich Town has achieved remarkable feats in the 2023/24 season, considering their standing when Kieran McKenna assumed the managerial role. The team was positioned as a mid-table League One contender when McKenna transitioned from Old Trafford, where he served on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff, to becoming the head coach at Portman Road, marking his inaugural stint in such a position.

The conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign saw Ipswich Town’s surge, clinching automatic promotion to the Championship. Despite their impressive performance, including scoring six goals in two separate matches in their final six games, the prospects of contending for a playoff spot, let alone securing automatic promotion, seemed improbable. Yet, they have defied expectations.

Currently, McKenna’s team trails the league leaders by just one point, with Leeds United and Leicester City, both former Premier League clubs, being the primary contenders for automatic promotion.

The fan base’s expectations have already been surpassed, particularly given the comparatively modest valuation of Ipswich Town’s squad in relation to other Championship teams. According to Transfermarkt, the estimated value of all players at McKenna’s disposal amounts to €50.5 million (approximately £43 million), ranking them 16th in the league in terms of squad value.

Remarkably, despite competing against teams with significantly more valuable squads, Ipswich Town has remained competitive. Their opponents for automatic promotion, Leeds United and Leicester City, boast squads worth more than four times that of Ipswich. Leeds United, managed by Enzo Maresca, commands the most expensive squad in the Championship at €211 million (£180 million), closely followed by Daniel Farke’s Norwich City with a squad worth €204 million (£175 million).

This vast difference in squad value underscores the tremendous efforts of McKenna, his players, and the front office staff in propelling Ipswich Town into contention. The resurgence of the East Anglia Derby, reignited by Ipswich’s promotion, highlights the contrast between their squad value and that of their rivals like Norwich City, whose longstanding presence in higher divisions has bolstered their squad’s value to €69.75 million (roughly £60 million).