'Emotional'
Our breakfast radio presenter here at BBC Suffolk, Wayne Bavin, is continuing to highlight Kieran McKenna's leaving of Ipswich Town Football Club this morning.
"It feels really weird saying former Ipswich Town manager... listening to that, you couldn't help but get emotional," Wayne says after playing a clip from McKenna's leaving video, where he announced his departure.
"Kieran was clearly emotional."
You can listen live to Wayne here, external, where we are expecting to hear from some fans.
Just how successful was Kieran McKenna?
Kieran McKenna has arguably been one of Ipswich Town's most successful managers.
Back in December 2021, he left a first-team coaching position at Manchester United to take over Town, who were stuck down in League One.
He then pulled them back up into the second tier of English football, the Championship, at the end of his first full season in charge in 2023.
Nothing short of a whirlwind, in 2024, he led Town back up into the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.
The Premier League naturally proved tough, and while the club was relegated back down, McKenna stood strong and has just once again brought the team back up to the top flight for the new season in August.
For some young fans, all they know is McKenna and success. It will likely be a hard time for many of them.
A reminder of what happened last night
If you are just joining us or need a reminder of what happened last night, it was announced that Ipswich Town's manager, Kieran McKenna, would be leaving the club.
The 40-year-old Northern Irishman departs after four-and-a-half seasons, where he led the team through various successful promotions, including the most recent one this year back up to the Premier League.
In a statement released through the club, he said it was "with a mixture of gratitude, pride, sadness and contentment" that he would be leaving.
"When you have the connection that we have built at this club, there is never a good time to say goodbye," he said.
"However, having achieved a second promotion to the Premier League last season, with another memorable final day in our stadium, and after reflection over the last couple of weeks, I feel this is the right time for me to step aside."
He added that he would be moving away from managing to spend time with his family.
Mark Ashton, Town's chairman, added in his own statement that McKenna would be "greatly missed".
What was the reaction like last night?
It is fair to say fans have taken Kieran McKenna's departure as his role as manager at Ipswich Town pretty hard, but with a lot of gratitude.
Town's own Facebook post relaying the news garnered more than 1,300 comments.
"A sad day, but I wish him all the best, and I'm sure he leaves with the heartfelt thanks of all Blues fans for what he has achieved," one fan said.
Another added: "Absolutely gutted by this news. Kieran McKenna has provided me, as an Ipswich Town fan, with some of the most memorable moments I will ever experience."
That's all for now
Thank you for joining us on this special live page this evening.
We're finishing now, but we'll be back in the morning from 06:00 with the latest reaction and analysis following this evening's shock news.
And there'll be more reaction on the BBC Radio Suffolk Breakfast Show hosted by Wayne Bavin from 06:00, and on BBC Look East on BBC One from 06:25.
You can catch up on our live special by clicking the play button below.
Fastest Town manager to 100 wins
Kieran McKenna managed Ipswich for 222 games, winning 106 with 60 draws and 56 losses.
In the run-in to promotion, he became the fastest Ipswich manager to clock up 100 wins.
Taking over midway through the 2021-22 season, the club finished 11th in League One that year.
His side gained a return to the Championship the following season by finishing League One runners-up to Plymouth and then stunned the Championship by going up with champions Leicester City in 2023-24.
The rise proved too rapid as McKenna's side suffered relegation from the Premier League in 2024-25 but they recovered to secure automatic promotion at the first attempt, with the final day win over QPR sparking joyous scenes across the county.
He leaves as one of Ipswich Town's most successful ever managers.
Who replaces McKenna?
Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio Suffolk sports editor
As the dust settles after this evening's announcement, attention will turn to who might replace McKenna as Town boss.
Thomas Frank (pictured), recently sacked as Tottenham manager, could be a contender, but, like McKenna, he has hinted he would like a break from football.
Liam Rosenior is currently without a job after his departure from Chelsea. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who McKenna worked with at Manchester United, is another big name who could be linked, as is Liverpool and England legend and former Rangers and Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard.
Danny Rohl at Rangers may be interested, and of the managers currently in the Championship, Derby County's John Eustace might put his CV in as well.
Former England U-21 boss Lee Carsley is another possible.
Some supporters wouldn't mind Sean Dyche, given his record of keeping teams up, but it feels like Ipswich and their style of football these days has moved on from him.
'An absolute class act'
Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk commentator
Kieran McKenna has been an absolute dream to deal with from day one.
He's an absolute class act. What you’ve seen on TV, read in newspaper columns and heard on BBC Radio Suffolk over the last few years is a true relection of him. There’s no other side to him.
If you disagreed with something, if you were critical, which we have to be on our side of the fence from time to time, he would accept it, he would realise it's part of the job; never any grudges, always looked you in the eye, always shook your hand.
'I just wish him all the best'
Callers to BBC Radio Suffolk have been giving their reaction to Kieran McKenna's decision to step down as Ipswich manager.
James said: "I think even with all the rumours circulating I don’t think anyone saw this news developing as it has done and coming out of left-field.
"My initial reaction was very much one of sadness and I’m feeling quite hollow to be honest with you. It’s going to be difficult to know where to go from here."
Tearful caller Julie said: "I think if we take anything from this – look where we were when he came in. It was a really bad atmosphere at Portman Road – the performances, the team, everything was disjointed and Kieran came in and he spread that magic. He just turned the club around.
"I'm sad but I'm happy that he did that. We can go on and build from what he's left. I just wish him all the best."
'We know Kieran was 24/7, wasn't he?' - Judge
Former Ipswich player Alan Judge has told BBC Radio Suffolk that he was not hugely surprised that Kieran McKenna wanted to take a break.
"Funnily enough I came across Kieran a few weeks ago in town and I spoke to him a little and he just said how much the season had taken out of him," he said.
"Maybe he's looking at other managers that have coached for eight, nine, 10 years in a row and 'if I have a break now, that will give me a bit more longevity coaching-wise'. We know Kieran was 24/7, wasn't he?"
Judge, who played 91 games for the Blues between 2019 and 2021, said McKenna "elevated the club from the lowest to the best".
"I was there before he came in. We could all probably say Paul Cook made a little bit of a mess of what was going on and the turnover and Kieran came in and he turned it right around.
"Not only are people saying he's a good coach but his man-management is top notch. He has done so much for the club."
Analysis
Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio Suffolk sports editor
Kieran McKenna's time in charge of Ipswich Town has been nothing short of incredible.
Just four full seasons in charge have brought with them three promotions and a first taste of Premier League football at Portman Road in more than 20 years.
What's more, the football seen during those first two promotion-winning campaigns was the best at Ipswich Town in a generation, with a group of players who thrived under the Northern Irishman's lead.
Relegation from the top flight just over a year ago, coupled with a slow start to Town's most recent campain in the second tier, meant that McKenna had not been without his critics leading up to the New Year.
However, two morale-boosting wins over runaway Championship leaders Coventry City, and Town's first East Anglian derby victories in more than a decade, helped a new-look Ipswich team book their seat at English football's top table once again.
Town's travelling support have enjoyed some of the most memorable away days and Portman Road has come back to life, but as McKenna alluded to on the final day of the season and in his latest statement, it has come at a cost to him. He is exhausted and he needs a break.
The Tractor Boys and Girls will wish him well in their tens of thousands. This departure is a sad moment for them, but Kieran McKenna leaves their club in a far better place, and he leaves it a very attractive proposition for his successor.
Mathie 'surprised' at McKenna's decision to step down
Former Ipswich Town striker Alex Mathie has been speaking to Brenner Woolley on BBC Radio Suffolk.
"I must admit I did say at the end of last season he may go to a bigger club. I am a bit surprised at the step down - I thought when he was at his peak he would keep going," he said.
"You don't know what toll the past five years have taken on him. I don't think he took the decision lightly. He has a young family. I'm sure he will be back within the next year or so. He will want to keep improving."
He said he believed promotion last season was "by far his best achievement" as Town boss. "It was not easy to do that in 12 months - it was outstanding."
Mathie added: "There must be some big names in for that job, now they are in the Premier League."
'Huge shoes to fill'
Phil Ham, editor of independent Ipswich Town website TWTD, told BBC Look East that McKenna had been a "phenomenon" for the club and fans would be "shocked and sad" to see him go.
"There's been some speculation regarding Kieran moving to other clubs but to leave Town and just to have some time away from football, that's a shock to everyone. I texted an ex-player and his reaction was just 'wow'.
"No Town manager has won three promotions other than Kieran McKenna. A remarkable period in charge of the club, ending on a great high."
He added: "There's perhaps an understanding that it's been quite a few years at the club, it takes a lot out of somebody. It's not a 9-to-5 job by any stretch of the imagination, a football manager."
Ham said the new manager would have "huge shoes to fill" and believes candidates will soon begin to emerge.
He speculated whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, McKenna's former boss at Manchester United, may be in the running.
