Ipswich Town start their League One season this Saturday. Here, the EADT and Ipswich Star sports team offer their predictions for the season ahead...
Stuart Watson
Best summer signing: Dominic Ball. Leif Davis, Freddie Ladapo and Marcus Harness are more exciting on paper, but I think Town's best summer signing is Ball. He's been a Championship regular for the last three seasons and most QPR fans seemed sorry to see him go. A strong, committed, hungry midfielder who is going to stand up and be counted when the chips are down. These sort of unsung players are what really underpin successful sides over a 46-game campaign.
Leading scorer and how many: Freddie Ladapo. My gut tells me that Town's topscorer for 2022/23 has yet to be signed. Are Ladapo or Kayden Jackson 20-goal-a-season strikers? History suggests not. Of the current crop, I'd go with Ladapo finishing on a respectable 15.
Most valuable player: Sam Morsy. Easy. Town's skipper looks to have the eye of the tiger in pre-season. He sets the standards for others both on and off the field. The beating heart of this team.
Surprise package: Tyreece John-Jules. For all the talk about Bersant Celina's possible return, I think Town are well-stocked in the attacking midfield area. Harness, Conor Chaplin and Sone Aluko all have good pedigree, but I've got a feeling TJJ may end up being the surprise package. I've been excited by the early glimpses of the Arsenal loanee in pre-season. He looks strong, skilful, dynamic and direct - exactly the sort of player who can help breakdown stubborn opposition that park the bus. Following several loan spells of varying success and some injury frustration, this could be the 21-year-old's breakthrough season.
Town will finish: Fourth. Head and heart time... Normally, my head would place Ipswich lower than the heart. This time, I think it's the other way around. Thinking logically, Ipswich come into this season much more settled than so many of their rivals. The heart says don't get sucked into pre-season optimism again - we've been here before and the false dawn always hurts. A combination of all the above leads me to a prediction of...fourth.
Top two: Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton.
Play-off places: Peterborough, Ipswich, Plymouth, Portsmouth.
Dark horse: Shrewsbury.
Relegated: Forest Green, Morecambe, Cheltenham, Burton.
Andy Warren
Best summer signing: Dominic Ball. I like the club’s recruitment so far this summer. Targeted on essential areas and by no means flashy (though spending more than £1m on a left-back as a League One club is a bit flashy). Ball embodies that, giving Ipswich a midfield steel they’ve not always been blessed with in this league. He may not start or play in every game but there will be moments where he will prove vital. I’m sure of that.
Leading scorer: Freddie Ladapo. I’ll give Ladapo the nod here, just. I think Ipswich are going to spread the goals around again this season, with the attacking and central midfielders needing to chip in. But I think Ladapo will get 15.
MVP: Christian Walton. Possessing as solid a goalkeeper as you are going to find at this level (and above) means Ipswich have a reliable base behind what will hopefully be another robust defence. He’s class, but will hopefully go a little under the radar this season. He’s my MVP, though, because I think it’s the position on the field where Town are far superior to the rest of the league. Saying that, I predict Sam Morsy will win the player of the year award this season. Slightly different criteria, I think.
Surprise package: Kayden Jackson. Lots of focus will be on Ladapo and any other striker signed by the Blues this summer, but Jackson has already shown he can be a success in Kieran McKenna’s system and will certainly have the opportunity to contribute.
Town will finish: Third. My gut feeling on this was fifth, but after taking a closer look at the rest of the league I’m actually going to say third. A jump from 11th to the play-offs would be a great achievement, then it’s anyone’s game. I think the top two may be fairly well clear of the pack, though.
Top two: Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough.
Play-off places: Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers, MK Dons.
Dark horse: Bristol Rovers. I think this season’s top half will be made up of what’s remaining of last season’s and the relegated clubs. But Rovers might give it a good go.
Relegated: Accrington, Morecambe, Cheltenham, Port Vale.
Mike Bacon
Best summer signing: Dominic Ball. Has the physicality I think Ipswich so very much need in the centre of the park. Like to think it will be him and Sam Morsy dominating the middle.
Leading scorer: Freddie Ladapo. Already showing some good touches in the box, clearly will take chances if they come. I'm saying he'll get 16 goals.
MVP: Sam Morsy. Improved so much under McKenna last season. Leader on the pitch. In his mind will expect nothing less than promotion this season.
Surprise package: Greg Leigh. I have a feeling Town fans are going to take to the marauding left back/wing back.
Town will finish: Fifth. Maybe third or fourth. I think Town will just miss out on automatic, but the standard of League One is high again this season, and Town ended 11th last season!
Top two: Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons. Both strong footballing teams from last season, ironically meet on the second week of the season. Derby may well push for automatic as the season goes on.
Play-off places: Derby, Ipswich, Wycombe and Portsmouth
Dark horse: Bolton
Relegated: Port Vale, Exeter, Forest Green and Cambridge United
Ross Halls
Best summer signing: Marcus Harness - always liked him during his time at Pompey and think he going to be a key player for us this season and will notch a few goals.
Leading scorer: Freddie Ladapo. It has to be, right? A proven goalscorer in this division and if we want to get out of this league we need our strikers scoring 20 plus goals, so 22 for Ladapo. I also think Morsy is going to score double figures.
MVP: Sone Aluko. This time last year I wasn't that excited about him signing but last season and pre-season he has just been so classy on the ball, and I think he will be a key player for us.
Surprise package: Greg Leigh. Under the radar signing that I think will prove to be good business - an athletic and versatile player.
Town will finish: Second, because this has to be the season, right? We need to start strong and finish teams off. This is the first time I have felt confident about a League One campaign, under the management of Kieran McKenna and the players we have at this level. Bring on a season of ups and downs I am sure - but this feels like the one! Uppa Towen!
Top two: Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich. Wednesday have made some top signings, especially the two lads from Rotherham and I think they will win the league, while Town will take the final automatic spot - which may seem a boring way to go up, but I don't care how we get out of this league, just get out this season!
Play-off places: I am going for Peterborough United, who are always candidates to be up there with their squad. MK Dons finished third last season and under Liam Manning I see them doing well again despite losing Twine and Darling, while the other spots I am giving to Bolton, who were strong last season and will be wanting to continue that, and finally Derby who have made some decent signings - despite some of the ages - and I think they will have enough to get into the top six with their fans pushing them all season long.
Dark horse: Cambridge United. I'm going for a left-field one in Cambridge - I just think they will have another solid season under Mark Bonner.
Relegated: Sadly going to have to say two of the newly promoted teams in Exeter City, who haven't signed anyone yet, while I think Forest Green will struggle after losing Rob Edwards, and the other spots go to Cheltenham, who have lost their manager Michael Duff and Accrington, who have sold Colby Bishop and Ross Sykes.
Mark Heath
Best summer signing: Marcus Harness. I really like all of Town's summer business, but I just think Harness can be the X-factor this season. Needs to find consistency, but he'll have the ball a lot in this system, and has the skills to do serious damage within it.
Leading scorer: Freddie Ladapo. Three goals in five pre-season games, and a proven track record in this league. Early signs are that Town's set-pieces are going to be much better too, so look for a lot of headed goals from the big man. He'll score 17.
MVP: Sam Morsy. The skipper is one of the league's best players, beautifully competitive and appears to take the role of leader very seriously. He's approaching his prime too, and won't tolerate another season of mid-table mediocrity. Look for him to score ten plus goals too.
Surprise package: Cameron Humphreys. We all know how talented he is, and I just wonder if he could blossom into a bigger role like Teddy Bishop did in Town's play-off season. Hugely exciting youngster.
Town will finish: Second. I swore I'd never be this optimistic again after years of failure, but I'm more confident than I've ever been - for so many reasons - that this is Town's season. I was tempted to say champions, but I don't want to jinx things!
Top two: Sheffield Wednesday and Town.
Play-off places: Derby, Peterborough, Portsmouth and MK Dons.
Dark horse: Derby County. I think a lot of people believe the Rams, having had all their problems last season and losing Wayne Rooney and many of their best players, will continue to implode. But they've made some shrewd signings, and I think they'll surprise many this term - may even push for the top two.
Relegated: Exeter, Forest Green, Morecambe and Cheltenham.
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