LONDON : Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna described his side’s shock 2-1 triumph at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as a landmark victory in the club’s history.
Goals by Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap earned promoted Ipswich their first Premier League win for 22 years and lifted them out of the relegation zone.
“I’m not going to shy away from it, it’s a really significant moment and a day to cherish in the recent history of the football club,” McKenna, who masterminded back-to-back promotions to lead the so-called Tractor Boys back to the top flight, told reporters.
“Look at the journey the club’s been on the last 22 years, the ups and downs, some of the depths, I think for the supporters to see their club win in the Premier League at a fantastic club like Tottenham, against a team like that, in a stadium like this, is a massive day for them.”
Ipswich have impressed this season with the style of their football but were the only team in the Premier League not to have won a game heading into the game at Tottenham.
But they took a 2-0 lead and although Rodrigo Bentancur pulled one back for the hosts, they hung on.
“For those of us who have been on the journey for the last couple of years it’s a really significant day as well,” McKenna said. “From where the club has come from, competing in the first few Premier League games was a big step, but now of course, making that next step and winning a game, is a really, really significant landmark in the journey.
“As we’ve said many times, it’s a relatively new group coming together, trying to adjust to the demands of the Premier League and, for many, to a new club as well. So it’s a really significant step for them.”
Heading into the international break, Ipswich have eight points from 11 games and are in 17th position.
Musician Ed Sheeran, the club’s best-known fan and who played a role in the design of the pink kit the club wore on Sunday, shared the joy of the team as he popped into the dressing room after the final whistle.
“He congratulated the boys. It was nice to see him. We had his designed (pink third) kit on today, so maybe that brought us a little bit of luck!” McKenna, a former Tottenham youth team player and who began his coaching career there, said.
“We’ll have a few days off now and we’ll then have a nice long run in to another brilliant game after the break.”
