Ipswich Town’s 2017/18 season

League Position: 12th

Average league attendance: 16,271

Top league goal-scorer: Martyn Waghorn (16)

The 2018/19 campaign will be Ipswich Town's 17th consecutive season at this level of the English football pyramid. Owner Marcus Evans has got new boss Paul Hurst to try his hand in the Championship for the first time in the hope that he can revitalise the blues from Suffolk.

For the past 16 seasons, their average finishing position has been 15th and they have visited the Play-Offs three times. They were thwarted twice by West Ham in the Semi-Finals in two consecutive years (2004, 2005) and didn't return until they were beaten by Norwich City at the same stage a decade later (2015).

Next season they will be hoping for more than two players to reach double figures in the goal tally and will need more than two clean sheets in an entire season if they want to reach the top six.

The Ground

Portman Road

Miles from Brentford: 92

Capacity: 30,311

Address: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2DA

How to get there

The Manager

Paul Hurst was appointed on 30 May, three days after his Shrewsbury Town side were beaten in the 2018 League One Play-Off Final. Hurst and his assistant Chris Doig, signed three-year contracts with the Club as they look to rebuild the former Premier league side.

Starting his first big management role as co-manager of Grimsby Town, he went solo in 2014 and got the National League outfit promoted via the Play-Offs. Then, in his two-year tenure of The Shrews, Hurst rescued them from relegation to the four tier and turned them into a promotion challenging team, something Ipswich fans will be hoping for next season.

The Key Man

A product of Sunderland's youth academy, with experience in the Premier League and in the Scottish top flight, Martyn Waghorn is one the best options available at Ipswich.

Starting in the North East, Waghorn moved to Leicester City to become the Club's 2010 Young Player of the Year at the first time of asking. Loan spells at Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Millwall followed as he continued to make an impact from the bench. Scottish Championship side Rangers came calling in July 2015, signing him to a three-year deal.

At Ibrox he won his first silverware, two trophies both coming in the 15/16 season. The Scottish Championship and the Scottish Challenge Cup, where Waghorn was joint-third highest scorer with three goals.

Last term he played in 44 games for Town and scored 16 goals, the highest tallt at the Club.

Last Time

Head to Head

Brentford wins: 4

Draws: 5

Ipswich wins: 7

2018/19 Odds with Leo Vegas Sport UK*

Championship Winners: 50/1

Promotion: 14/1

Relegation: 5/2

*Odds correct at time of writing.

Get ready for our upcoming campaign by supporting The Bees as a 2018/19 Season Ticket Holder. Secure your place online now.