New Ipswich Town CEO Mark Ashton believes there is no reason why the League One club can't better their old rivals Norwich City as he laid out his grand ambitions for the Suffolk side.

The former Bristol City chief was unveiled at Portman Road yesterday and set out his vision for the future of the Tractor Boys as they look to recover from a disappointing few years.

Buoyed on by new investment and fresh optimism, there is a newfound positivity in Suffolk. Ipswich have already been linked with a host of talent including England international Jermain Defoe. Paul Cook is the man hoping to lead the club out of League One at the third attempt.

City, on the other hand, are preparing for their second season of Premier League football in three years. Their success has been praised across the footballing spectrum, including from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who revealed he enjoys watching the Canaries in his spare time.

Those achievements have arrived since Ipswich's former managing director Ian Milne cast doubt on their decision to move to a new sporting structure back in 2017 claiming 'there can only be one captain of the ship – the manager.'

Ashton is the new man in charge of galvanising a club that has embarked on a steady decline throughout the last decade. Town have failed to beat City in 12 years or 4,427 days, with the Canaries overseeing a decade of dominance over their local rivals.

The new Town chief has laid down the gauntlet for his club to surpass what City have achieved since Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke arrived in Norfolk.

“Don’t put a lid on it,” he said. “Why should we put a lid on it? Why can we not do what Sheffield United have done? Why can we not do what Bournemouth have done?

The Pink Un: All smiles for Daniel Farke and his management team pictured with the Championship trophy.All smiles for Daniel Farke and his management team pictured with the Championship trophy. (Image: ©Focus Images Limited https://www.focus-images.co.uk +44 7813 022858)

“There’s a club that’s up the road they keep telling me, why can’t we do more than they’ve done?

“There’s no reason why. If we can get the right people together, working in the right direction, there is no limit on what this club can do. The fanbase is big enough to be competitive in any division," Ashton told the EADT.

“It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of effort, and I am absolutely so proud to be sat at the front of that group of people that we’re going to put together.”