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Jim Magilton was appointed Ipswich Town manager in June 2006 after the club parted company with Joe Royle. It was the Northern Irishman's first managerial job, and he hadn't even got his coaching badges at that stage.

It is ironic that his exit from Portman Road was confirmed just three days after a famous 3-2 win over Norwich City, but as many supporters who called the 大象传媒 Radio Suffolk phone-in said, it was too-little, too-late.

Magilton the player

Ipswich were heading into their first full season under new owner Marcus Evans and a sizable chunk of a 拢12 million cash injection was waiting to be spent.听The club's publicity machine heralded the start of Operation Premiership which raised expectations among fans.

A vocal minority were against Magilton for much of the season and their anger was exacerbated in late August when Town lost a lead on live TV at Watford, going on to lose 2-1.听Those who remained optimistic believed it would be a blip and Ipswich went on to notch up a five game unbeaten streak following the Vicarage Road collapse.听

Ipswich reached a season-high eighth position in the Championship by November, but in truth, games without defeat were littered with too many draws and Magilton was always struggling to win some supporters round.

The semi-silent treatment

A fall-out with the press didn't help his cause when he hotly denied holding 'secret meetings' with favoured players.听Although a manager's relations with the press shouldn't have a bearing on his position, Magilton's decision not to make himself available for pre-match interviews for several months only served to rob himself of a chance to explain his side of the story.

Magilton was also hampered by the lack of a supportive voice on the board of Ipswich Town which added to the pressure.听Ipswich's reclusive owner Marcus Evans only comments in public through written statements, but Magilton deserved to have someone else putting themselves in the firing line on occasion.听

Simon Clegg

This, hopefully, will be a mistake the club does not make in the future with the appointment of Simon Clegg as Chief Executive.

Jim Magilton's three season legacy as a manager will ultimately be eclipsed by his efforts as a player.听His on-the-field exploits over nine seasons paved the way for the golden opportunity to take charge of a club he has much affection for.

Magilton admitted to me on the day of his appointment in 2006 that it was a "sensible gamble", but a large section of fans will consider it one that he and the club lost.听Many others will look upon him more kindly as having what he believed were the club's best interests at heart.

His future as a manager is now open to question.听He undoubtedly has the desire and drive to succeed but the website of the League Managers Association is littered with names of those who would hold the same argument.

Magilton appointed

As Magilton told us after a local newspaper called for his head earlier this season: "It's followed my football life, people have never given me a chance probably and I've gone on to prove them wrong.

"I hope, given time, I can prove a few dissenting voices wrong here."

Jim Magilton won't be given the chance to do that with Ipswich Town now, but the majority of supporters would wish him well.听He will learn much from his experience in the Portman Road hotseat.

Assistant coach John Gorman has also parted company with Ipswich Town Football Club.