“My common goal now is…”- Chaplin reveals how he will drive Town to bounce back from relegation
Conor Chaplin Urges Ipswich Town to Bounce Back Quickly After Premier League Relegation
Ipswich Town’s return to the Premier League ended in disappointment, with the club managing just four wins throughout the season—and only one in 2025. But forward Conor Chaplin insists there’s no time to dwell on what went wrong.
After back-to-back promotions, Town’s drop back to the Championship came with little resistance. However, Chaplin is determined not to let the negativity of this past campaign affect the team moving forward.
“At a club like ours, with the culture and the people we have, that kind of mindset won’t be allowed,” he said firmly.
“When we return, the attitude has to be completely different. I’ll take a bit of time to reflect, but mentally, we’ve got to move on immediately.
“There can’t be any hangover from this season—that goes for players and staff alike. And I won’t wait for others to catch up. No sulking. If you don’t want to be here, don’t come back. But if you do, we all need to be aligned with the same goal.”
Despite the setback, Ipswich are already being tipped as favourites to win promotion from the Championship next season—something Chaplin says must be the expectation.
“Of course that’s the goal,” he said.
“We know how tough the Championship is, especially with the financial power of teams coming down and others coming up. This might be one of the most competitive Championships in years. But our target is clear.”
Chaplin added: “If you’re not excited for that challenge, something’s seriously wrong.”
The 28-year-old managed one goal in 22 Premier League appearances this season, having missed a chunk of the campaign due to a knee injury. Still, he believes Town weren’t far off being able to compete consistently at the top level.
When asked about manager Kieran McKenna’s message to the squad, Chaplin said it echoed his own reflections.
“There are things that stay between us, of course, but overall, we weren’t second-best every week. We were in most games—it came down to key moments at both ends of the pitch.
“It’s about execution in attack and being able to contain elite players defensively. Those fine margins were a big learning curve for us.”
As Ipswich prepare for another push next season, they’ll do so without Massimo Luongo. The influential Australian midfielder, a key figure in the club’s recent rise, is moving on.
Chaplin paid an emotional tribute to his close friend and teammate.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Mass,” he said. “He’s one of my best mates at the club, and I’ll miss him a lot.
“From the moment he arrived in League One, he had a massive impact—not just on me but the entire team. The stats back that up.
“He’s the kind of teammate every player wants—someone who raises the standards daily and makes those around him better. I know people here love him, but even then, I think he’s still underappreciated.
“To really understand what he brings, you have to play alongside him. His intelligence, timing, and composure are on another level.
“And beyond the pitch, he’s a great person—a real family man. We’ve bonded over that, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of the last two and a half years with him. I love him to bits.”
