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Jim Magilton's sacking as Ipswich boss after three years in charge was announced by Portman Road on Wednesday 22 April. Keane left Sunderland in December 2009 and this is his first job since then.

Ipswich Town issued the following statements on the morning of Keane's appointment:

Roy Keane: "I truly believe that I am joining a club that has the potential, ambition and infrastructure to once again be a Premier League side. The Club's owner and Chief Executive impressed upon me their total focus on achieving this quest at the earliest opportunity and I can't wait to get started."

Club owner Marcus Evans: "I am delighted that Roy has agreed to join us and we are completely aligned in our ambitions for Ipswich Town.

"He has extensive contacts and is a proven winner who encourages his team to play the attractive football that Ipswich Town fans have come to expect. I believe he is the right man to take this club where we want to be - the Premier League."

Town's new man

Former Town player Ian Atkins was a scout for Sunderland when Keane was in charge there: "I think he'll knuckle down and get on with it. He'll lift the place totally. He'll want control - it'll be his selection, his players.

"He'll need a bit of money to spend because I don't think the team's that brilliant at the moment."

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes spoke about Keane walking out of the Stadium of Light: "He didn't broach interference from above [with Sunderland's new owners], so it'll be interesting to see what his relationship will be like with the hierarchy at Ipswich.

"He made some decisions regarding player-signings at the beginning of this season which were regarded as flawed. They then hit a run of bad results and he decided to fall on his sword.

"To deal with [as a reporter], he was absolutely fantastic. I never had the hairdryer treatment. I've had 'the look', disagreements and fallings-out. But the next time we met he may well remind you of those moments, but he was just as good to deal with."