IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton today admitted that he might not always get the full backing of club owner Marcus Evans.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton today admitted that he might not always get the full backing of club owner Marcus Evans.

The pair have an excellent working relationship - with the Blues boss and chief executive Derek Bowden the eyes and ears of the Evans organisation at Portman Road.

Magilton knows the burning ambitions of the man who owns 87.5per cent of the club's shares, and that he is under more pressure to produce than he was 12 months ago when chairman David Sheepshanks was the answering figure .

Since then Sheepshanks has dropped down to a non-executive role, and Magilton has been given the finances he could only dream about at the start of 2007/08.

“I have a new line manager and someone new to answer to,” said Magilton. “I feel I have a good relationship with Marcus - and we have the same goal; to take Ipswich Town into the Premier League.

“There is a higher expectation level this season.

“Both myself and the players are under more pressure to deliver. But that is part and parcel of the game.

“Marcus has backed me fully so far making £millions available to improve my squad. At the moment it is all yes. Some time he might say no.”

Having cash in his pocket has its drawbacks even though it has enabled Magilton to spend considerably high sums to bring in players like David Norris and Gareth McAuley, who he has desired since he took over from Joe Royle 26 months ago.

“Other clubs - and agents - think I am sitting on a pot of gold,” said Magilton. “Extra zeros soon get put onto asking prices.

“I am still trying to do things as cheaply as I can, and scouts Simon Hunt and Steve McCall are looking for players we can sign and turn into very good players.“

While he was given £12million by Evans to spend on player fees and wages last January - topped up by more cash this summer - Magilton has not lost sight of the traditions of a special football club.

He added: “To grow our own players is still very important to me. It is still the focal point.

“We have Tommy Smith, Jordan Rhodes, Ed Upson and Jai Reason in or around the squad, and no one is more delighted than me that Owen Garvan has signed a new contract until the summer of 2011.

“And Danny Haynes' progress is a delight, and like Tommy Smith and new young Dutch recruit Pim Balkestein he is still learning on the job.“

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