IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today saluted manager Joe Royle and hailed him as a man for all seasons.The Portman Road supremo is confident Royle can lead the table-topping Blues back into the Premiership - and then go on to establish the club in the top flight.

IPSWICH Town chairman David Sheepshanks today saluted manager Joe Royle and hailed him as a man for all seasons.

The Portman Road supremo is confident Royle can lead the table-topping Blues back into the Premiership - and then go on to establish the club in the top flight.

With the Tractor Boys having a break from action today after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Bolton, Sheepshanks looked ahead to what he anticipates will be exciting times for Ipswich Town.

The chairman said: “We have an exceptional manager in Joe Royle. He has a delightful and infectious personality and this rubs off on his players and all around him.

“Joe has proved to be an extraordinary leader of men, and shown both wisdom and astuteness with players and in the market place.

“And he wants to prove that he can lead Ipswich successfully in the Premiership.

“The manager has moved quickly this week to bring in David Unsworth, and he now feels his squad is strong enough to take us all the way to promotion.

“The board is right behind him and will give as much financial support as we can afford.

“We appreciate that there is still much work to be done, but we have the right man at the helm to lead us back to the Premiership - and to keep us there.

“We are now approaching the business end of the season and we are keeping our feet on the ground. The rewards on offer will escape no one.”

Town's first team squad returned from a five-day break in sunny Tenerife yesterday and the next match for the leaders of the Coca-Cola Championship is at Sheffield United next Saturday.