IPSWICH — With the finish line of a grueling Championship season finally in sight, Ipswich Town winger Wes Burns is urging his teammates to tune out the mounting pressure. As the Blues prepare for a winner-takes-all promotion decider against Queens Park Rangers this Saturday, the message from the dressing room is clear: focus on the football, not the fanfare.
Following a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Southampton on Tuesday night, the math for Kieran McKenna’s side is simple. A victory at Portman Road will mathematically guarantee a top-two finish and a return to the Premier League. However, any slip-up would leave the door wide open for Millwall and Middlesbrough to snatch the final automatic promotion spot.
Blocking Out the External Pressure
The atmosphere in Suffolk is reaching a fever pitch, but Burns is adamant that the squad is treating the 12:30 PM kickoff like any other Saturday.
“I know there will be a lot of outside noise – ‘Ipswich have got to win, it’s in their hands, can they do it?’,” Burns said. “It’s all outside noise. It won’t affect us in the dressing room because we prepare for every game. We go into every game knowing and wanting to win.”
Burns, who famously opened the scoring when the club secured a top-two finish against Huddersfield in 2024, believes that the experience of past successes will be vital. While he admits that the supporters and players alike will be “super, super nervous” at the start, he remains confident that sticking to their tactical identity will see them through.
A “Dream” Five-Year Journey
For Burns, this Saturday represents more than just a game; it is the culmination of a transformative five-year stint at the club. Having once feared he might go through his career without a single promotion, the winger is now on the verge of his third in just five seasons at Ipswich.
“Coming here, it’s been a special five years for me,” Burns reflected. “To top off the season with what our ultimate goal would be – to get promoted back to the Premier League – would be amazing.”
The opportunity to test himself against the giants of English football—Arsenal, Liverpool, and the Manchester clubs—is a “dream come true” for a player who has become a firm fan favorite since arriving in East Anglia.
Overcoming Injury Obstacles
Burns’ return to the starting lineup couldn’t have come at a better time. Despite missing a significant portion of the season with a calf issue—a byproduct of his long road back from an ACL injury—the winger looked back to his explosive best against Southampton, finding the back of the net to give the Blues the lead.
He credited the club’s medical staff for their “above and beyond” support during his rehabilitation, acknowledging that picking up minor knocks was an expected part of re-adapting to the intensity of Championship football.
“We’ve got one game left,” Burns stated. “Give it everything now on Saturday and then I’ve got a good bit of summertime to relax, shut the body down and get ready for next season.”
The Promotion Race: Final Day Stakes
- Ipswich Town: Secure promotion with a win over QPR.
- Millwall: Host relegated Oxford United; need Ipswich to drop points.
- Middlesbrough: Travel to Wrexham; must win and hope for results elsewhere to fall in their favor.
As Portman Road prepares for a sea of blue and white, Burns and his teammates know that ninety minutes of focus stands between them and a historic return to the top flight. If they can replicate the grit shown on the South Coast, the “football will take care of itself.”
