Ipswich Town captain Dara O’Shea has delivered an optimistic message to supporters after the club sealed promotion back to the Premier League, insisting the squad is now in a stronger position to handle top-flight football than during their previous return.
The Blues secured their place in the Premier League with a commanding 3-0 victory over QPR on the final day of the Championship season, finishing second and capping off a successful campaign built on consistency, resilience, and growth.
For Ipswich, it marks another step in their rapid rise through the English football pyramid — but this time, there is a belief that the foundations are far more stable.
O’Shea, who has been a key leader throughout the season, admitted the feeling inside the camp is one of excitement rather than fear as the club prepares to face some of the biggest teams in world football once again.
Speaking after promotion was confirmed, he said:
“It’s so exciting. The Premier League is where all of us want to play. We get to go back there now.”
He added that the club’s long-term ambition has always been to return to the top flight in a sustainable way:
“We set out this season to get this club back to where it should be — that’s the Premier League. It’s a massive club with an amazing fan base. I think it deserves that.”
Ipswich’s previous Premier League spell came after back-to-back promotions from League One, a rise that saw them return to the top division after more than two decades away. However, that campaign ended in disappointment as they struggled to adapt at the highest level.
O’Shea believes lessons have been learned from that experience.
“The club’s rise was so quick last time that it was always going to be hard to match the ambition with the infrastructure,” he explained.
“This time, I think we’re in a good place. There’s a lot of lads who have experienced the Premier League now and are stepping back into it. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves this season.”
The defender also stressed that the squad will take those experiences into next season as they prepare for a far tougher challenge.
“Hopefully we can take all the lessons learned this year, because there’s been lots of them, and take them into next year,” he said.
Ipswich now face a crucial summer window, with recruitment expected to play a key role in determining whether they can establish themselves as a competitive Premier League side or face another difficult battle for survival.
For O’Shea and his teammates, however, the message is clear: Ipswich are back — and this time, they believe they are ready.
