NI hotel run by family of Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna to turn blue and white as club seeks promotion to Premier League

McKenna, who is on the brink of pulling off a miracle at Portman Road, grew up on the banks of Lough Erne near Enniskillen.

His parents had moved from London after buying the Manor House Country Hotel and turned it into an award-winning venue.

On Saturday it will turn blue and white as the crucial Championship match against Huddersfield kicks off at 12.30pm on the big screens in its cellar bar.

Ipswich need to secure just a point to guarantee their promotion ahead of Leeds United, who have a superior goal difference.

McKenna’s sister Rosemary said the entire family is “incredibly proud of his achievement” as she confirmed they’ll be in the stadium hoping to celebrate back-to-back promotions.

“We’ll also be screening the match at the hotel, and with lots of interest from local Ipswich fans we hope there’ll be a great atmosphere and of course a promotion to celebrate,” she added.

The hotel’s Facebook page has informed followers that anyone wearing an Ipswich jersey will get a free pint.

“We're all extremely proud of Kieran and the massive achievement of the Tractor Boys this season,” it added.

McKenna, who began his footballing career with Enniskillen Town United and Ballinamallard United later joined Tottenham Hotspur as a youth back in 2002.

The former midfielder has previously represented Northern Ireland at under-21 level and captained the side at the 2005 Uefa European Under-19 Championship.

However, in 2009 McKenna was forced to retire at the age of just 22 as a result of an ongoing hip injury which stopped him from making a senior first-team appearance for Tottenham.

He took up coaching roles with Tottenham, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, and Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps while completing a sports science degree.

After graduating, McKenna was appointed head of academy performance analysis at Spurs – after turning down an offer from Liverpool FC – and was subsequently placed in charge of Tottenham’s under-18s side and guided the team to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2015.

McKenna has previously spoken about how his car mechanic dad and mother, who was a nurse before moving to NI to take over the hotel, have inspired him.

"Seeing the work they've put in, the hours, the way they managed people, the passion they put into it, definitely influenced me," he said.

"My dad pretty much lived in the hotel in the way some might say I live at this football club.

"I'd see my grandad come over from London on his holidays and within a day he'd be up a scaffold painting the top of the hotel or fixing tiles on the roof. It was a life's work from the whole family."

In August 2016, McKenna joined the academy set-up at Manchester United and became the club's under-18s manager and led the side to the Premier League Northern Division title in his second season in charge.

The remarkable feat saw him promoted to the first-team coaching staff alongside ex-United player Michael Carrick to replace Rui Faria as José Mourinho's assistant manager.

McKenna was kept in the role when Ole Gunnar Solskjær replaced Mourinho halfway through the 2018/19 season and was retained by the Norwegian’s successor Ralf Rangnick in 2021.

On December 16, 2021, he signed a three-and-a-half year contract to manage League One side Ipswich Town and led them to promotion in his first full season the following year.

A draw on Saturday will be enough to secure back-to-back promotions and bring top tier football back to Portman Road for the first time since 2002.

The club manager has insisted "it's not our job to dream, it's our job to do" ahead of the match.

But fans have been unable to resist.

"A Fermanagh legend,” one wrote on social media.

"His team Ipswich will get promotion!”

Another posted: “Outstanding from Kieran and the rest of his team this season.

"I said he would have made the Top 6 at start of the season, but didn't expect to be as dominating throughout.

“The fate lies with his team and he will get automatic promotion on Saturday.”