McKenna salutes character in Ipswich promotion

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has praised how his side's new-found character came together during their run to the promotion.

A Premier League return was sealed by their convincing victory over QPR to grab second place behind champions Coventry City.

Despite being pre-season favourites to go up, the Tractor Boys' rebuilt squad took time to gel.

But for McKenna, they found the necessary togetherness at the right time as one defeat in the last 15 games testifies.

"That's been questioned all the way with the group," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"In some ways, I understand it and in others, for me it's been a little bit over the top because the reality is it's a new group of players coming to the club for the first time.

"We've had to grow that, you don't just become a team with a lot of character and resilience when you walk in the door and the group doesn't come together until the end of August.

"That's grown over the course of the season and that's really been evidenced over this last run. To finish with one loss in 15 games really shows the character of the group really came together by the end."