Ipswich Town appoint Dmitri Halajko and Ben Chenery to new positions ahead of 2025/26 Championship season

Dmitri Halajko has been appointed Ipswich Town’s new director of football operations.

Halajko arrived at Portman Road last year as the club’s academy director and went on to play a key role in Ipswich securing Category One status ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season.

In his new role, Halajko will continue to oversee the academy, while also heading up a number of first-team areas, as well as the women’s team programme.

“We are really pleased to appoint Dmitri to this important role,” said Town chairman Mark Ashton.

“He has made a significant contribution to the club over the last year, notably leading the work which has seen the academy awarded Category One status ahead of the new season.

“He brings a wealth of experience to this role from his time working at various clubs in England, across a range of different roles, giving him the necessary tools to oversee a number of crucial areas at the club.”

Halajko added: “I am delighted to have moved into such an exciting role at Ipswich Town.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club over the last year and am supremely proud we have been able to move the academy to Category One status ahead of the new season.

“I’m excited to now be able to expand my role to include many other areas of the club and continue the excellent work which has been done over the last few years.”

And Ipswich have also revealed that Ben Chenery will become the club’s academy director from the middle of August.

The Ipswich-born former defender was a youth player at Town before playing senior football for the likes of Luton Town, Cambridge United, Canvey Island and Chelmsford Town.

He became assistant at Bury Town in 2012 and was then appointed manager two years later – a role he spent nine years in before departing in 2023.

In more recent years Chenery has been coaching within the youth set-up at Tottenham Hotspur.