Another draw but never a 'bore draw'

Saturday 27th February 2010, Ipswich Town 0 Bristol City 0

Sun, but no goals and my Ladbrokes £10 bet on a 3-1 win went to waste!

Football in an out of town shopping site!

Tuesday 24th February 2010
Scunthorpe United 1 Ipswich Town 1

Scunthorpe built the first of the new grounds, now it looks ready to be knocked down. Like playing football at Ransomes Euro Park.

Wednesday on a Saturday

Saturday 20th February - Sheffield Wednesday 0 Ipswich Town 1
A trip to South Yorkshire, one of our favourite trips, even with a missed train we were in the 'Howard' pub in the city centre by 12.30.



A taxi ride a few hours later has us arriving at the back of the huge Kop by 2.40pm.



Once one of the biggest open terraces in the country- a true 'Kop', it was Ipswich who were the last opponents before a roof was placed on the stand. The arrival of seats made it the largest seating stand in the country.



We walked past and down the to away end, the Leppings Lane end, a name that has an unenviable name in British football. to aways fans, it is just a very large away end, seemingly miles from any home supporters with only the the top their used and plenty of room but the view obscured by two large stand supports.

But you wonder how Liverpool fans feel when they walk up to the stand, I should leave earlier for the game and visit the Memorial Garden, you would have expected a bigger memorial, such as the Hillsborough Gates at Liverpool, but you can also understand how the City of Sheffield and the club are not so keen to remember something that has left such a taint on the ground.



Inside it still has that feel of a 'big game' ground, and the main stand has a gable so much liked by the ground builders of of the early 20th century. so a great ground to visit, oh and a great result to boot.(plus the thrill of a journey back into the city by the 'Supertram').

Old style ground, old style floodlights!

Tuesday 16th February 2010
Peterborough United 3 Ipswich Town 1
I thought I was going to enjoy my second trip to London Road, home of the 'Posh'. But no, one of the worst second half displays by an Ipswich team that I have ever seen (over 40 years watching the Town) put a stop to that.
Before the game it was all good. You turn up, park right outside the ground, and there it is old style football ground, old style floodlights. Blue corrugate tin walls to the ground, plus poky little entrances to the various stands. inside was even more of a flash back to the 70's - no leg room, wooden seats and one toilet for 500 fans!



But there were a few things different - a 'pick and mix' sweetie tent outside and inside it was almost the San Siro! Well someone let off a flare in the terrace followed by a smoke bomb in the second half.
Looks like Peterborough are still going down so they will not have to replace the terracing for a few more seasons, and if we continue playing like this we may also be in a new division - not sure we will be reverting the North Stand lower back to terracing though.

Football on the Suffolk - Essex border.

Saturday 13th February - Brantham Athletic 4 Thetford Town 1 Ridgeons League Division One

No Ipswich game today, so a good chance to visit a new Eastern Counties League ground. So a short drive towards Essex and I find myself at the village of Brantham for one of the most basic grounds in the Ridgeon League set up. But Brantham are a club going places, second in the division, and with their Reserve and Youth sides topping their respective leagues.

They have even purchased a stand from the old Colchester Utd ground at Layer Road. trouble is because of the cricket square it is place behind a goal and not used by many supporters.



when I was a kid Brantham were a successful team min the Suffolk and Ipswich League, with a side mainly of Ipswich based players, not sure how many local lads are involved now but expect Brantham to keep climbing the league. But I am sure the demise of Harwich this week is a warning to all non-league clubs, that there is only so far you can go.

Tuesday 9th February Loftus Road

County Clare not QPR

Tuesday 9th February 2010, QPR 1 - Ipswich Town 2 - Loftus Road

There are many reasons why we like certain grounds more than others, and often it is more to do with results of your team rather than stadium facilities. I love Loftus Road - reasons? Results- we often seem to get a good away win in West London, my first ever Ipswich away match without my father was at Loftus Road in Easter 1974. Now facilities wise - crap, overcharged £30 and the view from the upper or lower tieir is crap- but I still love going there.
it also has to do with the cosmopolitan feel of Shepherd's Bush, and I love having a few beers by the Green. you can't beat one of the numerous Irish Pubs, where you will find pictures of the current QPR team next to pictures of the maverick Stan Bowles and next to them a picture of a County Clare GAA winning team.

So crap view from the away end, £30 , but you will still see me looking forward to my trips to Shepherd's Bush.

Supporters Flag Day

February 6th 2010 - Ipswich Town (Sunderland Reserves) 1 Middlesbrough (Celtic rejects) 1

Today was marked down as 'Supporters Day' and as well as visitors from Germany, Scandinavia and Ireland we even had some flag waving before the game! Very continental!

Portman Road - Under the lights

Tuesday 26th January 2010 - Ipswich Town 1 WBA 1
Tuesday 2nd February 2010 - Ipswich Town Youths 1 Fulham 3 - FA Youth Cup 5th Round

Something special about arriving at Portman Road for an evening game - the lure of the floodlights as they draw you in, even with just one stand open as it was for the Youth Cup game, it still has that magical feel.
Even with a redeveloped ground, good to see we still have floodlight pylons unlike many new grounds.