Monday 30 December 2013

Is it a new ground?

Sunday 29 December 2013, AFC Bournemouth 1 Ipswich Town 1, Championship - Goldsands Stadium/Dean Court


A hard won point and we were lucky to hold on to that against a well organised and skilful Bournemouth side.


But the talking point for most Town fans at the game 9well the older ones) was this a new ground to tick off?


I think not, name may have changed, the ground may have turned 180 degrees but to me it is still Dean Court, a friendly place to visit, now there is no open end and decent crowds you also get a good atmosphere - so for me it is just another visit to Dean Court not anew ground called 'Goldsands'.

Friday 27 December 2013

You can only beat what is in front of you

Thursday 26 December 2013, Doncaster Rovers 0 Ipswich Town 3, Championship - Keepmoat Stadium



Donny were not very good and the locals were getting restless but a professional display from Town - onwards and upwards.

Sunday 22 December 2013

Rain and booing!

Saturday 21 December 2013, Ipswich Town 1 Watford 1,Championship - Portman Road



Not long ago I wrote a post with 'One of my own' as the title after local boy, Luke Hyam had put in a great display and the fans sang his name - and now a few months later he is being booed by the same fans - often you wonder if Ipswich fans deserve a good team!

Sunday 15 December 2013

Smelt like team spirit

Saturday 14 December 2013, Nottingham Forest 0 Ipswich Town 0, Championship - City Ground


Hard won point, that's what teams spirit gets you

Thursday 12 December 2013

A defeat but plenty of promise

Wednesday 11 December 2013, Ipswich Town Academy 1 Sunderland Academy 1 - Sunderland won 4-2 on penalties, FA Youth Cup Round 3 - Portman Road

We may have lost, but more positives than negatives with a number of the players looking like they could make it. Very impressed with the right back, Hammond and in fact the whole back four looked promising.

Saturday 7 December 2013

Play bad and still win

Saturday 7 December 2013, Ipswich Town 2 Huddersfield Town 1 - Championship, Portman Road


Times have changed, we can now play badly - and still win!

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Rhodes scored, but we had the last laugh

Tuesday 3 December 2013, Ipswich Town 3 Blackburn Rovers 1 - Championship, Portman Road


Jordon Rhodes scored, celebrated but we laughed last- great 3 points

Sunday 1 December 2013

Win at the Valley

Saturday 30 November 2013, Charlton Athletic 0 Ipswich Town 1, The Valley - Championship


Thousands of Ipswich fans and an away win - Christmas comes early to South London

Sunday 24 November 2013

It had to be Nugent

Saturday 23 November 2013, Ipswich Town 1 Leicester City 2, Championship - Portman Road



It had to be Nugent, but today was not about winning or losing it was about remembering Mike Kemp - Kempy RIP

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Hunt and ......?

Monday 11 November 2013, Ipswich Town Under 21/Reserves 1 Brighton and Hove Albion Under21/Reserves 3 - Portman Road


Other than the new lad Hunt, not much in Reserve currently

Sunday 10 November 2013

Football - a game of emotion - Michael Kemp RIP

Saturday 9 November 2013, Histon 1 Vauxhall Motors 2, Conference North - Glass Worlds Stadium


Football has the ability to make you laugh, smile, cry, following a team can get you to feel all those emotions - even in a space of a few minutes.

Yesterday two of us had morning commitments so we could not make the trip to Blackpool to see Ipswich play so to get our football fix we took the short trip up the A14 to see Histon take on Vauxhall Motors whilst our mate Kempy took the train north - the rest of the report should be about the neat ground, the two Vauxhall players booked for fighting each other and then Histon taking the lead before Vauxhall got their act together and ended up winning 2-1 giving myself and my mate Colin an entertaining afternoon but instead the games was just the start of an evening of mixed emotions.


At the end of the game we rushed to the club bar to see how Ipswich were doing- emotion of surprise as we were still winning 2-1 but withing seconds, we saw that Blackpool had drawn level- so 91 minutes and 2-2 but then 93 minutes and we were winning again. A quick text to our mate Kempy in Blackpool and he replied "Won!!!" So we drove away happy - 90 minutes later and our emotions are very different , Kempy had collapsed in Blackpool and died.


Shock is the emotion I felt followed by anger and sadness, football was why we had become friends but we had stayed close friends with football just getting in the way, players and managers often get the title legend, many do not deserve it but when it comes to supporters - Kempy was an ITFC legend.

The away matches were a social occasion and football was just a small part of that day - Kempy was fun, intelligent, knowledgeable and loyal. His views on modern football were obvious when you knew what he liked best - it was spending a cold December up at the training ground, with 20 other fans watching the Academy - no flash cars, big egos - just pure simple football.

Football for me will never be the same again - Michael Kemp RIP

Sunday 3 November 2013

You can survive


Saturday 2 November 2013, Saffron Walden Town FC 2 Debenham Leisure FC 2, Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 - Catons Lane


This week we saw Cornard possibly having to stop playing and I heard also that Woodbridge Town may be without a home next season, worrying times for non league clubs - but there is a way back and a visit to West Essex yesterday highlighted that. Saffron Walden had to take a break from Senior football but are now back in the Thurlow Nunn, playing well a youthful team and best of all and to give hope to others- playing in front of some of the largest crowds in Division One.


I took in the game yesterday v Debenham, both teams played decent football which was hard on a slippery, sloped and not the greatest playing surface in the area.

Walden took the lead and no surprise as it came from a corner - where they dominated and Debenham played nice football but seemed to struggle in the final third.


The second half then came as a surprise, as Debenham got in front, a nice team goal followed by a stunning individual effort. Walden got back on terms - no surprise as it came from a corner! Walden then dominated for the last 15 minutes with their substitutes giving them fresh impetus, but Debenham held on for a point.

Walden have a fine balance with ex QPR man Stuart Wardley at the back a few more experienced players and a number of promising youngsters in the squad.



But where a town like Woodbridge need to take hope is the crowds Walden get and also the money spent in the bar and on food, a town like Woodbridge should be able to do the same but the problem in Suffolk is that Woodbridge may be losing their ground.


But if you get a chance visit Catons Lane, some great non-league stands and some good football.

Saturday 2 November 2013

Poor

Friday 1 November 2013, Ipswich Town 1 Barnsley 1, Championship - Portman Road


Poor game!

At least it seems Mick is staying, but plenty for him to do.

Thursday 31 October 2013

Budapest Football Stadiums

A weekend in Budapest meant I was able to visit a number of Hungarian football stadiums, but only get one match in! Better planning would enable most Football fans to get at least 3 games in and maybe more- cheap metro, trams and trolley buses and a small City means you can visit a number of grounds in a short time - well worth a visit and the city has much more to offer than football and cheap beer- but they are two good reasons to visit the Hungarian capitol on the Danube River.

BKV Elore - Sport Utcai Stadium



MTK Budapest - Hidegkuti Nandor Stadium (Escape to Victory)



Ferenc Puskas - Nep Stadium







Ferencvaros - Albert Stadium



Vasas FC - Illovszky Rudolf Stadium






Vasas II - Meszoly Kalman Palya





Angyalfoldi Sport Club




Iharos Sandor Margitszigeti Athletics Club


Nepfurdo Utca - Electric Company