From Portman Road to the San Siro

Does Clegg have a clue?

2012-02-12T02:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday 11th February 2012, Ipswich v Middlesbrough - abandoned after 37 minutes, Portman Road

Two pitch inspections, last one at 2pm, game starts and after 37 minutes called off! I think the game should have been called off but the Football League (and the ref) need to say why it passed at 2pm but failed at 3.37pm.

Then the club need to answer why Mr Clegg was coming out with comments about how much money fans would get back without knowing the full details. Why was the club shop shut- yet again we see our great club turned into a laughing stock.

We always win when it's snowing

2012-02-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday 4th February 2012, Coventry City 2 Ipswich Town 3, Ricoh Arena - Championship

Last season it was Leicester and WBA at home, blue lines and two great wins- not as much snow this time but even with some comedy type defending we did get a last minute win.

Wonder what Jimmy Hill would have thought? Would have been impressed that City now play in a flash arena, not so happy that it was less than half full- will look even more empty in Division One next year.

Hammered the Hammers!

2012-02-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 31st 2012, Ipswich Town 5 West Ham United 1 - Portman Road, Championship

I don't know how we scored five - young hungry players?

Stand or shed?

2012-01-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday 28th January, Diss Town 0 Ely City 0 - Ridgeons Premier League, Brewers Green

Shed or stand?

With no Ipswich football today, it gave me a chance of knocking off one more Ridgeons (Eastern Counties) League ground.
So it was just over the Norfolk border to see the Tangerines play Ely. Maybe just over 100 people in the ground - quite a few young fans - so wonder where are the thousands who went to Wembley in 1994 to see Diss win the FA Vase are?

But it is a nice ground but the football was short of goal mouth action with Ely having the two best players that was till the last 10 minutes of the match where there were more chances at both ends than there had been during the rest of the game.

Just before the end the Ely right back made a stupid tackle and as he had already been booked knew he was about to take an early bath. Well that is what we thought in the crowd but no, he tried to fool the ref that the Ely sub had committed the foul. The sub also 'owned up' to the foul but fortunately the ref was not fooled.

Best bit? The shed or is it a stand?

Worst bit? Having to almost smile when all the Diss fans were celebrating Norwich winning at West Brom!

At least the youngsters played!

2012-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Saturday 14th January 2012, Ipswich Town 2 Blackpool 2 - Championship, Portman Road

Jewell picked the youngsters (or they were the only ones fit) and they played well! Hope (but not sure he will ) he will continue to go for Youth.

Plus if you have not done it yet, sign the petition asking the Club to go for Category 1 Academy Status: Sign here

Real effort

2012-01-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

British National Cyclo-Cross Championship Sunday 8th January 2012
Chantry Park, Ipswich

After the disaster at Hull, it was great today to watch sportsman who put 100% effort in- with financial reward not part of the equation.

I was also honoured to be given the task of handing out the medals to the winners of the women's race,

Local interest came in the form of Hugo Robinson who won his second GB Junior title, the is was also great for Steve Grimwood, of Elmy Cycles in Ipswich as Hugo rides for his team and it is Steve who has been the main person in getting not only the British Championships in Ipswich but we are also getting the European Championships coming to Ipswich in November.

The three highlights of the day (on top of the win for Hugo)
1. Witnessing the great Roger Hammond (in possibly his last race in Cyclo-Cross)
2. Meeting and listening to the commentary of the legendary Hugh Porter
3. The finish to the men's race where GB Mountain biker Liam Killeen fell at the last serious bend in a wheel to wheel tussle with eventual winner, Ian Field.

Hugh Porter with Hugo Robinson

Roll on November

Hull or Hell?

2012-01-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

Saturday 7th January 2012 - Hull City 3 Ipswich Town 1, FA Cup 3rd Round

Can it get any worse?

Paul Jewell hardly left his digout- he looked like a 'dead man walking'

Time for change

Mr Jewell, maybe time to go!

2012-01-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Monday 2nd January 2012 - Ipswich Town 1 Nottingham Forest 3, Championship - Portman Road

And when you go Paul, please take some of the over paid, and past it players with you!

2011 - other than a trip to the Emirates, a year best forgotten!

2012-01-01T02:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday 31st December 2011, Reading 1 Ipswich Town 0, Championship - Madejski Stadium

What would you expect in 2011? We finish on a defeat, but left a bit happier as we had played well and JET had one of his best games and Martin was poor and the manager must have seen it so hopefully Carson will start Monday.

No longer the Walkers - not a crisp in sight

2011-12-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

Monday 26th December 2011, Leicester City 1 Ipswich Town 1, Championship - King Power Stadium

No longer the Walkers and not a crisp in sight- but a display that does show we are now moving in the right direction

Getting better!

2011-12-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Saturday 17th December 2011 - Ipswich Town 1 Derby County 0, Championship - Portman Road

Two wins on the trot- getting better, but how much is it down to the loan players? Will they all still be here in January (one already gone)

Hope at last

2011-12-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 6th December 2011, Ipswich Town Youths 2 Leeds United Youths 0, FA Youth Cup 3rd Round - Portman Road

Great win, great display - hope at last- all players were great but special mention to Joe Whight, Jideofo Maduako, Jack Marriot and 15 yeard old Bryon Lawrence - hope we can go all the way!

Poor result but a better display

2011-12-04T02:05:00.000-08:00

Saturday 3 December 2011, Ipswich Town 1 Watford 2 - Championship, Portman Road

Better display but still a poor result. Am I the only Town fan who thinks Lee Martin is overrated?

May give PJ two more weeks?

Jewell Out!

2011-11-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday 26 November 2011 - Ipswich Town 2 Reading 3 - Championship, Portman Road

Jewell Out!!!

£102 up!

2011-11-21T14:08:00.001-08:00

Saturday 19th November 2011 - Nottingham Forest 3 Ipswich Town 2, Championship - City Ground

Collins scored first, I had £2 on him to score at 50-1, rest of the day was a joke!

A special moment

2011-11-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday 5th November 2011, Ipswich Town 2 Doncaster Rovers 3 - Championship, Portman Road

The result was a disaster, the players were like novices, the manager needs help but one moemnt in the game will live with those who were there for ever. The reception Billy Sharp received from the Town fans.

Despite the Doncaster Rovers striker scoring in the first half to make it 2-0, supporters inside Portman Road applauded in a poignant tribute to Sharp, whose newborn baby tragically passed away last Saturday.

The striker, who turned and applauded the Sir Bobby Robson Stand following his goal in this afternoon’s 3-2 win, tweeted after the game: “Will never forget that moment today at portman road,ipswich town fans unbelievable,never seen anything like it. #special.”

Just champion

2011-11-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 1st November 2011, Dulwich Hamlet 2 Eastbourne Town 0 - Ryman League, Division One South - Champion Hill

A meeting in London enabled me to get along to the evening game at Dulwich - Champion Hill, probably the best one sided ground in the UK, but there is far more to Champion Hill than that. This is a new ground, the old 'Champion Hill' was next door and is now a Sainsbury Superstore. Champion Hill was one of the largest non league grounds in London with a record crowd of over 20,000. I believe it was even used in the Olympics.

It was not just the ground that was well known, Edgar Kail is the name of the street that leads to both the store and the ground. Edgar a Dulwich player was the last amateur to play for the full England team and would have played in the 1930 World Cup if it had not been for the FA/FIFA dispute.

It may only have one stand but it is an impressive one as the sports centre is built behind it making it stand out further. Inside the stand the usual large screens and bar but behind a door you have an honours board that would look more at home at a Bowls Club, private school or cricket pavilion and next to the board a wall with pictures of famous players from the 30's and numerous plaques and awards from various FA's.

It may not be 'The' Champion Hill but still worth a visit and the short rail trip south from London Bridge.

90 minutes ruined the day!

2011-10-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday 29th October 2011, Millwall 4 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, The New Den

Great day, a few beers in a pub at London Bridge with mates from Ipswich, London a Town fan from Northern Ireland and a former comrade from the Royal Green Jackets. Then in the evening a few more beers, a great curry in Brick Lane with wife and friends - would have been a brilliant day but slightly ruined by the 90 minutes of so called football that happened at 3pm in south London.

Played bad, didn't win

2011-10-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday 22nd October 2011, Ipswich Town 0 Crystal Palace 1 - Championship, Portman Road

On Tuesday we played poor and won, today we were poor (but slightly better than Tuesday ) but lost- thats football!

Played bad, but still won

2011-10-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 18th October 2011, Ipswich Town 1 Portsmouth 0, Championship - Portman Road

We were poor, very poor - but still won, maybe our season?

Back to playing football

2011-10-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday 1st October 2011, Ipswich Town 3 Brighton and Hove Albion 1 - Championship, Portman Road

What a display, losing but coming back, confidence, passing, plenty of shots and on top of that superb defence from the likes of Sonko and Collins.

I will own up, I was not sure Paul Jewell was the right boss and i was not too keen on his signings but I was wrong. Maybe the first time in about 5 years we are now back playing football.

Both Bobby and Sir Alf would have approved!

Good times are back?

2011-09-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 27th September 2011, West Ham United 0 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, Upton Park

The delay is posting is due to shock! We played well- whole team and won at west Ham - great display by the team and great support but the Blue Army- just glad I was there.

How much did the tribunal say?

2011-09-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

Monday 19th September 2011, Ipswich Town 3 Coventry City 0, Championship - Portman Road

What a change! On Sky and winning and how much did the tribunal say Cresswell was worth? Thank god he plays his best game after they decide how much we have to pay Tranmere!

Saw the mighty Cav

2011-09-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday 17th September 2011 - Tour of Britain Cycle Race, start of stage 7 (Bury St Edmunds), and the hill climb (Christchurch Park, Ipswich)

Mark Cavendish with his new team mates?

Sport spectating for free! An early start this morning to get to Bury St Edmunds to witness the start of Stage 7 of the Tour of Britain then a quick dash back to Ipswich to watch the hill climb in Christchurch Park.

As a longtime fan of the Tour De France and cycling in general, it is great that the surge in the sports priority has enabled us to witness the unique spectacle of road racing. I am sure there are similarities with Grand Prix and GP Motor Cycling, all the tour buses, bikes set up, mechanics but unlike Grand Prix - all free.

Angel Hill was covered in the tour buses, the cars with the bikes on their roofs and the cyclists themselves. The lack of security of formality, the ability to touch the bikes, talk to some of the riders. That may be getting harder as Mark Cavendish - 'the Manx missile' was mobbed between tour bus and the start.

It also gave me the opportunity to witness the Team Sky team close up, the flash Jaguar cars, the bus (hotel on wheels, the clothing.bikes, mechanics. I was even able to stand right next to the Team Sky Sports Director, Sean Yates as he was interviewed by ITV.

A great experience, but being at the start you do not witness the pelaton in full flow, but a quick dash to Ipswich and I was able to witness Cavendish, Thomas and others fly up the hill in Christchurch Park.

Now to get that bike out of the garage.

#NonLeagueday

2011-09-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday 3rd September 2011 Haverhill Rovers 3 Brantham Athletic 2 FA Cup Preliminary Round - The New Croft

Last Year I saw my first FA Cup game at Clacton on the Essex coast, a midweek evening fixture as it was a replay. This season my first FA Cup match was played on a Saturday with weather more suitable for cricket.

The venue was The New Croft at Haverhill. One of the many new grounds that have popped up over the country, this one just a couple of seasons old.

There is criticism of certain new grounds, all built the same, pre fab, no character, dull but lets also be honest, they provide better facilities for spectators, a bar to raise funds and on top of that close to a school so Youth football can also get it's chance. Well done Haverhill a real community club.

The game, two teams who have started the season well, with Brantham fielding one of the top rated goalscorers in the region with Ollie Mann up front but it was Havehill who came out on top and deservedly so. Good football played by both sides with Brantham going ahead early on but in reality only getting on top at the start of the second half. But how much closer to Wembley will Haverhill get?

I am sure many fans of Premier league and Championship clubs (on their international weekend break) attended non league games today, who ever came up with the idea of Non League Day last season deserves a medal!

We love your curly hair

2011-08-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday 27th August 2011 - Ipswich Town 2 Leeds United 1, Championship - Portman Road

Jimmy Bullard- we love your curly hair! Mr Sonko, you not bad either.

Time to go?

2011-08-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday 20th August 2011 - Peterborough United 7 Ipswich Town 1, Championship, London Road

I have calmed down- like many who went to the game, I felt like singing 'your not fit to wear the shirt' but I never. Not to say I was happy with the players but Evans, Clegg and Jewell should take a long hard look at themselves. They may stay, they might go but one thing is certain - I and many Town fans will still be here long after you three have left- don't kill our club!

Summer sport?

2011-08-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday 18th August 2011, Essex v Gloucestershire, Day 2 of 4 County Championship Division Two, Castle Park - Colchester

Summer sport? Bloody cold, dark, and in the end we got the predicted rain! But at least we got over 4 hours of play so the short trip to Colchester was worth it.

Festival cricket is a fantastic event, and one I hope and expect County cricket to continue with. It has been reduced, Essex used to play at a number of grounds away from their main home at Chelmsford. Festivals were held at Southend, Colchester, Ilford and other grounds like Harlow also witnessed Essex matches but now it is just Colchester and Southend that see the Essex team on the road.

The festival games often see bigger crowds than you will find at the normal county homes, and a great opportunity for sponsorship and corporate hospitality. But with Chelmsford witnessing very few County games and in 2012 there will be a reduction in T20 games held. T20 crowds have been high at Chelmsford and you would expect a call by some committee members at Chelmsford to see one of the festival games scrapped so more cricket is played at the County home.

It is not just Essex who play at a 'home away from home' this week we see Lancashire at Blackpool and Yorkshire at Scarborough. Of course ground which host test cricket do not need so much County cricket at home and the other problem at Festival games can be the quality of the pitch, covers and spectator facilities. the record one day score at Horsham by Sussex last week would not make that a ground that many bowlers would want to play at.

But saying all that, festival cricket will continue, just need summer weather to go with it!

Saints came marching in, and left with three points!

2011-08-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 16th August 2011 Ipswich Town 2 Southampton 5, Championship - Portman Road

Tonight I will be mostly crying!

Good start did not last long

2011-08-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday 13th August 2011, Ipswich Town 0 Hull City 1, Championship - Portman Road

Good start did not last long, and Roy Keane was right! Lee Martin is not good enough for Ipswich or the Championship.

Top of the league (but out of the cup)

2011-08-12T05:51:00.001-07:00

Tuesday 9th August 2011, Ipswich Town 1 Northampton Town 2, League Cup Round 1, Portman Road

If we are not going to field a side that can win, why bother entering? Poor display!

The Eagle landed

2011-08-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday 6th August 2011 Benfica 2 Arsenal 1, Eusebio Cup Estadio Da Luz, Lisbon

I might have had to miss the great opening day win by Ipswich at Bristol City but I still managed to get some football in. Lisbon was our destination for a few days break and thanks to brilliant hotel staff, we managed to get two tickets for Benfica v Arsenal.
They apologised that we would have to sit with the local fans, we soon explained to the staff we wanted to be with the Benfica fans as we would not want Arsenal to win.

Estadio Da Luz, was our destination and just an 8 stop journey on the metro deposited us in the neighbouring shopping centre, as we left the centre we got our first sight of this superb stadium.

Loads of fans were situated at local stalls selling beer, hot dogs and special scarves. The beer was popular as inside the ground it is Alcohol free lager only! The scarves are also popular as a souvenir of the game as no programmes are on offer.

We were situated in the top tier of this impressive stadia above the tunnel. What a view and the atmosphere soon built as the game got closer and that was with hardly any Arsenal fans making the trip, only a few were seen and most of them seemed to be visiting holidaymakers.

Just before kick off the scarves began to wave and a great cheer rose, why? We soon saw why, as a bird of prey flew around the stadium before landing on a cart on the pitch, slightly more impressive than someone dressed up as a pantomime horse!

The game started and it was hard to pick out who was who- and that included the Arsenal team, Van Persie was noticeable as he came closest to scoring in a first half where Benfica had most of the possession but Arsenal looked the more dangerous. Van Persie eventually opened the scoring and Arsenal went in at the break looking very comfortable.The usual mass substitutions at half time seemed to benefit the Portuguese team more and the second half soon saw Benfica on top with the Brazilian Aimar the most impressive of the new players. Arsenal seemed to have no answer to his trickery and soon resorted to needless fouls, but this negative tactic did not work and Benfica soon took the lead and go onto lift the Eusebio Cup.

The usual TV induced fireworks saw the cup handed over to the Benfica captain by the legend Eusebio himself.

Hard to predict how Arsenal will do this season from watching a pre season game but I was impressed by their new acquisition, Gervinho.

For Benfica, a number impressed, their captain and defender, Luisao and the brilliant play maker Aimar.

The stadium? Five star- visit if you get a chance both the city and the stadium are both worth the short trip south.

Almost there!

2011-07-31T04:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday 30 July 2011, Ipswich Town 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Pre season friendly - Portman Road

Under a week to go now till the real competitive football starts, a not too impressive pre season finished with a game against Premier team Wolves at home.

Only just over 5,000 turned up to see the best Town game so far, the last two signings of Emmanuel-Thomas and Stockdale look like they will add plenty to the team and it was also good too see Ingimarsson playing. Battling midfield of Leadbitter and Bowyer (with Hyam in reserve) and Chopra up front with a rejuvenated Lee Martin were all pluses, but still in desperate need of an extra centre back plus a right back - but all looking much better than last week.

Flash back to 70's football games - 'Jesus saves, Mariner nets rebound!'

Old style ground, old style bad habits.

2011-07-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Friday 22nd July 2011, Southend United 1 Ipswich Town 1, Pre season friendly - Roots Hall

A short drive to the Essex coast for a visit to Roots hall as Southend took on Ipswich Town.

A drive along the seafront showed that some money had been spent on how the resort looked, but it was quiet obvious that nothing had been spent on the ground, or the area around Roots Hall. Even the pubs looked run down and would probably felt more at home in some East London backstreet.

The game, started well, a great goal from Lee Martin, but then Chopra went off injured, Martin went back to spending most of his time hiding from the ball and then the defence showed that they could be done under the trade descriptions act! Please tell me how Tommy Smith found himself playing in the World Cup Finals in 2010?

The Southend 'Shed'/Tardis

Best bit of the day? The un-friendly nature of some of the midfield tussles and the Southend Groundsman's 'Shed', counting the amount of the people who entered the 'shed' it may have been a tardis!!

Summer is over, football starts

2011-07-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 19th July 2011, Cambridge United 2 Ipswich Town 2 - Pre season friendly.

What a start, two down in 4 minutes!! Still need a centre back, right back, midfielder, left back --- but at least we have a goalscorer - Michael Chopra!

It was funny to be back at the Abbey Stadium (or as it is known now - the R Costings Abbey Stadium), my last visit was also for a pre season game in 1980, 31 years ago! We then stood in an open end but today behind the same goal we sat in a very smart stand, but the rest of the ground has not changed much. On my last visit in 1980, we were just starting a season that would see us play our greatest football ever, since then both clubs have had their ups and downs. United may have suffered more as they are now back playing non league football.

Other changes? we probably had more fans at the game this week than we did in 1980, and no hooligans!

Still a very quaint ground to visit and as it is Cambridge, plenty of bike racks - and all being used!

Ipswich Town FC in Europe

2011-05-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I visited the 'Ipswich Town in Europe' Exhibition at the Town Hall Galleries. I enjoyed it, as I was fortunate to have seen that great 1981 team ( the exhibition also marks the 30th anniversary of the 1981 UEFA Cup win) it is always nice to be reminded how great that 1981 team was.

The exhibition maybe centered on the 81 season but it also looks at all our travels in Europe from Malta in 1962, Barcelona in 77, Milan in 2001 and then our final trip to the Czech Republic.

The highlight of the trip today was the opportunity to have your picture taken with the 'genuine' UEFA Cup. The trophy was in town for the 30th anniversary dinner tonight.

Not the 'real' UEFA Cup

Most of the items on display are owned by the club, many are mementos given by opposing teams who we have played in Europe, pewter cups, crystal glass, plates - some are more 'regional' based, with a Delft plate from Twente Enschede. wonder what we gave the likes of Real Madrid and FC Koln? A pint of Cobbolds?

Did like the way Lazio Roma gave each player a male grooming kit!

A trick was missed by the Colchester and Ipswich Museum service, far more exhibits could have been found if they had asked supporters to contribute. A few years ago, a previous exhibition was put on that looked at sport and pastimes in Ipswich, this had far more public contributions.

The Cruyff shirt

My favourite piece? - just beating the Lazio Roma grooming kits, the Barcelona shirt of Johan Cruyff, given to Roger Osborne after he had marked the great Dutchman out of the game in a fantastic 3-0 win for Ipswich over the Catalan giants.

A sporting city - Leicester

2011-05-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday 7th May 2011 - Leicester City 4 Ipswich Town 2 - Championship, Walkers Stadium

Some cities and towns are famous for sport, Barcelona, Manchester, London, Glasgow, Milan, New York, Sydney whilst other large cities do not have a great sporting tradition - Berlin and Oslo to name two.

Leicester can certainly be named as a City where sport plays a prominent role, Football (less said about the result or the display by Town the better!) was followed straight after and only a few hundred metres away by a top of the table Rugby Union match and in the evening Speedway was also on offer, with the recently formed Lions riding and if that was not enough you could watch 40 over Cricket match on the Sunday at Grace Road.

The area around the Walkers is a real sporting hotbed, with the neighbouring rugby Ground at Welford Rd and on the site of the old Filbert Street ground we even have a road named after a Leicester born favourite- Lineker Road, and even as we left the football we even passed a club cricket ground between the Walkers Stadium and the Rugby.

In the city centre, they even have a statue to mark a period in the 90's when Football, Rugby and Cricket all managed to win a cup or a title - a true sporting city.

p.s I did bump into Marcus Evans, seemed a decent bloke (for a Lib Dem supporter) so not sure he needs to keep up this idea of not having a public presence at the club- but maybe he should get rid of Clegg!

At least the chip shop was named after me!

2011-04-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Monday 25th April 2011 - Swansea City 4 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, Liberty Stadium

A long trip to South Wales, train, bus, tube, train, taxi but at least a good pub lunch and a beer in the 'New Globe' but then it went all wrong - a new stadium for me but just another inept performance from a Town team that just seems to be going through the motions!

Good news! Well at least the chippy outside the ground is named after me!

Erased

2011-04-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Thursday 21st April 2011 - Ipswich Town 1 Norwich City 5, Championship - Portman Road

The match and this day have now been erased from my mind - well I wish they had!

Better with ten men?

2011-04-17T07:07:00.001-07:00

Saturday 16th April 2011, Bristol City 0 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, Ashton Gate

As those who go to football with me will know, I am not the greatest fan of Lee Martin - so no surprise to me that:
1. He was sent off for a stupid tackle
2. We played better when he had gone off

Now he will miss the next three games, so hope someone else in that time can prove to Paul Jewell that we do not need Lee as a starting player next season.

Learning from a legend

2011-04-14T09:06:00.001-07:00

Thursday 14th April 2011 - Ipswich Town Academy 2 Portsmouth Academy 1, FA Premier Academy League, Playford Rd Training Ground

A great way to spend a sunny Thursday morning in April, a low crowd but a great performance from 10 man Town, despite having their centre half off after nine minutes, Town still dominated the game and it was great to see some of the schoolboy players who will join the Academy next year.

But you would expect a good Town academy team, with the legend that is Russel Osman now coaching them.

No need for defenders?

2011-04-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 12th April 2011 - Ipswich Town 3 Middlesbrough 3, Championship - Portman Road

No need for defenders? Joking - we just tryed to play a game of football with two teams and no defenders - bloody nightmare!

New George Best?

2011-04-12T03:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday 9th April 2011 - Ipswich Town 2 Crystal Palace 1, Championship - Portman Road

New George Best? Josh Carson has a had great start to his 1st team career at Ipswich but for the local papers to describe him as the new George Best is slightly over the top. Just because he comes from Northern Ireland and he is a winger. Now if you wanted an Ipswich player who had some George Best traits - you only had to look at ex Town player Pat Sharkey - more for his drinking exploits than his football skills.

Bore draw

2011-03-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 29th March 2011, Ipswich Town Reserves 0 Watford Reserves 0, Portman Road, Football Combination

The score says it all - Bore draw!

Watching from the Long Jump end!

2011-03-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday 26th March 2011 - Ilford FC 2 Brentwood 0, Ryman League Division One North - Cricklefield Stadium

Much talk recently about watching football from an Athletics stadium, well if West Ham fans want to get an idea how it will feel when they move to the Olympic Stadium they should get along to another club in East London - Ilford FC.

Ilford FC play at the Ilford Sports Club - Cricklefield Stadium, and Yes it is an athletics ground, but only 6 lanes, so not as far from the action as you are at places like Brighton.

With no Ipswich game this weekend, I went along to watch them play local rivals Brentwood, and they got a much needed win against a team far higher up the league.

I was met at the turnstile by a man in shorts 9it was nor warm) only to find out later that he was the bloke who did everything- not just the turnstile and the programmes. a crowd of about 50 watched from distance, not so bad from the side but from behind the long jump pit, it did seem like you were miles from the play. But for all that it was a god afternoon out, with both teams trying to pass the ball on a very poor pitch.

So you Hammers fans, get along to Ilford - they need your support, oh and the bloke in the shorts - the only bloke in the world with an Ilford FC tattoo on his leg?

The view from the long jump pit

A stand for one?

Would the player in Lane 6!

Mid table mediocrity

2011-03-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 15th March 2011 - Ipswich Town 0 Watford 3
Saturday 18th March 2011 - Ipswich town 2 Scunthorpe United 0, Portman Road, Championship

One bad defeat, one average win (but with two great goals)
But forget the goals, the season is sinking fast into mid table mediocrity - just a derby match left to get us excited!

That's more like real football!

2011-03-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday 12th March 2011 - Leeds United 0 Ipswich Town o, Elland Road - Championship

May not have been a great game, but it was a great point plus a great battling display.

Elland Rd, is a traditional ground and every game there has a big match feel. from the hot dog vans, badge sellers, bars, old pubs and maybe some of the more unsavory things, poor stewarding and a slight tension in the ground at time - but a far more welcoming place than it was in the v1970's.

For many soldiers, Elland Rd will remind them of Afghanistan, and it is not Elland Rd is intimidating (but it can be at times) but it is because all round the ground, you see adverts for Hesco Bastion, a Yorkshire firm that has done well out of the war, all the camps are made out of Hesco. So a name that will always be linked with Helmand and Sangin.

Why do we bother?

2011-03-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 8th March 2011 - Ipswich Town 1 Reading 3, Portman Road, Championship

For all those great wins against Arsenal, WBA, Cardiff - you then get games like Tuesday- just want to forget it - at least I never left early and saw Connor score

Pass, pass, pass but lose!

2011-02-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

Saturday 26th February 2011, Ipswich Town 0 Portsmouth 2 - Champioship, Portman Road

The football has improved, entertainment has returned we pass like a true Ipswich team but we lose - how can that be fair?

Another double game week and still passing well!

2011-02-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 22nd February 2011 - QPR 2 Ipswich Town 0, Championship - Loftus Road
Wednesday 23rd February 2-11 - Ipswich Town reserves 4 Southend United Reserves 0, Playford Rd training ground, Combination

We lost at rangers, against a team that was top - but a neutral would have thought at half time that we were the table topping team. But for all our good play and the strings of passes we put together, we are lacking a goal threat up front, a similar story to the home game against Hull.

The Reserve game did see goals and again more passing and the best bit? Both the First team and the reserves are playing with a smile on their faces.

Raining but we now can pass like a true Ipswich team

2011-02-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday 19th February 2011 Ipswich Town 1 Hull City 1, Championship, Portman Road

It may have rained, we may not have won, but we did learn to pass again, roll on QPR and West London next Tuesday.
oh, and that new lad Drury looks a bargain!

Two day goal feast!

2011-02-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 15th February 2011 - Doncaster Rovers 0 Ipswich Town 6 - Keepmoat Stadium
Wednesday 16th February 2011 - Ipswich Town Reserves 4 Colchester United Reserves 0 - Playford Rd Training Ground

First match - cold and wet in South Yorkshire and then the next afternoon a slightly dryer- and warmer (just) afternoon at Playford Rd, but a number of things in common. Ipswich scoring freely, players playing with a smile, and confidence and the fans also smiling - we now find ourselves looking up the table rather than down it!

Beating Berlusconi!

2011-02-13T10:39:00.001-08:00

Friday 11th February 2011 - The New Wolsey, Ipswich - Beating Berlusconi!

Felt like I was in Istanbul! Review here - On my blog

Leave them out of contract!

2011-02-05T12:27:00.001-08:00

5th February 2011 - Ipswich town 3 Sheffield United 0 - Championship, Portman Road

Sir Bobby would have loved it - maybe we should keep all our players out of contract, Norris can't stop scoring and Delaney was outstanding. But one player is on a contract- young Connor Wickham, a fantastic solo goal- his value must have gone up a further few 0's today

Sack the board!

2011-02-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

February 1st 2011 - Derby County 1 Ipswich Town 2 - Championship

As we don't seem to have a Board of Directors at Ipswich, we may never hear that cry again at Portman Rd, and 2 league wins on the trot also helps! Though if we play like we did last night (I know we won but we were still poor) there might be a few 'Sack Clegg' -not LibDem one - but he also needs sacking! But our Chief executive, Simon Clegg and also maybe 'Sack yourself' to Mr Evans.

But last night we did scrape a win, thanks mainly to having the only class player on the pitch - Jimmy Bullard and so the end of the game the chant of 'Sack the Board' was coming from the Derby fans, not a happy lot, and if we can beat them, it is no wonder they feel so angry.

The best football stadium in the world

2011-01-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

League Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg, Arsenal 3 Ipswich Town 0 - Jan 25th 2011 - The Emirates

The Ipswich fans were brilliant, the team were superb - but we lost - oh and Cesc Fabregas is arrogant, a diver and a cheat.

But one thing Arsenal do have - is the greatest football ground that I have ever seen a game at, that is the view, the seats, the bars- everything and it looks like they remember the traditions that make Arsenal such a famous name in football, with names and pictures that remind you of Highbury and even from their time as a South London club.

I am now determined to visit on a non match day, maybe even take a stadium tour. But I think it will be hard to find a better stadium anywhere else in the world.

Bring on the Arsenal

2011-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Saturday 22nd January 2011 - Ipswich Town 3 Doncaster Rovers 2, Championship

This football game, easy isn't ? Must be joking - could have ended up 8-8, then again players were taking it easy before we play Arsenal!

No roar at the Lions Den

2011-01-16T02:13:00.000-08:00

Championship - 15 January 2011 Millwall 2 Ipswich Town 1
Off to south of the river, one of the easiest away trips to get to - and we had a spring in our step, we had just beaten Arsenal and we had a new manager- but football is a strange game, two hours later we were wondering how we had lost to a poor Millwall side and Arsenal were probably wondering how they had been so poor against us then destroyed West Ham in East London- it is such a strange game that I am sure the return leg at the Emirates will be as hard to pre-guess.

The greatest game in the world

2011-01-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 12th January 2011 - Ipswich Town 1 Arsenal 0 - League Cup Semi final 1st Leg

On Sunday we lost 7-0 at Chelsea, today we beat Arsenal 1-0, sorry cricket, rugby, athletics, Grand Prix fans- Football is the greatest game, the peoples game.
Ian McP - Thank you for tonight, all 12 players were awesome!
PROUD

At least it is only Arsenal next!

2011-01-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

Sunday 9th January 2011, Chelsea 7 Ipswich Town 0 - FA Cup 3rd Round.

No manager, no team and now no confidence - can't think of anything positive to say - at least it is only Arsenal next!

Oh one positive, we have two better statues than Chelsea, liked Ossie the player but the Robson and Ramsey statues are way better than this!

Sir Alf and Sir Bobbt would not be happy

2011-01-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

Monday 3rd January 2011 - Ipswich Town 0 Nottingham Forest 1 - Portman Road, Championship

What would Sir Bobby do?

Left the game not angry just sad, and also not sure where we will end up. Love the team and will still keep going but not sure I am that worried what happens anymore.
I actually feel for Roy Keane, heard him on Radio 5 after the game and he was honest about what had happened, did not even have a go at the Ref for the sending off. He came over as a real gentleman - yes that Roy Keane.
But I wonder how long he will last at Portman Road and to think our next two games are Chelsea and Arsenal!

Not sure what Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson would think or even how they would handle it. Bring back George Burley?

What would Sir Alf think?

No win - even against 10 men!

2011-01-01T13:50:00.001-08:00

Ricoh Stadium - January 1st 2011 Coventry City 1 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship

Eleven against eleven in the first half, we looked good, took the lead, no problems - second half Coventry equalise, then go down to 10 men after Marlon King commits a late and high tackle. Then eleven against 10 and we did not have a clue!

Maybe we should learn from Norwich, they seem to play against and beat 10 players each week!

Good thing - did meet celebrity Town fan, pro darts player- Kevin 'The Artist' Painter - top bloke.

Hearts FC - Haymarket war Memorial

2010-12-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

The media - both TV and papers still like to portray Rugby Union as a sport with slightly more class than football. Seeming to forget that both sports are now professional, every time a football ref is harangued by football players the media quickly reminds everyone that it 'would not happen in rugby!'

This image of Rugby Union as a more respectable sport, more patriotic and so on has existed for many years, since the Public Schools dropped football with the accusation that football had been unpatriotic by not stopping fixtures as soon as World War One started. This myth still continues as does the modern myth that football has much to learn from Rugby. What is not often mentioned is 'bloodgate', sponsorship on the England Rugby Union shirt, and Twickenham over priced and aimed at the corporate market.

But it is the role of football in World War One where the myth is totally unjust. It is true that Rugby Union has been better at remembering those who gave their lives for their country, even as recent as this year, Ipswich Rugby FC held a remembrance day at their Humber Doucy Ground and included a wreath laying and matches between the junior sides of Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds.

But Football should also be proud of those who both played football and then went onto play their part in a much more formidable battle.

This year in Longueval, France saw a memorial unveiled to commemorate those footballers who lost their lives in World War One, in particular those of the 17th and 23rd Middlesex Battalions, known as the Footballers' Battalions. The memorial was payed for by contributions by both the PFA and the Football League.
In Edinburgh it is possible within one mile to see that both Rugby Union and Football lost many young men in the service of their country.

At Murrayfield the home of Rugby Union you will find a memorial gate to those who lost their lives in the Great War but currently you have to look a bit harder for a memorial to those who played football and then lost their lives in both World Wars.
As you walk to Murrayfield from the City Centre, you pass the Haymarket, a busy road junction, that is currently part junction/part building site but in the middle of the junction, pinned on the safety fences were a number of poppy wreaths. the reason why is that up to 2008 the Haymarket junction was the location of a Clock Tower that was built in 1922 as memorial to those who had lost their lives in the Great war, but in particular those who had either played for Hearts FC or their supporters. As with the Middlesex Regiment in Scotland a regiment of footballers had been formed, The Sir George McCrae Battalion of the Royal Scots, 11 members of the Hearts Football club joined this regiment on the day it was formed and four of them would not return from France.

Edinburgh is currently re-introducing trams to the city and this meant that the Haymarket junction would have to be redesigned. There was talk of moving the clock to either Tynecastle or to Atholl Crescent, but a public outcry has meant that the Clock will return to the Haymarket, in a new location, outside Ryrie's Bar. On Remembrance Day, wreath laying is held at the site of the Tower and is attended by the Hearts players and their supporters as well as representatives of other clubs.

Every year now we have a number of clubs wear a special poppy shirt, and who will forget the silence-0 followed by applause when the 'Last Post' was played at Portman Road in November before a game by a bugler from the Royal Hospital school. It is right that sport should help remember those are currently serving in the Armed Forces and those who lost their lives, but it also as important to remember those from sport who also paid the ultimate sacrifice and both Football and Rugby Union (plus many other sports) lost many gifted sportsman in both wars.

Snow and a win!!

2010-12-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

Saturday 18th December, Ipswich Town 3 Leicester City 0, Championship - Portman Road
It snowed- was on Sky, should never have been played but!!! We won (and played well)

'SPLASH'

2010-12-12T02:50:00.000-08:00

Saturday 11th December 2010, Preston North End 1 Ipswich Town 0 - Deepdale, Championship

The football? I am losing any interest in talking about Ipswich and our run of defeats - will Roy stay? Go? Not sure I care either way now.

Bu what was great about the visit to Preston is to see the Sir Tom Finney statue. I am a big fan of statues outside grounds, but there can be a bit of 'sameness' about some of them - the statues of Bobby Moore and Peter Osgood are very similar but at Preston we do have a one that is in a class of it's own.

The Sir Tom Finney 'Splash' statue is a mixture of fountain/statue and is fantastic, the idea is from a photograph from a Chelsea-Preston game from 1956, which I believe won the Sports Photograph of the Year award in 1956. It is worth the visit. the other great thing about visiting Preston in the past was the chance to visit the National Football Museum, now moved to Manchester, the building and signs are still at Deepdale but not sure what the building is now being used for.

Bloody cold!

2010-12-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 7th December 2010, Ipswich Town Reserves 1 Luton Town Reserves 2 - Ipswich Town Training Ground, Playford Road

1st Team can't win, Youth Team can't win and now the Reserve Team can't win! Oh and it was that bloody cold, even Roy Keane had to wear a wooly hat!

Will the last one leaving the ground, turn the floodlights off!

2010-12-04T09:50:00.000-08:00

Saturday 4th December 2010, Ipswich Town 1 Swansea City 3 - Championship

Great win over WBA but it went all wrong again today, OK we did have the worst ref in the country but poor defending like last week was to blame. Just over 16,000 in the ground, Roy must wonder if he is much longer for this club.

Emirates bound!

2010-12-02T03:47:00.000-08:00

Wednesday December 1st 2010- Ipswich town 1 WBA 0 League Cup Quarter Final

A lot can change in football in a very short time! In just over 70 hours we had a team in blue that was a disgrace going to a team that we all could be proud of, a true Ipswich Town team, trouble was it has been so bad over the last few weeks and so cold last night that just over 10,000 Town fans saw this great win, probably the same number of fans we will take to Arsenal for the Semi Final 2nd Leg - well done Ipswich (and Roy)

Disgrace

2010-11-28T10:05:00.001-08:00

Sunday 28th November 2010, Norwich City 4 Ipswich Town 1

Disgrace- team, manager, both sets of fans and the policing- just a poor day out!

Now even the Youths can't win!

2010-11-25T13:48:00.001-08:00

Tuesday 25th November 2010, Ipswich Town Youths 2 Peterborough United Youths 3

Own goal, injuries, goalkeeping errors plus bloody freezing! The season limps from one bad moment to another!

Back to my Scottish roots

2010-11-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

Saturday 20th November 2010 - Scotland 21 South Africa 17, Murrayfield

My late father would have been proud, I watched my first Scottish Rugby game at Murrayfield, and what a game to choose - Scotland beating the world champions, South Africa.

Your first view of Murrayfield as you approach from the city centre

Not so great was the number of empty seats, it seems so strange when I had to pay over £50 for a seat, Rugby Union all over the UK sold out to the corporate dollar a number of years ago but all the home nations now struggle to sell all their seats for the Autumn internationals with Scotland and Irland struggling the most, very bad news for Ireland as theses were the first games at their new home.

So they may need to look at reducing prices, cheap tickets for school groups but I feel that the corporate sponsors would not be happy as many have paid for long term contracts and 30,000 at £60 a ticket will earn the RFU boards more than a full house at £20 a throw.

The stadium may not be one of the newest but the views are fantastic, loads of leg room and rare for the UK, all the catering and bars are outside the stands and you can walk around the whole ground from the outside.

The shop was a disappointment and because of the rain and low crowd the outside stalls were not doing a great trade. But it was still worth the visit, for the singing of 'Flowers of Scotland' before the game and the singing of the 'Bonnie. bonnie banks of Loch Lomond' afterwards. it may seem naff but after beating the boks, even this 'famous' Scottish song sounded OK.

Will this be the last we see of Roy?

2010-11-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday 13th November 2010 - Ipswich Town 1 Barnsley 3, Championship

Not sure Sir Bobby would have been smiling much today!

Have not seen us play that bad at home for a long time, will it be the end of Roy? First time there has been a real cry of 'Keane out'.
I hope he stays but not sure I am in the majority, a bad day at the office!

wet and lost

2010-11-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 9th November 2010 - Ipswich 0 Derby County 2, Championship

It rained and rained all day, but trouble is the game still went on - so we got wet and lost to a team as poor as us. Enough said. Roll on Saturday, it can only get better.

Escape from Portsmouth

2010-11-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday 6th November
Havant and Waterlooville 0 Droylsden 2, FA Cup Round 1 - Westleigh Park

Thought that I would have a weekend without football as found myself in Portsmouth visiting my daughter, but fatherly tasks over quicker than I thought, I found myself at Havant to watch the FA Cup 1st round. Havant who are one of the more recent of those non-league teams with a giant killing pedigree but this afternoon they found themselves beaten quite soundly by Droylsden. The first half was close but the second half saw the Manchester side run out deserved winners.
the ground itself was a disappointment, large enough but the stands were bland in appearance.
Havant support was quite noisy but the crowd was quite low, a surprise with Portsmouth not playing at home. But my second FA Cup game of the season, Clacton, Havant - where next?

Back from Africa

2010-10-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday 30th October 2010 - Ipswich Town 2 Millwall 0 - Championship

Two weeks in Ethiopia, and the only news about Ipswich Town I could get in East Africa was 'doom and gloom' - but only back 4 hours and we get a good win over Millwall! Roll on the League Cup game against WBA

Dirty Leeds (and Chelsea)

2010-10-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday 2nd October 2010
Playford Road Training ground - Ipswich Town Youths 0 v Chelsea Youths 0
Portman Road - Ipswich Town 2 Leeds United 1 - Championship

Two Ipswich games in one day, two good displays, good results and two red cards, first to see Red was a Chelsea youngster, a straight red, possibly dissent and that was followed in the afternoon by Alex Bruce. No surprise that the ex Town player got an early bath, he was never the best at timing his tackles.

No steel in Scunthorpe

2010-09-26T03:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday 25th September 2010, Scunthorpe United 1 Ipswich Town 1, Championship

No steel in Scunthorpe - not just because Maggie and the Tories shut everything down - Ipswich had no steel or cutting edge- saved by the young Hyam and Peters.

Lions fail to roar

2010-09-22T01:34:00.001-07:00

Tuesday 21st september 2010, Millwall 1 Ipswich Town 2 - League Cup Round 3 - The New Den

A comfortable win in South London for Ipswich, with the younger players putting in a good display- Hyam. Peters and Townsend.

The Lions did not roar but it was fun to see their fans fight each other behind one of the goals, if they can't find aways fans to fight they still look for a good old punch up!

Back to earth?

2010-09-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 14th September 2010, Ipswich Town 0 QPR 3 - Championship, Portman Road

Well it had been a great start to the season but tonight we were dropped back to earth with a big bump- but at least Connor was back!

Tudor House or non league ground?

2010-09-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday 11th September 2010 - Portsmouth 0 Ipswich Town 0 - Championship, Fratton Park

At least the away end now has a roof, but still a very outdated ground, even the club office looks like a Tudor House

Stiffs get stiffed!

2010-09-08T10:10:00.001-07:00

Tuesday 8th September 2010, Ipswich Town Reserves 0 Oxford United Reserves 2, Portman Road

Luca back but other than that...... the Stiffs got stiffed!

Cold at the Seaside

2010-08-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 31st August 2010, FC Clacton 1 Colney Heath 5, FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay - Rush Green Bowl

An evening at the seaside, well actually not that close to the sea, seems weird for a town as small as Clacton to have an 'out of town' ground,

Another non league stand with a great name - 'The Bus Shelter'

This one even had a bus stop fitted to the shelter!

David James - England's 92?

2010-08-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday 28th August 2010 - Ipswich Town 2 Bristol City 0, Portman Road - Championship

A great win for the Town but we may have only won thanks to David James - no longer England's Number 1 (oh and I do know that all 92 teams do not have English goalkeepers but if there we 91 other English keepers, not sure many would have had as bad a game as 'Calamity' James.

Crewe - keeping on the right track

2010-08-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 24th August 2010 - Crewe Alexandra 0 Ipswich Town 1 (aet) League Cup Round 2

A drive up to Cheshire to watch Ipswich play away again the cup ( never seem to get a cup tie at home). The team line ups indicated that Ipswich were going out to win this, and the next 90 minutes did see plenty of attacking football and goal scoring opportunities - trouble was it was both teams who were attacking and getting those opportunities to score. But after 90 minutes it was still nil, nil and so extra time had to be played. Norris got the winning goal so we now just have to wait till Saturday to see if we get that long awaited home cup tie.

The game also saw the debut for Ipswich of Jason Scotland, he threw himself around, and there was plenty to throw around! But I have a feeling he will get the goals we need - if not the Crew forward Donaldson looked a good bet for someone who could play at a higher level.

'Big ground but small crowd'

The crowd of just over 3,000 seemed to be lost within the Gresty Road ground- leading to the Ipswich fans singing 'Your ground is to big for you'!

At the Palace - and so were Davids and Pablo!

2010-08-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday 21st August 2010 - Crystal Palace 1 Ipswich Town 2 - Championship

A new route to Selhurst Park as we took the overground train from Shoreditch High Street. Palace - Ipswich games are always exciting, sending offs, late goals, comebacks and this season was no different.

It was a surreal game in many ways with Burley, Ambrose Wright, and Price at Selhurst Park and they even introduced their two new players at half time, Edgar Davids and Pablo! Two other ex Ipswich players were at the centre of all the action, Alan Lee and Owen Garvan seemed very keen to put one over on the Town but thanks to a brilliant team display they could not, and in the end both players spent most of the game talking to the ref and Garvan in particular helped get our young player Townsend sent off. Many Town fans had a soft spot for Owen but he lost many of those supporters today.
Jon Stead was awesome it what may have been his last game in a blue shirt. Lets just hope we have some new players in before next week.

A return to Foxhall

2010-08-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Monday 16th August - Ipswich Witches Speedway v Swindon Robins Speedway - Elite Premier League Ipswich win 56 - 37

After a gap of over 30 years, I returned to Foxhall Stadium to see the Ipswich Witches race. And what a great result it was as bottom of the league won comfortably with Scotty Nicholls on fire and only Leigh Adams racing well for the Robins.

The stadium had changed little over those 30 years, well one side had dramatically changed since my last visit! The great storm of 1987 had got rid of the old east Stand from Portman Road which used to sit on the far straight. The crash barriers now had the look of a bouncy castle but the cafes, bar and supporters hut looked the same, pity the crowds are not as high as they were in the days when John Louis raced for the team rather than owned it. If you get a chance get along to Foxhall. I will certainly try and get along more often.
Oh and the stand may have gone, crowds may be down but you still get that addictive smell on the 1st bend.

Looks like it might be a good seaon

2010-08-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday 14th August 2010 - Ipswich Town 1 Burnley 1

Well the youngsters showed they are talented, and if we get a few good players in this week this amy be a season to remember, pity the Walters/Counago/Keane thing is putting a slight black cloude over what has been a promising start.

Who are the Reserves?

2010-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ipswich Town 0 Tottenham Hotspur XI 1, Portman Road, Tuesday 3rd August 2010

We knew Spurs were going to field a reserve side, but no mention by the club or the Press that Ipswich were going to field an even more inexperienced side!

They even had an England world Cup player in their side plus a very expensive East European and we had......Reggie Lamb!

Better display today - more positives than negatives

2010-07-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Ipswich Town 0 West Ham United 1, Pre Season friendly, 31st July 2010

A better display today by the blues, with young Hyam showing why Garvan will not be missed. Also a great turnout bu the West Ham fans, must have wanted a day out in Suffolk?

Oh and from an earlier post, there now is a sign by the Sir Bobby Robson Bridge - picture will follow eventually.

The Youth of today v Dissent United

2010-07-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

Ipswich Town Academy Under 18's 1 Colchester United Youths 3 - Youth Pre season friendly, Playford Road - ITFC Training Ground - 29 July 2010

I have always enjoyed watching the Academy, to be honest over the last few years I have seen more quality football at the training ground in Playford Road than I have at Portman Road.

I have seen the likes of Darren Bent start their playing days here and the last game I saw him play was for England in Austria.

The training ground is a fantastic facility, with pitches that look like bowling greens. Such an improvement from when the club first moved there and just had the old Crane's pavilion. Though at times there does seem to be a less friendly attitude from some at the club to those who watch the young blues.

Such a change from when I used to watch the Ipswich Youth team in the 60's. my first football fix, when I used to watch Laurie Sivell, Trevor Whymark and others play on the muddy practice pitch at Portman Road, though it did have it's advantages. As a young lad you could escape from your dad and sneak into the west Stand (Pioneer, Brittania) and pretend you were in a large crowd watching the first team.

Oh back to the game today, some good football but was not happy with the attitude of Colchester United or as they should be known Dissent United!

A win, more rain and a large crowd

2010-07-29T01:51:00.000-07:00

Bury Town 0 Ipswich Town XI 1, Pre Season friendly - July 28th 2010

For many the cathedral at Bury St Edmunds is the most famous sight but for football fans it is Ram Meadow and the Sugar Beet Silos - when you see these you know it is not far to Ipswich, and home!

24 Hours after a match at Leiston in the rain, I now find myself at Ram Meadow, home of Bury Town - in the rain again. Ipswich fielded what was probably 80% of what will be the starting line up when the Championship season starts. A good passing display but again we seemed unable to score. A good crowd of over 1,000 at a club who are on the up. The ground may still need some work on it but it can easily cater for 1,000 plus though more seats may be needed. Boxing Day will be the a big game for the club when they take on fellow Suffolk side Lowestoft Town to see who really is Suffolk's second club!

Jimmy the Rattle stand - best named stand in football?

Rain, and a Brazilian trialist

2010-07-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Leiston Town 0 Ipswich Town XI 2 - Victory Road, Pre Season friendly, 27th July 2010

My first trip to see a game at Leiston, but for once I did not do a tour of the ground - heavy rain put a stop to that and by the time the rain had stopped the game had started. A tough game against a non league side that did not seem overawed.
Bad first five minutes for Roy Keane as both Quinn and Civelli picked up injuries and had to be substituted.

Before the rain

Civelli before the injury

Not much to write home about, till the 62 minute when we saw a Brazilian trialist arrive on the pitch - Marcus Picciarelli. The 20-year-old striker is currently with Rio de Janeiro side Macaé and started a trial earlier in the week. wonder what he thought of a wet Lesiton?

Maybe not top class cricket but good fun for a good cause

2010-07-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Ipswich and East Suffolk CC v Ipswich Town FC - Charity 20/20 Cricket match - Chantry Park, 23 July 2010

Maybe not the best cricket, but fun, for a good cause (Suffolk Cancer Charity) and at least they made it competitive. Tommy Smith was man of the match for Ipswich, so his last competitive sports match was in the World Cup in South Africa in front of a 5 figure crowd and then his next game is a cricket match on a public park in front of hundreds- but he seemed as keen to win this one as he did in the World Cup.
Well done both teams for an entertaining evening.

A Dutch tribute to Sir Bobby

2010-07-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday 17th July 2010 - PSV Eindhoven 1 v Ipswich 0 Pre Season friendly

A weekend in Holland was an opportunity not to be missed, so my wife and I booked a weekend, which would see us take the short trip to Eindhoven on the Saturday. the game was yet another tribute to Bobby Robson, when two of his former teams would meet in a pre season friendly. It all looked so easy!

First error- like England, weekends are when work on the railways takes place so our journey time to the home of Philips was doubled, we even thought we would not get back to Amsterdam after the game, but a helpful Dutch Railway guard pointed us to the Rotterdam train and one change later we were back in Amsterdam.

The game? As expected we were outclassed but a fine goalkeeping display and a more determined second half performance meant we only lost one nil.
Strangest part of the day? A second half substitution, Timmy Simons was playing his last game for the Dutch giants and he was taken off to a standing ovation. nothing strange there but unlike in the UK, he was carried off on the shoulders off fellow players and then on the pitch was presented with a picture, then he made a speech - and the ref still only added one minute on!

Timmy after his speech!

The stadium was impressive, even with only 13,000 in the ground, plenty of beer outside and both Set's of fans mixing then it became a flashback to the anti football Thatcher years. The Town fans were put in the highest corner of the ground, searched and innocent everyday objecys removed from supporters and hen we were surrounded by a large glass wall. Very strange and so out of place in this fixture.

My pet subject of statues at football grounds was well catered for, two at one end of the ground, both of former players but at the other end almost hidden away was a white stone statue, no inscription but I believe it may have had more to do with one of the founders of the Philips Company than the football team - anyone help?

Oh and programmes were hidden from Town fans, now the hundreds who went have to search the Internet to get a souvenir of the match.

Cricket at Fenners.

2010-06-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Cambridge University Crusaders v Oxford University Authentics (Day 1 of the 2nd XI Inter Varsity cricket match)

To take my mind off the England-Slovenia football match, I decided to spend the hours before the big match at Fenners, home of Cambridge University Cricket Club.
The match was the 2nd XI Inter varsity game, Crusaders v Authentics, not sure if Oxford were deliberately wanting to miss the England game but the Dark Blue side seemed keen to be spending the afternoon in the field, so just after lunch they found themselves bowled out for 76.

Fenners is a lovely setting for cricket, maybe not the most remarkable looking pavilion but the modern accommodation building belonging to Hughes College is a plus point of the ground, certainly the place I would like to have a room.

As well as the sound of ball on willow, you could also hear the grunts of college tennis players on the adjoining University Tennis Club, though the entrance to their club is very unassuming and not what you would expect of a Cambridge University run club.

No Arnie to be seen anywhere!

2010-06-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday 30th May 2010 - England 2 Japan 1 - International friendly played at, UPC Arena Graz, Austria

This bank holiday saw my wife and I joining thousands of other England fans on a trip to Austria. The Sturm Graz ground was the venue for an international friendly match, England v Japan. Now Graz is also famous for being the hometown of Arnold Schwarzenegger, now once upon a time Graz were proud of the fact that this where the Hollywood star and now Californian Governor was born. They even named the stadium we were to visit after him, but somewhere along the line Arnie and his Austrian friends have fell out. So much so that you would find it hard to spot any mention of the ex bodybuilder anywhere in the city and the ground now has a new name - The UPC Arena.

What was great about the day was the mix of England fans, many couples, families as well as younger England fans, making it a very relaxing match day experience, maybe the team got that sense of relaxation as well, and it took them 45 minutes to wake up, even them Lampard missed a penalty and we had to rely on the Japanese scoring two own goals to get a much needed pre-World Cup win.

Another surprise was the large number of Austrians at the game who were supporting England, this along with a large contingent of Japanese made for a good atmosphere. the England team may not have impressed our new found Austrian friends but the noise the England fans made with the band and singing did impress them.

I know it was only a friendly and many England fans would be saving their holiday and money for South Africa, but the relaxed atmosphere has made me think again about returning to support my national team on their travels around the world.

Well done to all the England fans who attended the game.

Oh nearly forgot, the ground, a small tight stadium with no athletics track- bit of a squeeze to get through the outer gates but once inside, plenty of room, a good view and beer on tap plus salty pretzel's.

Cambridge Blue

2010-04-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday 24th April 2010 - Cambridge City 0 Hednesford Town 3 Zamaretta League

For a number of reasons I found myself at Milton Road - the home of Cambridge City rather than at Newcastle United watching Ipswich.

First of all I didn't fancy watching 50,000 plus Geordie's celebrating a trophy which they had won easy, and also I thought at one time that this would be the last ever game of football played at Milton Road.
What went wrong? Well Ipswich played well in the North East and got a draw and Cambridge City have been given a further season at Milton Road , so the proposed ground share with Newmarket Town is now on hold.

The ground itself is more than adequate enough for City with one excellent stand that includes the changing rooms and the social club, trouble is the land is much sought after, so Cambridge still are not sure where they will eventually end up.

What they know is after this defeat that they will not be in the play offs and they now have a local derby v Bury Town to look forward to as they were promoted today. 613 was the attendance today, City's highest of the season, funny how clubs can take take separate paths and end up so far apart.
In the 1930's, it was Cambridge City not Norwich who were our fiercest rivals, as we were two of the 3 top teams in the Southern Amateur League, but we decided to go professional and ended up in the Football League after short stay in the Southern League (the league City are in now) so since being rivals in 1930, we have gone onto win the League, win in Europe and lift the FA Cup and today saw us hold Newcastle in front of over 50,000 whilst City find themselves now only the third best team in the vicinity of Cambridge.
The programme was a good read and had an Ipswich connection ( and not just because 5 of the City players once played for Ipswich) it included scans of the Cambridge v Ipswich programme from the game in 1930, where the police had to draw their truncheons after tempers flared between the rival fans after Ipswich won 5-3!

A good football day out, also a good day for a picnic by the river!

How good is Connor Wickham?

2010-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday 17th April 2010 - Ipswich Town 1 Doncaster Rovers 1

How good is Connor and more importantly can we keep hold of him?

Will we ever win three games on the trot!

2010-04-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday 10th April 2010, Nottingham Forest 3 Ipswich Town 0

Not if we play like that in every second half!

Clough Junior sent to the stands!

2010-04-05T14:51:00.001-07:00

Monday 5th April 2010
Derby County 1 Ipswich Town 3
Clough Junior sent to the stands, wonder what Brian would have thought of that, and would have liked tp hear his views on the display of the two teams managed by two of his ex players
Oh and with the three points, it looks like we will be in the Championship again next season.