Not much quality

Saturday 26 September 2026, Clacton Regent 0 White Notley 1 - Essex & Suffolk Border League, Premier Division, Clacton Leisure Centre

Need to stay local today, so short drive down to Clacton as I visit one of the new clubs in the ESBL, just one more to do now to re-complete the league.

Newish G4 pitch inside a cage, pitch in a very good condition, helped by entry to the cage is only after you have walked through the Leisure Centre. Spectator area inside the cage on one side, the usual 3/4 of a side

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Only one goal in the game, however White Notley were the better team throughout most of the game. However neither side had much quality on display.

Should not enter

Tuesday 22 September 2026, Luton Town 6 Ipswich Town Under 21s 0 - EFL Trophy, Group game, Kenilworth Road

Hated it when we were in the Trophy and we had to play U21 teams from the Premier League and hated it even more as a Premier team watching your U21s taken apart by a good Luton team.

Plus point, Luton making it cheap admission and trying to attract more families, those who turned up supporting Luton (the Trophy holders) would be pleased, less so the few Ipswich fans who turned up, especially as diversions on the way home meant still a late night, even with a 7pm kick off.

Dockside

Saturday 19 September 2026, Everton 1 Ipswich Town 0 - Premier League, Hill Dickinson Stadium

Football wise, we should have got at least a point, Everton are well organised but a poor team- undefeated but lacking much attacking wise and offering little entertainment value.

However this was an opportunity to visit a new stadium, inside- great seats, sightlines but quite basic (certainly not as good as Spurs) but outside it does look great, blends in with the old Dock wall and the large tobacco and tea warehouses, it really does help improve the dock area.

Connah's Quay to a Convent

Friday 18 September 2026, Connah's Quay Nomads 1 Cardiff Met 0 - Welsh Premier, Cae-y-Castell

Decided to make my Saturday trip to Everton last 2 days so a chance to get another game on the Friday night. Connah's Quay play down the road at Flint, arrived and very wet, quick beer in clubhouse, which is about 100 metres from the ground. Ground is G4 pitch and an assortment of seated stands, including a large main stand.

Wet and windy for most of the game but the football was of good quality with the home side dominating for most of the game but only managing the one goal on 69 minut3s, they did have an earlier effort on 40 minutes disallowed.

Struggled to find a hotel or B & B in the are but ended up staying at a convent (breakfast included) in Holywell - strange to say the least!

A Cup win for a Suffolk side

 Thursday 17 September 2026, Woodbridge Town Under 18s 2 Mulbarton Wanderers Under 18s 2 (Woodbridge won 5-4 on penalty kicks) - FA Youth Cup 1st Qualifying Round, Notcutts Park

I got to see a cracking game last night, Mulbarton were ahead with almost the first kick of the game after a poor Woodbridge back pass and they then got a second goal on 41 minutes. Woodbridge had created a few chances but the visitors had been slightly the better team.

Second half was also quite even, and Woodbridge pulled a goal back on 56 minutes, direct from a free kick, a few 'tasty' tackles were now going in with a couple of the visitors getting yellow cards but it did seem that Mulbarton were going to see the game out quite easy, however another stupid tackle gave Woodbridge a free kick in injury time, up came the keeper, cross came into the box, and a scramble and a close range header and it was all square with just 2 minutes of injury time left.

Penalty kicks, took ages as the players seemed to struggle to put the ball on the penalty spot without it moving then both teams managed to miss a number of kicks (most going over the bar by some considerable height) but when it went to sudden death it was the home team who got the winning kick.

Your Second XI is better than our Second XI

Tuesday 15 September 2026, Ipswich Town 2 Arsenal 4 - League Cup, 3rd Round, Portman Road

Simply, the Arsenal Second XI is much better than our Second XI - Saw Max Dowman play for the Arsenal U21 team last season, did not look that special but today can see why so much is expected of this promising talent.

We had plenty of the ball but like the Liverpool game, you can't give top teams a two goal start before you wake up

Thought it was going to spot kicks

Friday 11 September 2026, Walsham-Le Willows 2 Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers 0 - FA Vase, 2nd Qualifying Round, Summer Road

Very surprised how low the crowd was - 78 (looked more there) but Walsham used to get big mid-week gates and as a Friday Vase game, expected more here- maybe the planned late night closure of the A14 put people off

Walsham were slightly the better team in the first half, but no real end product, they were far better in the second half but it looked like we were heading to penalty kicks, until Walsham got 2 late goals, one in the 85th minute and then the second in the third minute of injury time, the final score making it look an easier game than it was in reality .

Left it late

Tuesday 8 September 2012, Woodbridge Town 0 Ipswich Wanderers 2, Eastern Counties, Premier Division, Notcutts Park

Looked like a 0-0 game with just 10 minutes left then Wanderers won it with two superb goals one from a direct free kick and then a second great individual goal just 2 minutes later.

How Essex can you get?

Saturday 5 September 2026, Wakering Sports 1 Harold Hill 1 - Essex Olympian League, Premier Division, Cupids Country Club

Not sure you can get more TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex) than the name of the ground- 'Cupids Country Club' . Ignore the name and you have a great set up, 5 pitches, main one railed off and a small seated stand plus a large clubhouse- not bad for Step 7!

Football wise, a close game but one the hosts should have won after going ahead in the first half but Harold Hill kept going and got an equaliser in the second half.

All over in 9 minutes

Friday 4 September 2026, Ipswich Town 0 Liverpool 2 - Premier League, Portman Road

Poor start but still showed enough to think we could survive this season.

Good season ahead?

Tuesday 1 September 2026, Ipswich Wanderers 4 Cornard United 2, Eastern Counties, Premier Division, Humber Doucy Lane

Another good crowd at the 'Doucy' and another good win but it looked a lot easier at half time!

All Wanderers in the first half and they were 3 up at the break with goals after 9, 27 and 43 minutes. Not sure what happened in the second half as Wanderers seemed to take their foot of the pedal and Cornard pulled 2 goals back on 63 and 67 minutes and then nearly got a third. 

This woke the home team up and on 88 minute one of their forwards got through only to be pulled down just outside the box, straight red card for the Cornard player and then Wanderers got their 4th goal in the 94th minute to secure all 3 points. 

Sussex by the Sea (twice)

 Monday 31 August 2026

11am - Newhaven 1 Haywards Heath 5 - Southern Combination, Premier Division, Trafalgar Ground

Plenty of goals, but after an even first half when Haywards Heath went in just one in front, second half they found their shooting boots and strolled to an easy win, with Newhaven getting a consolation with the last kick of the game. 

3pm - Eastbourne Town 0 Steyning Town 1 - Isthmian League, SE Division, The Saffrons

Large sports complex, shared with Cricket, Hockey and other sports - been in use over 100 years and Ipswich even played here before turning professional. Nice set up and the impressive Town Hall gives the ground a great back drop.

Football wise, a very poor game, with the visitors scoring very early on then very little quality shown by either side. 

Not far for a double

Saturday 29 August 2026

Match 1 - 12 noon, Cambridge Utd Under18s 1 Burton Albion Under 18s 3 - U18 Professional Development League Cup, Group game, Clare College Sports Ground

Match 2 3pm - Netherton United 5 Clacton Town 1 - Eastern Counties League, Division One, North, The Grange

First of all, it was to a leafy part of Cambridge and their training ground, to see their Under 18 team, the old Pavilion from the college is still there (used by the away team) and next door is the new training ground building , recently opened for Cambridge United. The Under 18 pitch is right next to the complex. Burton scored in the 4th minute and never looked in trouble after that, scoring again in the 33 and 42nd minute. Cambridge did get one goal back in the 61st minute.

Then the short drive to Peterborough for the Netherton game, buy doing so, I re-completed the Eastern Counties League. A modern G4 pitch, you can only watch from 2 sides, a modern stand with cover for standing fans, but no seats yet, small clubhouse and quality burgers. Not sure if the club can go up the pyramid, need seats and not sure 2 sided grounds allowed, football wise they won easy and could be near the top come the end of the season, The scored in the 22, 23, 52, 64 and then a penalty in injury time. Clacton got their goal in the 28th minute.

Back to winning ways

Friday 28 August 2026, Ipswich Town Under 21s 4 Blackburn Rovers Under 21s 1 - PL2, Portman Road

An easy win for Ipswich one up after 22 minutes but could have scored at least 4 in the first half. Second half and Ipswich added a second from the penalty spot and a third goal on 61 minutes. Blackburn pulled one goal back but Ipswich added a 4th in injury time.

For the second home Under 21 game on the trot, Ipswich had their keeper going off injured!

Ipswich Cup double

Tuesday 25 August 2026

Game 1:

Ipswich Town Under 18s 0 Stoke City Under 18s 1 - Premier League Under 18 Cup, Group game, Bent Lane Training Ground

Not sure what to expect today, Ipswich hammered by Fulham in their first U18 game and then the following week, they go to Arsenal and win easy.

What we ended up was a very close game, that neither side dominated, Stoke probably had the best of the first 30 minutes then Ipswich got into the game and were on to either side of the half time break. Game then became scrappy with too many free kicks and a umber of bookings. One good pass on 73 minutes inside the Town left back to the Stoke right wing followed by a good cross, saw City score and leave with all 3 points.

Game 2

Ipswich Town Leicester City -   League Cup, Portman Road

Poore game, we struggle to win- lit up by a superb final goal from Nunez

Goals galore

Sunday 23 August 2026, Moreton Hall Youth FC Ferals 4 Glemsford 3 - PSF, Great Barton Playing Field

Another free Sunday and so another Sunday League game, 2 sides from the Bury Sunday League, Moreton Hall came second in the top division last year whilst Glemsford play in Division2.

Moreton Hall had the better players but with no subs till half time, when one turned up after playing golf they were always going to struggle if picking up an injury and that is what happened however they still had enough good players to see the game out with a good win.

Winning start

Saturday 22 August 2026, Ipswich Town 2 Sunderland 1 - Premier League, Portman Road

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Last time it took us quite a few games to get our first win and even longer to get our first home win, but the new signings combined with well with players from last season to see us start win a much deserved win. 

Mediocre

Friday 21 August 2026, Woodbridge Town 0 Felixstowe and Walton Utd 1 - FA Cup Preliminary Round, Notcutts Park

Felixstowe, play a division higher than Woodbridge and had a great season last year but have started this term with a couple of defeats and you can see why, as they struggled to beat a mediocre Woodbridge side.

Felixstowe dominated the first half without making many clear chances, they eventually took the lead in that last minute of the half.

Expected Felixstowe to add further goals in the second half but the game became move even as Woodbridge started to see more of the ball, but football wise it was a poor game with too many obvious dives and so the Ref spent much of the second half, blowing his whistle to stop the game.

Decent crowd, poor game.

Tuesday 18 August 2026, Stowmarket Town 1 Ipswich Wanderers 0 - Eastern Counties, Premier Division, Greens Meadow

Great crowd of 544  in attendance, but a poor game that was niggly from the start, most around me expected the game to have at least one sending off and they were right!

The Wanderers full back got his second yellow card in the 44th minute and was surprised he was not joined in the changing room by a few others in the second half, not a dirty game but niggly and too many from both sides trying to get others booked and sent off.

It took till the 84th minute for the home team to take advantage of having a player extra and get the winner, a game easily forgotten.

No swearing!!!

Sunday 16 August 2026, Palgrave Wanderers 6 SC Harling Exiles 2 - PSF, Wortham Playing Field

One of my rare visits to watch Sunday League Football, morning on own and drove further than I normally would for a Sunday game.

Palgrave no longer play in their village but in the next one, Wortham, just outside Diss. Village Hall, Bowls Club, tennis courts and a modern sports pavilion. Pitch not in that bad condition when you think of lack of rain we have had.

Both teams play in the Bury (St Edmunds) and District Sunday League, home team in Division 3 and visitors play in Division 4.

Home team took the lead after 6 minutes only for the visitors to get back on level terms within 60 seconds. Home team took control of the game but visitors still had a few chances to score. Palgrave added more goals in the 13, 31, 61, 68 and 83 minutes. Harling pulled one goal back with just 3 minutes to go.

Nice location to watch football and great to hear no players moaning, no stupid tackles and little swearing- not your usual Sunday football.