Being born in 1999, and with my first game at Portman Road coming at the age of six, I have skipped the Town's most recent stint in top flight football a mere 13 seasons ago. This, as is expected, suggests that I have never seen glory in my time as a football fan.

This, if nothing else, makes me more hopeful. Every season I'm telling my dad "this is the year" then we reach October and think, "maybe next year." However, last season and this season have produced a lot more optimism around Ipswich, with both years' hopes of the promised land that is the Barclays Premier League.

Again, the optimism is good, but the older generation of supporters, the forever faithful, have always found more reasons to moan. Yes, they've seen the real success of this sleeping giant of a club, through the 60s, 70s and 80s, but they've also seen the same mediocrity that I saw with the club under the tenures of Roy Keane and Paul Jewell.

Therefore, in recent weeks travelling down to Portman Road in the car with my dad have become conversations about which aspect of our game will receive the tutting, groaning and complaining each game. With our side being more physical, although particularly composed on the ball, as a Mick McCarthy side should be, it would seem obvious that a 'long-ball' tactic would be a favourable method among supporters. However this is the one thing that I hear the aforementioned 'forever faithful' moan and groan about week in, week out.

This new sense of negativity and pessimism, ever since the 1-1 draw away at Southampton in the FA Cup, has forced me to reside in the upbeat sounds of [i]Uptown Funk[/i] at least three times every other Saturday in an attempt to block out the resentful drone of disapproval. Given the glory they've seen, I can imagine the frustration, but getting on the backs of the players won't change a thing.

A poor cross from Tabb. A misplaced pass from Skuse. A simple back pass to Bialkowski or Gerken from Smith or Berra. No matter what score, which opposition, all of the above events lead to groans. This affects confidence, the only thing keeping the players going is Mick and Terry, the Sir Bobby Robson faithful and a few flailing voices with myself in the Sir Alf.

I just don't understand how any supporter, young or old, can feel that creating such a dull, negative drone can spur a team on to victory, whether its a team with players who hate each other, or a team with the team spirit of the mighty Ipswich, they need the crowd's support.

With the support of the average 19,000/20,000 people inside Portman Road, this team could be flying like they were in December. What changed? The crowd's attitude. The result? Seventh. Season Over? Not a chance!

carsey added 21:47 - Mar 13 I take your point but the sad fact is age brings with it a sense of realism and having been privileged and lucky enough to see a truly great manager with genuine world class players the second rate football we have suffered in recent years is not acceptable. Having said that I still buy my season ticket and hope each year will be different.
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phillo added 22:00 - Mar 13 Very astute & incisive thoughts/comments from a 15 yr old. You put to shame many contributors on here. Well done young un & always keep the faith !
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paulthebluealien added 22:04 - Mar 13 Totally agree - let's get behind the team!
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TomJamesLW added 07:56 - Mar 14 I've been thinking the same thing recently. If people are going to boo a backpass or other necessary 'dull moments', they might as well listen on the radio so they don't have to see it. It is part of every team's game, more so in the prem where everyone tries to keep the ball. And anyone booing the team at full-time must be having a laugh, what a season we've had! Only cheering from now on, Come on the Town!

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bluesince84 added 09:55 - Mar 14 A good article my young friend , optimism is wasted on the young, give it another 8 years in the championship , that'll bring you around .
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dalianwasexciting added 19:13 - Mar 14 I have to agree with the sentiment, certainly I far more enjoy the away outings where we have a vocal following, such as at Fulham, than Portman Road. The SBR does its best, but the team also need to produce the goods to excite, so a bit of a catch 22 there. A lot of the booing comes from frustration, it feels to the average fan that the more we want some creative, attacking football and a change of formation/style, the more stubborn the management team get and the more frustrated some of the fans get. I would imagine there are many clubs where the knives would be out for the manager after not just recent results, but the negativity displayed on a number of occassions. We are in a far better place than we could have imagined at the start of this season, but with the over achievement of a hard working squad before the turn of the year we have expectations of more and to do that we needed to take things to the next level, maybe even taking the game to the opposition at home. And yes I remember the dark days of Duncan era with crowds dwindling below 10k, but also some of the highs of the SBR glory days, so feel relatively qualified to have a judgement.

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brianblueboy added 13:41 - Mar 15 Brianblueboy -- Well said young man but it's not an age problem, its a bit of an Ipswich problem! I left Ipswich in 1973 & have lived around the UK. I was lucky enough to enjoy both the Bobby Robson & George Burley times. I now reside in the SW & have a season ticket to support ITFC. I make the 6 to 7 hour return trip for almost all the home games & enjoy almost every game [that Wigan match was a challenge!]. Yes I expect to win but at the same time I make sure I am following the progress of the individuals, trying to follow the stratergy of Mick & Co and take in the atmosphere of those around me. I totally understand your point, because one or two of those "moaners" sit directly behind me. One does not stop from the first whistle to the last! The strange thing is they all think they know better than Mick & his team? Fortunatly the majority are enjoying the game but somehow we need to get them making more noise to drown out the "moaners".

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Letchworth_Blue added 08:20 - Mar 16 Good blog mate. I have been going to PR since '82, so have certainly seen both sides of the coin (Duncan v Burley). However I can't say that either influences my thinking when getting frustrated about the way a game is played out. I certainly don't boo the team ever, but do shout out in frustration when we pump the ball aimlessly forward or hit it 40 yards back to the keeper when there are other attacking options. Don't think it has anything to do with age, but concede that having enjoyed seeing us play in the prem before does make my patience tolerance shorter!

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AlexanderFields added 18:10 - Mar 17 I've been lucky enough to have seen it all, the Ramsey, Robson and Burley years. With the best will in the world I don't like much of what I see at present, though I'm chuffed that we are still in with a shout.
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goat_man added 11:55 - Mar 18 Im with you! My first season ticket came when we were back in the Championship 13 years ago and have never seen us be succesful(apart from the season we came 3rd...maybe). To me the older generation of fans are by far the worst part of this club. Not only are some of them really creepy, after defeats they also say irrelevent things such as "oh well, in 1970something we beat this team 3-0 with a goal from some old player" Sorry, exactly what good is that to me? It's just irrelevent.

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WindsorBlue added 09:09 - Mar 19 So glad I clicked on this blog! A bit of perspective! My feeling is that the expectations have been cemented following periods of glory. I was fortunate enough to witness promotions under JL and GB, however I assess my expectation based on everything that has happened in the last 15 years. We have come out of it alright. Without MM we would be playing League 1 football, and now we are actually challenging for something! Keep the faith Pal, and I hope very much you get to see us promoted via Wembley...still the best day of my life!

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Kitman added 14:08 - Mar 19 Interesting take on the home support mentality. Sadly, its nothing recent and not necessarily the older brigade (which I must now include myself!) always to blame for this sort of behaviour. I moved to the town itself in the mid 70's and in my mid 20's. The best thing about the move was I was able to get to EVERY home game. I was rather shocked by a lot of the negative comments that used to fly around the terraces if we weren't out there thrashing the hapless opposition of the day. One evening game v Man Utd resulted in Utd getting much undeserved 'smash and grab' win. The old boy standing next me said in broad Suffolk... "that's it, same owd rubbish, oi int cummin' n'more!" This was season 77/78 I think. Not too shabby conclusion to the end of that season as I recall.. Be amazed with the team we had, the manager we had and what was to come how people still moaned like hell. Well written blog, my friend. You have hit the nail, as they say, right on the head!

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mrmorisato added 18:29 - Mar 28 Don't worry you will....I've been saying since 2002, it is a question of WHEN ITFC get back into the Premier league not IF...! :) :) :)
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hollint added 19:20 - Apr 6 A Well written article !Thoroughly enjoyed it.Keep positive.As some-one once said," Negative people always find problems for a solution "
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