In response to complaints after a number of incidents involving a small group of fans during Town’s pre-season games, the Supporters’ Club, via chair Elizabeth Edwards’s column in tomorrow’s programme, are calling on those involved to “grow up or stay away”.

This is the first time I have ever asked Simon Clegg to agree my [programme] column before it is published. Read on and you will understand why.

I am proud to be an Ipswich fan — I am proud of our heritage and historic success, and I am proud of the way, as fans, we have kept loyal despite it being the best (or worst) part of a decade since we played in the Premier League.

Like many other fans, I follow Town home and away, not discriminating between the glitz of the Emirates and the somewhat more historic ‘charms’ of Selhurst Park. I also go to a lot of other games, around the world, both club matches and internationals.

And there is one thing that I always notice about following Ipswich — that makes us stand out from most others. It’s a simple thing, but it’s vital, and it is called respect.

Respect means knowing not to cross the line between ‘banter’ and ‘abuse’. It means avoiding racist, homophobic or obviously offensive chants. It means sitting down in the right seat, when stewards, police or other fans ask you to do so. It means making sure that anyone can happily follow Town, whatever their age, from the youngest to the oldest, from teenager to parent.

Sadly, over the last year or two, but especially recently, I have been getting a lot of complaints - from people who have been going home and away for years and from others who are just getting the habit.

They are all complaining about one, tiny group of antisocial so-called fans. Most of the time, their behaviour is low-level annoying (inane and sometimes abusive chanting) but occasionally it breaks out into more serious stuff, such as letting off smoke bombs, abusing police, stewards and other fans, let alone their ignorant and disgusting booing following the serious injury to Colchester player Andy Bond the other week.

They know who they are, and if you go to away games, especially, you will know who they are too. And, like me, you would be pretty upset to hear some of the complaints that I get.

I never, ever again want to get the kind of phone call that followed the Col U game. One of our most loyal fans, a friend to many of us, who called me straight after the game and said, “Tonight, I am ashamed to call myself an Ipswich fan”.

So, I have a message for that little group. The club are watching every move you make, because they don’t want that kind of fan. As a Supporters’ Club, we don’t want that kind of fan either — your silly childish behaviour, and your style of ‘support’ that is making others think twice about going to games.

Because of you, and your behaviour, we risk losing the kind of policing style that is reserved only for those who know how to behave and respect others. So, I'll give you a choice - either grow up, or stay away.

Let’s make this a season to remember for the right reasons.

Elizabeth Edwards

Chair, Ipswich Town Supporters Club

Photo: Action Images

bontcho added 15:31 - Aug 12 Totally agree.
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HampshireBlue added 15:35 - Aug 12 Can't argue with that. Well said.
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Wallingford_Boy added 15:37 - Aug 12 No atmosphere at FPR please, it is not allowed!
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robdaful added 15:39 - Aug 12 Agreed. And glad she points out it was just a small group of fans.
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tomos91 added 15:40 - Aug 12 It was those really annoying 12 year olds at the cambridge match which started it all off. It ruined the experience for many other supporters. Liz has said it perfectly here.
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derbytractor added 15:40 - Aug 12 I travel 200 miles each way to home games and dont want to hear anti social mindless people being abusive to either our visitors or our our lads If they dont want to support the team and enjoy the game they clearly dont really need to be there. BAN THEM NOW
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Whymark4_Lazio0 added 15:42 - Aug 12 This group are afflicted by exactly the same anti-social, disrespectful and uncivil state of mind as those involved in the looting and riots earlier this week. They sum up some of the worst aspects of todays 'lowlife'. What twisted mentality does it take to behave as they do, in a stand which is dedicated to one of the finest people the whole history of football has ever known - Sir Bobby Robson. So shut up .... or get out !

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commando_north added 15:43 - Aug 12 I think this is a tad unfair....this small minority where the ones at the Bristol game who were in the ground when i got there at 2.15pm already singing and getting an atmosphere going - that was then praised by Jewell and Chopra. People like different matchday experiences, how would they like it if I was an official supporters rep who put a message in programme saying 'our fans are rubbish all they do is sit down and moan and create no atmosphere and it is hindering the team and part of the reason why our home record has been so poor in recent years - stand up sing and make the atmosphere to inspire our players' Problem is exacerbated away because people who normally sit North Lower end up sitting next to someone who sits in Britannia or family enclosure....I'm sure they'd be shocked if they sat where I sit on a standard home game.....

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bontcho added 15:45 - Aug 12 Wallingford........"Respect means knowing not to cross the line between ‘banter' and ‘abuse'. It means avoiding racist, homophobic or obviously offensive chants." Clearly you need to learn where the the line is - you don't need to be offensive to create atmosphere.
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oldbri added 15:45 - Aug 12 Wallingford boy,I suspect yours ears are burning. Well said Elizabeth ,totally agree with you.To often the jobish behavour,hides in the crowd and gets away with upsetting all around them.
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SitfcB added 15:46 - Aug 12 "It was those really annoying 12 year olds at the cambridge match which started it all off. It ruined the experience for many other supporters." HAHAHAHA. Please could you explain this comment in more detail?
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TractorMan added 15:47 - Aug 12 Completely agree with Elizabeth! You don't need abusive, racist or homophobic chanting to create an atmosphere at a ground.
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nthstd added 15:50 - Aug 12 There is a difference between supportiing the players on the pitch with robust and often very poetic chanting and ABUSING officers of the law or employyees of football clubs carrying out their duty. I was disappointed that the "friendly" at Colchester was abandoned, but the bloke was seriously hurt, yes he got up and walked, but did any of you see the picture of him in the paper! Banter is banter but personally in the last couple of seasons I have heard and witness appauling behavior in the lower Sir Bobby including one fight BETWEEN our own fans. There is certainly a vocal vulgar minority. It would elp if they satrted chanting songs to support our team. I'm happy to join in but I won't take part in chants that are not in suppot of ITFC. As for there being no atmosphere allowed at FPR, lets get some Town based chanting and we will be as loud as anyone else.

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Breedonblue added 15:55 - Aug 12 Agree with this in the main. I get to more away games than home games as I live in Derbyshire, it makes it uncomfortable for me and my Brother when I go with my eight year old Nephew. This week of all weeks the chanting needs to be toned and be more respectful of others around you. By all means sing your hearts out but keep it decent. Derbytractor, are you going down tomorrow I am?

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makaloon added 15:57 - Aug 12 I don't go to many away games but i noticed at the emirates last year some chanting about Wenger which was totally unnecessary mindless and left me feeling embarrassed.
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BYRNE_16 added 16:00 - Aug 12 There are so many town fans that I hate sitting next to or near that I had to change my season ticket seating arrangments for this season. Sometimes I hated going to home game because some of the idiots I was surround by. I hate to say it but more and more of these so called fans are becoming more more frequent at games and ruin it for everyone! So please do the nice thing like the lady said, grow up or stay away!

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daniel2302 added 16:01 - Aug 12 I agree with commando, I was in that group at bristol... some people are so mindless and expect us not to sing and get the Ipswich players really going for it..xx without an atomsphere away games would be pointless, and I do understand where people are coming from, totally unnecessary and I am glad to say I didn't boo.... but I do see why people do because if he was that badly injured he wouldn't of got straight up and WALKED to the ambulance, some people at away games are so boring and just sit there like mindless nuns, get with it and get behind the blues and sing for them !

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LancsBlue added 16:01 - Aug 12 Quite right Liz. I am an Away Match Passport holder and have also become increasingly irritated by these morons. If Wallingford Boy thinks an atmosphere is created by abuse, racism, homophobia and childish and moronic chants then maybe he is one of those that Liz is referring to when she says "grow up or stay away". Far from creating an atmosphere, these people put others off from singing and chanting because they do not wish to be associated with the morons. Take them out and then the atmosphere will improve.

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Whymark4_Lazio0 added 16:03 - Aug 12 Wallingford_Boy and commando_north ... you just don't get it do you ! I've supported Town for 39 years through thick and thin ..... I've seen PR heaving with over 30,000 screaming fans many times ..... seen them home and away etc. etc..... Creating an atmosphere has nothing whatsoever to do with abusing fans, players or stewards. As Elizabeth said, there's a fundamental difference between abuse and banter .... Banter = GOOD Abuse = BAD

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dusseldorf_blue added 16:04 - Aug 12 This is more than an 'Ipswich' problem? You only need to look at the events of the past week to see that society isn't what is was 50 years ago when some of these 'older' fans started following Town. That said I am not in anyway condoning racist or sexist abusive chanting. Did they really know how badly injured the Col U player was? 20 years ago at Portman Road you often heard "dig a hole and fecking bury him" regardless of the state of the players injury. I sometimes think, as time goes on, the rose (or probably more accurate blue) tinted view of our club held by the "older fans who have been going home and away for years" is somewhat exaggerated to the extreme. There are a number of family clubs who do/did things the Ipswich and I am sure the fans in question at the moment are no better or no worse than pockets of fans at these clubs. Did anyone try engaging with them rather than just slagging them off on the message board or using the power of the programme? I suspect not.

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bluesteve added 16:04 - Aug 12 What's wrong with smoke bombs/abuse of poIice/booing the opposition - all normal for a Saturday afternoon I would have thought. If any of this irks elizabeth, she needs to inform a steward of what's going on and get these supporters ejected from the ground as the ground rules permit. Although i would be sorry to see this happen as i believe we should all live and let live. I speak as somebody who's never belonged to the supporters club. I suspect the majority of fans haven't either.

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Wallingford_Boy added 16:09 - Aug 12 I get it perfectly, Ipswich fans (particularly home fans) don't like singing/making noise/etc. I'm not condoning any racist chanting or abuse towards stewards as that is clearly stupid. But making up songs about the opposition/opposing fans is part of football and yes there might even be the odd swear word!!
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SammyT added 16:15 - Aug 12 I was sitting "in the group at the back" at Bristol, find some of these comments very offenseive and feel a little bit victimised to be honest. The Stewards at Bristol complimented us on our behaviour and said "we are some of the most well behaved fans who visit"! I agree I have seen and heard some things that cross the line and try to discourage as much as possible but WAKE UP PEOPLE, let the stewards make the call dont play football stand "god". People have and always will support their teams in different ways, dont victimise because its not the same way you do.

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SitfcB added 16:18 - Aug 12 Most of our away support, not being disrespectful are old. And of course would frown upon such behaviour. But we are noticing many more people are starting to join us at the back of the stand for away games, because they want to sing and have a laugh. I'll admit to taking part in songs that abuse opposition fans, that's what happens at football. We get abused by fans and we give it back. If we see some large man, we'll sing who ate all the pies etc....Said large man will then get belly out and wave it around and encourage such chants. If chants (ie. the fashanu one) get started by some idiot, people will start another chant straight away to drown it out. I feel what Elizabeth has said is wholey unfair, and I have contacted both her and Simon Clegg.

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ketteringblue added 16:22 - Aug 12 What a joke. There is a distinct difference between what I have seen at Ipswich games and true racist / abusive football fan behaviour. I have seen examples of both watching England and agree that it is totally out of order and has no place in the modern game. However what I find amazing is that fans who like to have a sing and create an atmosphere seem to be upsetting the good old traditional Ipswich football fans. The same fans that are so stuck in their suffolk ways and quite frankly dull.

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