Town say there was no intention to try to stop supporters from selling the one-off Turnstile Blues fanzine at the ground prior to Saturday’s match against Cardiff City. One seller was spoken to by police officers, telling him they had been asked to do so by the club, and says he was threatened with arrest if he didn't move on.

A police spokesperson confirmed that the incident took place: “Staff at ITFC spoke with two plain-clothed officers working at the Ipswich v Cardiff match on Saturday 6 October making them aware of a man selling an unofficial fanzine outside the entrance to the club.

“The man was spoken to and words of advice were given. The officers advised the man that although he was not doing anything wrong it may be an idea to move along the way by about 50 yards.

“The man was asked his name and address for checking against the Police National Computer (PNC) but also advised that he was not obliged to give [it to] them. The man agreed to give his details and the officers went on their way.”

We understand that a member of Town’s security staff, who had earlier been told not to interfere, queried with the officers whether a licence was required by the seller, who was stationed close to the main entrance to the ground in Constantine Road.

Steve Pearce, Town’s press manager, told TWTD that the matter wasn’t raised by anyone further up the club’s chain of command: “It’s possible that one of the security guys on the gate asked the police liaison whether the seller had a licence.

“It was not our intention to stop anyone selling the fanzine and we know for a fact that they were selling up to kick-off.”

He says the club has no problem with people making critical comment and accepts that it’s inevitable in the current climate: “People are entitled to express their opinions.

“Obviously supporters are disappointed with the way results have gone and when you’re not winning you’re always going to get criticised.”

The seller, who wishes to remain anonymous and was accompanied by his 11-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son, has made a complaint to Suffolk police.

Saturday’s match was one of a number of ‘police free’ matches staged by Town with only a handful of plain-clothes officers, such as those involved in the incident, present at Portman Road.

Photo: Action Images

BLUEBEAT added 14:32 - Oct 9 "The man was spoken to and words of advice were given. The officers advised the man that although he was not doing anything wrong it may be an idea to move along the way by about 50 yards." Um, why would that be an idea exactly????
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IpsRich added 14:53 - Oct 9 A brief comment on Steve Pearce's line re "the way results have gone" inviting 'criticism'. The point of Turnstile Blues is to encourage discussion on all things ITFC, in particular aspects above and beyond the disappointment on the pitch. The fanzine was also in development before the season had started too, and would have come out regardless of how early results had gone.

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hoppy added 14:55 - Oct 9 Because it might not have been one the man had thought of. Perhaps the policeman had spotted a potentially ripe spot for selling a little further along. Other 'ideas' the policeman had were less reported - "it may be an idea to drop 20p off your cover price to make a few more sales", and "it may be an idea to avoid wearing the pink trousers with orange shoes in future, mate"

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BLUEBEAT added 15:03 - Oct 9 nice to know the police are diversing into creative agency work I'm glad my council tax money is being channelled in a correct, positive and worthwhile manner
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itfc1981 added 15:15 - Oct 9 Results have little to do with many fans frustrations as to how the club is being run.
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Suzanna_Gekkaloys added 15:27 - Oct 9 Yep, results have little to do with it. If we'd won every game of the season so far and were sitting top of the table, well, we'd all still be up in arms, right? Right!
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BLUEBEAT added 15:30 - Oct 9 Yes Suzanna_Gekkaloys for that truly is 'The Ipswich Way'
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BasingstokeBranch added 15:31 - Oct 9 There was very little comment about current results and performance in the fanzine (which incidentally I thought was an intelligent and well expressed overview of the mess that our beloved club is in). Our club has always been Ipswich Town, but was once also about the Town of Ipswich.
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eaii added 15:39 - Oct 9 Clegg Out!!!!!!!!!!
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forensic_bloo added 16:01 - Oct 9 Where is the news story in this item???
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oscarwhiting added 16:24 - Oct 9 Sorry why do we need to know this?
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PhilTWTD added 16:45 - Oct 9 There was a bit of a Twitter and Message Board furore over the weekend.
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BYRNE_16 added 17:04 - Oct 9 That's it' it's done now. Let's all get on with our lives
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Dowson added 17:20 - Oct 9 Forgot To grab one on the day , are they avalible anywhere ?
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Wickets added 17:54 - Oct 9 Nice bit of free advertising just in case anyone was unaware of the new fanzine!!!
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forensic_bloo added 17:55 - Oct 9 DOWSON: I believe they are available to download somewhere, but not sure where
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runningout added 18:13 - Oct 9 I find this worth bringing up on all levels.. sounds to me that our clubs officials are worried our fragile squad of players are suffering from criticism 'oh dear'
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NoCanariesAllowed added 19:44 - Oct 9 Think the club would've been better off to just leave well alone on the license issue. Regardless of whether there was a genuine concern there, the act of getting the police to move the seller along implies they didn't want him outside the ground passing on material which might criticise the club. I don't believe they had any such intention, but in a time when the club is already walking a tightrope with the fans, is it really worth the bad publicity?

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Talbs77 added 19:45 - Oct 9 I know for a fact that the club nearly got into a pickle last season as a council inspector stated none of the programme sellers had street licenses. I also know that some of the "matchday officials" are jumped little people who think they are Policemen as soon as they put a ITFC jacket on. I could go into more detail but I know I would probably lose my job at the club. Lets just say things arent good within the club and the performance of the team on the pitch reflects that. Trust me the issues run a lot deeper than pj's ability which is understandably being called into question.

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EatonBlue added 20:18 - Oct 9 nothing to see here - move on please (about 50 yards)
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RegencyBlue added 21:36 - Oct 9 Another public relations fiasco. If there is a wrong way of handling something the current regime will find it!
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TractorRoyNo1 added 22:08 - Oct 9 i can only think evans has a belief that a far eastern businessman will pay him 50-60m otherwise why would he keep mounting up the debt by moving it from one pocket to the other? http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/latest-news/ipswich-great-club-big-problems
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TractorRoyNo1 added 22:17 - Oct 9 if you download don't forget to give a bob or two to their favoured charity http://www.turnstile-blues.co.uk/
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Pendejo added 13:23 - Oct 10 All publicity is good publicity... rather than stifling the fanzine I would assert someone has turbo charged its "brand" recognition infinitely quicker and larger than it could have dreamed of before. OK so there was a conversation with plain clothed cops... but was anyone arrested or otherwise detained? Did the seller get to see the game? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-19883492 Publish and be damned! Fight the POWER!

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Doctor_Albran added 15:28 - Oct 10 BlueBeat, I think you'll find that matchday policing - especially at the ground - is part funded, if not totally paid for by the club, as such your council tax is still comfortably going to pay for the town to be turned into a car park by all the road works.
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