Town have announced that Easter Monday, when the Blues face Newcastle United at Portman Road, has been designated Sir Bobby Robson Day in tribute to the clubs’ legendary former manager.

Robson’s family will be the guests of honour at the April 17th match, while funds will be raised for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and the Academy Association.

The Town team will wear shirt bearing Robson’s name which will be signed by the players and put up for auction.

Players who played for Robson will also take part in a signing session in the Fanzone prior to the match, while an event involving ex-members of his teams at Town and Newcastle on the Sunday evening is also being planned.

Owner Marcus Evans discussed the idea with the Robson family at the annual Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic in Portugal in the summer.

“It’s a lovely idea and we are all looking forward to it,” Mark Robson, Sir Bobby’s son, told the club website.

“There is obviously a close affinity between dad and the two clubs and as many members of the family that can get to Ipswich on the day, will be there.

“Dad had a close connection to the Ipswich supporters. That is all part of his legacy and we love going back ‘home’ to Portman Road.

The Town team at last summer's golf tournament with the Robson family and the new statue of Sir Bobby on the Pestana Vila Sol course in Vilamoura

“The memories are as vivid as ever, walking through the big blue gates, the offices. We all had some fantastic times there.”

Robson, who died in July 2009, managed Town from 1969 until 1982 before taking over as England boss, then later in his career took charge of Newcastle, the club he supported as a boy, from 1999 to 2004.

The Blues take on the Magpies, who currently lead the Championship, at St James' Park tomorrow afternoon.

Photo: Action Images

The_Romford_Blue added 11:47 - Oct 21 Well done Town. Credit to the club for this. Let's blast his name out as well tomorrow
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maccyd9 added 11:47 - Oct 21 Great idea. However, the club must ensure all is done to fill the ground and if that means giving the Geordies a few thousand extra tickets then it needs to be done!
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BLUEBEAT added 12:05 - Oct 21 As long as the result isn't the same as last time when the Magpies bummed Town senseless...
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JackSted added 12:10 - Oct 21 Wow what a lovely thing to do for a manager that means so much to both clubs. Lets hope that the game is a sellout too :D
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yerfdog87 added 12:12 - Oct 21 Last time they did this I spent nearly 2k. Better get saving
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Ferguson added 12:35 - Oct 21 i'll be proud to be there, as I am proud to support the Town, and was honoured to have watched his Ipswich Town "blitz", as he put it, the cream of Europe. One day, I'd lke to see a Charity pre-season tournament between all his old clubs. What a tournament it would be ! Town, Newcastle, Vancouver Royals and Fulham in Group 1 . An England 11, Porto, Barca, and Sporting Lisbon in Group 2 2 to qualify from each,, knockout to the final. Bobby Robson Heritage Cup. In the real world could be done with Under 21's. OR, wny don't we offer pre-season friendlies to these clubs in support of the charity ? Great days - "Walking down to Portman Road ....to see Bob Robson's Aces."

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Westy added 14:23 - Oct 21 I have, for the last few years, including speaking about it at a Supporters' Club AGM three years ago, the disgraceful state of Bobby Robson's image on the cladding above the entrance to the Club Shop, that is increasingly being covered by green mould. When the Club took the decision to incorporate his image in the stadium design they took on a responsibility to maintain it indefinitely in good condition, as other clubs do, but apparently not Ipswich Town. I know Bobby Robson is not a religious icon, but come on Ipswich Town, a little more respect please for Sir Bobby, the history of the Club, and after all, his widow is still alive. What would she think ? Finally, hundreds of away supporter's take a picture if the image. As such, there are hundreds , if not thousands of indelible images of the Club's disrespect in this regard. I hope the Club take this opportunity to clean the image and repair leaking gutters at the same time which is the root cause of the problem, before Easter, and continue to maintain it well thereafter. The current poor state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue and why have the Club not acted on this despite concerns being raised three years ago.

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Vizslaraner added 16:07 - Oct 21 Agree with everything you say Westy, I hope someone reads your post and acts on it. Sir Bob put our club on the map and along with the Cobbolds made a club which I and my generation are truly proud of. This is why I'm so angry about how the current situation is being allowed to fester and the contempt for the fans by the current manager with his arrogance and attitude, let alone playing style or lack of. I'm not deluded to know we will never see the lofty heights again, but this club was held up as an example as to how a football club should be run. We always played good football and even fans from other clubs always said what a joy it was to come here win, lose or draw. I haven't forgot and if you hear the ex players talk they have such respect for the club and the great man himself, still called Mr Robson to this day. Not anymore, we are seen as a negative football team and not talked about how we once were. Times change yes, but the image Sir Bob helped build should be held onto at all costs. The club was a huge part of the community which has suffered following recent appointments in my opinion. I'm just glad the club have decided to honour him with this day, but perhaps they should try to repair other damage that has been done in recent years. Perhaps our silent owner could help by actually speaking once in a while. I will be singing his name from the top of my voice that day as the memories he left us all with will never be forgotten.

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Lightningboy added 16:47 - Oct 21 Still think we should put his image onto the seats in the Sir Bobby stand ala Preston have done with Tom Finney at deepdale.
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rabbit added 17:09 - Oct 21 There can be no question that the style of football over the last few years has been tedious to say the least, to this end questions have been asked by supporters, quite reasonably, as to the whole running of the Club. For me it is gratifying to know that Marcus Evans really does appreciate and buys into the history of the team and its followers as a whole including the naming of the stands. Of course that alone does not improve results but it goes some way to letting us know that he does care which means that efforts to satisfy the paying public will hopefully be addressed eventually and I shall once again be thrilled at football at Portman Road. I guess its a marathon not a sprint but I do wish we could get on with it!! None the less well done to the club for this.

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arc added 18:57 - Oct 21 It's a bit rich that Newcastle get to celebrate Bobby Robson each time they visit–they fired him, after all (and what a stupid decision that was!).
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ArnieM added 23:04 - Oct 21 ..."We never sacked Bobby Robson......sacked Bobby Rooobson, We never sacked Bobby Robson". The Toon Army had no answer to that. Priceless!
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carsey added 13:17 - Oct 22 Funny thing the first thing I thought of when I read the article was that Newcastle fired him and the supporters hammered him. Yes I know he got a hard time here in the first couple of years but nothing like Newcastle and by that time football people knew he was a god in management. I feel extremely lucky to have been part of the Robson revolution and to have witnessed such fantastic football and magical nights. That's why McCarthy and Evans make me so angry. They neither care nor understand what football is really about. McCarthy isn't fit to sit in the same office as Robson used and Evans besmirches the memory of the gentlemen who owned and ran the club.

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Paddy39 added 10:32 - Mar 22 I do like McCarthy but with no contracts being offered to certain players you can see why they are not performing as they are unsure where they will be next season. Well let me tell you because of your lack luster performances with many of you scoring between 4 and 6 out of 10 in the local papers it's shows you are not putting in the effort. I hear from a friend at the ground that not many like Mad Dog he will never be a Mings and is there anyone from the Arab Emirates out there who would like to take on a club with history and would certainly fill the ground each week with decent football. We can all dream Div 1 here we come next season and you never know another season ticket rise at the end of it.

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