Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has issued a blistering attack on Town’s Marcus Evans and says he believes the club is facing a future in not just League One but in League Two.

Jordan, who was in charge of the Eagles from 2000 until they went into administration in 2010, was speaking on talkSPORT after an interview with Blues boss Paul Lambert (from 20 mins).

“Too little, too late,” Jordan said when asked about the impact Lambert has had at Portman Road since taking charge. “Listen, this is a football club that Marcus Evans, who I know, has had for some [time].

“I never understood why Marcus bought that football club because I don’t think he was hugely invested in it emotionally. I don’t understand what he’s done with it.

“I think there are two words for Ipswich Town fans: Mick McCarthy. I think they’ll now look back on perhaps some of their outlook and attitude towards the job Mick did with maybe a different disposition.

"Because I don’t think they need to prepare themselves for League One, if they don’t pull themselves together from ownership structure downwards, they won’t be looking forward to League One, they’ll be looking forward to League Two because I think this is a club in decline, and there’s no reason for it.

“And the stark reality in that part of the world must be the mirror opposite at Norwich. And that’s management appointments, and that’s owner engagement.

"I know Delia and her husband and the owners of Norwich very well and their investment and their involvement both emotional, physical, logistical and financial is unequivocal.”

"He added: “It’s not my job to tell Marcus Evans to do with his football club. Ultimately the way that a football club declines is normally from the top and then you make decisions and appointments and you allow things to get away from you, and sell players and assets are disposed of and managers are dispensed with and crowds are disillusioned.

“And now what you’ve got is an unsuccessful football club that quite frankly is a really good club and when David Sheepshanks was the chairman it had a really good youth development policy, was running in the right direction. Where the hell has this gone wrong?”

Photo: ITFC

tetchris added 19:28 - Apr 9 Problem is the championship is different to what it was when Evans took over the club. £10-11 million quid that Keane was given to spend will barely get you one decent player in the championship now. I believe that it will take another £100 million to get Town back into the premier league but I'm not sure ME will be the one to make that sort of investment again having blown £100 million already. We have gone backwards as a club but I think that started way before MM left, he did well to paper over the cracks tbh. I think PL has alluded in interviews that he told ME he had taken his eye of the ball and he is right. Being an absent owner has finally caught up with him.

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Len_Brennan added 19:53 - Apr 9 Jordan is a bit all over the place here, some fair & accurate points, but also a number of misunderstandings about our situation, particularly regarding Mick who was responsible for a fair amount of the club's decline in heart & soul. Having said that I will always have time for Simon Jordan due to his quick fire response to a journalist outside the High Court, following a successful case taken against Iain Dowie. When asked if Iain Dowie will be appealing, he replied "There's nothing appealing about Iain Dowie!"

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Cakeman added 20:30 - Apr 9 Sadly people such as Jordan are given far too much airtime. The same goes for the pundits on Sky TV which is why I gave up watching their coverage years ago. Instead of concentrating on the game in progress they just want to force their own uninvited opinions on the watching public. Jordan on the radio is no different. He just tries to get a reaction.
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Tractastic added 21:33 - Apr 9 Simon Jordan is clearly a football fan and makes lot's of sense. His enthusiasm and insight on running football clubs as a past owner on Talksport is always enlightening and engaging. Why shouldn't he question Marcus Evans running of the club and I'm glad he has What has Evans actually done for the club since taking over apart from strip player assets and take us down to League 1 for the first time in how many years? Jordan is right and the only way i can see us moving forward is with new ownership despite Lambert's excellent PR. How can anyone be seriously happy with the way Evans has run the club?

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barrystedmunds added 21:39 - Apr 9 Sheepshanks, for all his faults alleged or otherwise, certainly had the human touch. He shared a love of the club and connected with the supporters. I think that helps; a shared conviction. I remember him at Exeter in a third round tie many moons ago walking round, chewing the fat with us prior to the game.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 21:52 - Apr 9 markytitfc if Simon Jordan is your idea of an intelligent , articulate man then I seriously worry for you . He is a smarmy , mobile telephone salesman. Can't stand the bloke . Also , Jordan saying he " just ran out of money " has to be the most stupid excuse for going bankrupt ever .
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RegencyBlue added 21:57 - Apr 9 Like it or not much of what he says is true!
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 22:24 - Apr 9 RegencyBlue - it's really not ! It's all guess work, opinion and quite frankly incorrect. Our youth set up is doing very well yet not according to him . " It's not my place to tell Marcus Evans what to do with his football club " . Yeah , quite right , shut up then you buffoon .
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MickMillsTash added 22:45 - Apr 9 I think he speaks some truth Evans seems to have no Emotional connection to the club- He has also employed business people not football people throughout his reign and this has left the club without a centre forward all season and going down since October. Where he is wrong is the momentum behind the club and going into Div 2 BUT should we not invest in the off season, get off to a poor start etc anything is possible Anyone one betting that Evans will be giving Lambert some money ?

3

Saxonblue74 added 22:59 - Apr 9 Dozzells Bobblehat, you're quite right in saying it's all guess work. As is most of the stuff posted by us fans on this site! We're all entitled to our opinions and as fans will voice them, but when it comes down to the business and economics of a football club how much do we really know? ME has been a hugely successful businesss man and in my opinion has kept ITFC afloat, that's opinion, by no means fact!

2

bobble added 23:05 - Apr 9 we will be in the 3rd division next year, so someone has cocked it up...
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markytitfc added 04:07 - Apr 10 Dozzels bobblhat Going bankrupt is pretty much running out if money! He was a very succesful mobile phone salesman
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markytitfc added 04:08 - Apr 10 Ignorance is bliss eh?
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ernie added 05:03 - Apr 10 Markytitfc speaking the truth once again yet down voted by all the kool aid drinkers. This is why we are in the position we are in. Absolute disgrace
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the_beat added 06:53 - Apr 10 @ernie - It seems somewhat bizarre to me to assume that the plight of ITFC is entirely the fault of anybody who happens to hold different opinions to 'Markyitfc'. As such a well informed expert perhaps he will be buying ME out.
1

TBT added 06:58 - Apr 10 Simon Jordon is right about the lack of emotional link and we are doomed under Evans. He bought the club out of vanity, owning a football club is a bizarre status symbol so he can show off to his mates. He is a Chelsea supporter that won't be drawn into debates like this, unlike any other owner or investor, for the simple reason he doesn't really have to care.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 07:24 - Apr 10 Saxonblue - I totally agree , none of us really know what goes on inside the club . I personally feel Evans gets a raw deal . I'm sure he's made mistakes , well I know he has he hired Roy Keane but it's very easy to blame him for our demise but as you say the club is still afloat and without him there is a good chance it wouldn't have been. Markytitfc I'm well aware that going bankrupt is the same as running out of money but if you are in charge of a football club your job is to make sure that doesn't happen . That may not be easy and circumstances may be beyond your control but to have that happen to you and then criticise someone who has kept a club solvent ,albeit whilst suffering on the pitch is really pretty rich ( excuse the pun) . We have differing opinions ,that doesn't make me ignorant !

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Phil1969 added 07:37 - Apr 10 If ever there was a person that could galvanise support for Mr Evans it's this guy with his track record of football ownership, trying to be sensationalist on radio. Perhaps better targets for his reporting would be Bolton or Blackpool, things could be a whole lot worse at PR.
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the_beat added 07:58 - Apr 10 @Markyitfc - Surely if Simon Jordan had been a 'very successful mobile phone salesman' he wouldn't have gone bankrupt. Surely any very successful business whether it be a football club or mobile phone business remains solvent.
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tractorboybig added 08:10 - Apr 10 Sheepshagger killed this club. Evans has kept it afloat, Jordon is probably right.
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Gcon added 08:22 - Apr 10 This thread just proves the real issue. Jordan's comments are completely valid but people don't want to hear it. They would rather stand by Evans and watch us stumble into obscurity. It's all rather pathetic.
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Bluearmy_81 added 08:54 - Apr 10 Quite right gcon. Its baffling! Don't get angry with someone criticising our disasterous owner, criticise our disasterous owner for once FFS!!!
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Osbourne_One_Nil added 10:01 - Apr 10 Could start a fight in an empty room that bloke , in the absence of any actual knowledge or talent , unless you get a reputation for controversial opinions you are no use to talk radio (or TV if you are Piers Morgan)
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Razor added 10:15 - Apr 10 I think our problems started with Sheepy-----believe he and his mates running the club did not have the foresight to issue wage and performance related contracts so that when we did go down the club was saddled with an horrendous wage bill they just could not afford. Think you will see contracts are structured differently now so I think you will see Bart taking a pay cut next season for example----which I understand he is happy and relaxed with.

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the_beat added 10:16 - Apr 10 Gcon/Bluearmy 81 - Are people really getting angry with Jordan because they disagree with him or are they questioning how well qualified he is to make the judgement given his past track record. I personally totally agree with Osbourne One Nil that this is purely to further his radio career.
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