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