The famous Crazy Gang culture at Wimbledon could inspire Ipswich to climb the Championship if Nigel Reo-Coker has his way.
Town’s new arrival has recalled his time at Plough Lane, where he launched his playing career and witnessed some of the outlandish antics that helped to foster the Dons’ unique team spirit.
Reo-Coker, 28, was just a nipper when Wimbledon won the FA Cup in 1988 but 11 years on, as a youngster on the club’s books, he was given an insight into the behind-the-scenes pranks that played their part in the club continuing to punch above its weight.
He said: "I remember when they signed John Hartson from West Ham and on his first day at the club the other lads burned his clothes.
"Back then the main men were Neil Shipperley, Ben Thatcher and David Connolly, but the Crazy Gang thing started by the likes of Vinnie Jones, who had just left when I first went there, was still going strong.
"What’s lacking in the English game these days is that sort of passion. Of course the game has developed but you could still have that passion influencing the modern game.
"It’s all very well trying to play the passing game that Spain play but you still need the British mentality of team spirit and togetherness. The brotherhood is missing in dressing rooms now.
"Quite a few things happened when I was a youth team player — Lee Martin knows about them as well because he was there and we played a few tricks on him.
"I was brought up on all that and it was one of the best times of my whole career. That’s when I learned about football. Nothing against the foreign players, but they just don’t have the same passion as the English lads and understand what it means to play for your team.”