Suffolk Constabulary have confirmed that Town’s home derby against Norwich City is expected to move to Sunday 24th August, as TWTD was first to report yesterday. Confirmation that the game is set to switch to noon on the Sunday from its initial scheduling at 3pm on the Saturday of that weekend is likely early next week.
In a statement they told TWTD: "Suffolk Constabulary can confirm that it has requested that the Football League move the Ipswich v Norwich fixture from Saturday 23th August to lunchtime on Sunday 24th August.
"The request stems from a recommendation contained in a report which examined the policing of the Ipswich v Norwich fixtures in 2011.
"The report concluded that future derby matches should be held on a Sunday lunchtime, to minimise the potential for disorder and disruption to the local community. However, the request to move the fixture has yet to be confirmed.”
The report followed the Portman Road derby in April 2011, which unusually took place on a Thursday evening, when 19 fans were arrested, many of them having been involved in a stand-off outside the ground which led to around 100 Norwich fans missing the kick-off.
Arrangements for a Sunday game are complicated by railway engineering work taking place that day.
A Network Rail spokesman said: "As part of our ongoing investment to improve the railway we are replacing the track in the Ipswich area on Sunday 24th August.
"This work involves specialist engineers and equipment and was planned months in advance and before any football fixtures had been set.
"As a result of the work, there will be changes to services so we advise passengers who are travelling on that day to check with Abellio Greater Anglia or the National Rail Enquiries website.”
As a result of the work it's likely that Norwich fans will be bussed directly from Carrow Road to Portman Road.
Further to yesterday’s list of other fixtures which may move, Town’s Friday 26th December game at Brentford could switch to a 1pm kick-off, as has been the case with Bees’ Boxing Day games in the past.