Former Blues manager and coach Bobby Ferguson has died aged 80, Town have announced.
County Durham-born Ferguson (pictured above right with Bobby Robson and Paul Cooper) was a full-back during his playing career with Newcastle United, Cardiff City, Barry Town and Newport County.
It was from Newport, where he had briefly been player-manager, that he joined Bobby Robson’s coaching staff in 1970.
Ferguson worked with the reserves as the likes of Kevin Beattie, John Wark, George Burley, Terry Butcher and Russell Osman progressed through from the youth system before taking over from Cyril Lea as first-team coach in the summer of 1978.
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Town manager Bobby Ferguson at the age of 80.
The thoughts of everybody at #itfc are with Bobby’s family and friends at this very difficult time. pic.twitter.com/oXapr2NOd4– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) March 28, 2018
Famously Ferguson came up with the idea of playing Eric Gates in the hole behind main strike pair Paul Mariner and Alan Brazil, a role he had previously tried with Johnny Miller in the reserves.
After Robson’s departure for England in 1982, Ferguson took over as Blues boss. He remained in the role following Town’s relegation to the Second Division in 1986 but his contract wasn’t renewed a year later when the Blues failed to make their return to the top flight via the play-offs.
He later worked with Butcher during his spell as manager at Sunderland and in recent years continued to watch the Blues on a regular basis. Ferguson leaves a wife Ann and a son and a daughter, Keith and Kim. Town have confirmed that the players will wear black armbands during Monday's match against Millwall, while there will be a minute’s applause prior to kick-off.What to read next:
Ex-Town forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has joined National League South AFC Totton following his release from prison on parole.
Former England star and apparent Town target Ashley Young watched his son Tyler feature as a trialist for Town's U21s on Tuesday evening as they beat 10-man Needham Market 2-1 at Bloomfields in a pre-season friendly.
Veteran former England international Ashley Young is watching Town’s U21s in friendly action at Needham Market with his son Tyler on trial with John McGreal’s squad.
Town played two 60-minute behind-closed-doors friendlies with West Ham United at their Rush Green training ground this afternoon.
Dmitri Halajko, previously Town’s academy director, has been appointed the new director of football operations, TWTD having revealed Gary Probert’s departure for a job at Liverpool a fortnight ago, while Ben Chenery has been named academy manager.
Ipswich Town Women have signed striker Rianna Dean following her Southampton exit at the end of last season.
Ipswich Town’s season opener against Birmingham City is a clash that the whole squad are looking forward to, according to forward Conor Chaplin.
Town have confirmed that 14 players have signed new contracts with the women’s side for the WSL2 season ahead.
Town’s U21s are in friendly action against Southern League Premier Division Central side Needham Market at Bloomfields this evening (KO 7.45pm).
Ipswich Town Women will play a friendly against WSL side Aston Villa’s U21s at the Martello Ground in Felixstowe on Sunday 17th August (KO 2pm).