Boss Paul Lambert, skipper Luke Chambers, striker James Norwood and general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill launched Willis Towers Watson’s sponsorship of the Junior Blues on the roof of their famous building in the town centre this afternoon.
Willis Towers Watson, the third-largest global insurance broker in the world, employ 1,400 people at their Sir Norman Foster-designed offices a short walk from Portman Road.
The Junior Blues, which was first established at the club in the late 1970s, is for young supporters aged under 16 with in excess of 2,000 members this season.
The new deal will see Willis Towers Watson work in partnership with Town to support the Junior Blues, while Town academy scholars will also undertake work experience with the company as part of their scholarship.
"As a club we are continually looking to build up relationships with local businesses to benefit the community and we are delighted to now be working with Willis Towers Watson as the sponsors of the club’s Junior Blues,” O’Neill said.
""We have made great progress with a number of initiatives over the last year or two to get more youngsters involved in the club and this new partnership can only help that.
""As part of the relationship, our academy scholars will undertake work experience placements at Willis Towers Watson which will help them with their life skills and overall development as young adults.”
"Richard Beecroft, global director, integrated infrastructure services at Willis Towers Watson as well as a lifelong Town fan added: "When we met with Ipswich Town it was clear that we shared the same vision to engage with the local community.
""We see this new partnership as benefiting WTW, ITFC and the wider community. As well as the obvious benefits to the Junior Blues themselves, for us this is a great opportunity to reach out to a wider audience, especially younger people, to tell them about the opportunities they can have working here, through work experience and the apprenticeship programme.
""When the football club is successful, the town of Ipswich benefits massively and all the businesses within the town experience an uplift in different ways.
"We have hundreds of very loyal and dedicated Town fans in our workforce so when ITFC is doing well, we really do feel that benefit in our office!”
Manager Lambert is firmly behind the link-up having been instrumental in building bridges between the club and its support since taking charge 11 months ago.
"As I said before from when I came to the club, there was so much of a disconnection it was incredible,” he said.
"To get this up and running again and to get massive businesses into the football club is huge for us.
"Long after I’m away, at least the club is getting younger ones to come and watch it because they’re the generation which will take the torch on, as they say.”
Chambers and Norwood joined members of the Junior Blues for a kick around on the lawn on the roof of the building.
"It’s great, then they go away with pictures or souvenirs and tell their friends what’s happened,” Lambert added.
"Hopefully that transpires and that had a knock-on effect for other younger ones who want to come.
"I think it was important that the club had to re-engage with the town, without a doubt that had gone and slowly but surely that’s gathering momentum.”
Given the size of crowds both home and away this season and the atmosphere being generated, is that happening more quickly than he imagined it might?
"I don’t know, is the answer to that,” he reflected. "I can only talk for the short time I’ve been here and the atmosphere since I’ve been here has been unbelievable, the way the fans have got behind it and the way they’ve engaged with it.
"The club needs the support and the support needs the club. There was too much negativity at the club, not a good feeling, not a nice atmosphere. Now it’s totally turned on its head.”