PLC chairman Roger Finbow has announced the instigation of a new award in honour of club patron and former director Philip Hope-Cobbold, who died in July last year, which will go to the player who contributes most to the community.
Speaking at last night’s PLC EGM, Finbow paid tribute to Hope-Cobbold: "Those of you who knew Philip, and that’s many of us, will know he was a true gentleman in the proud tradition of his grandfather, Captain Ivan, who founded the professional club, and his uncles Mr John and Mr Patrick, who did so much to put Ipswich Town Football Club on the map in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
"Philip was kind, fun to be with, a lover of red wine, eccentric for the joy of being eccentric, often politically incorrect, sometimes outrageously so, and above all he was passionate in wanting the best for this club.
"As well as wishing the best for the club, Philip was anxious above all to ensure that the club’s role and importance to the community was recognised, not just by lip service.
"There’s no doubt he would have been delighted to hear Brett [Johnson], Mark [Detmer] and Berke [Bakay], and Mark [Ashton] and Mike [O’Leary], who have all acknowledged the club’s obligations to the local community.
"Philip was the last of the Cobbolds to be directly associated with the club and those of us who were his fellow directors, colleagues and friends want to ensure he is remembered.
"So we’ve decided to inaugurate a new award to be presented at the end-of-season dinner, when we hope to be celebrating a wildly successful season, to the player who has most and best contributed to the local community.
"I hope he would have been pleased to be remembered in that way. Rest in peace, Philip.”