The Fortuna Blues will be making their return to Portman Road for the first time since the pandemic to watch Saturday’s top-of-the-table first-v-third clash with Plymouth Argyle.
Fans of German club Fortuna Düsseldorf had been annual January visitors to watch Town since making their first trip over in 2006.
Following their three-year hiatus, Saturday’s visit will be their 16th, while the Blues spent part of pre-season in Düsseldorf in 2015 with the home side running out 4-3 winners of a friendly between the clubs.
The teams also met in a 45-minute friendly at the Interwetten Cup in Meppen in July 2019 which the German side won 4-1.
"It feels fantastic for more than 100 Fortuna Blues to be back at Portman Road after three years,” Friedie Schacht, pictured below on a previous visit with fellow trip organiser Ulli Münsterberg, told TWTD.
"It’s also interesting for all our lads to see some changes at Town. The much better atmosphere in the stadium, the new statue of our late friend Kevin Beattie, but most important for us is to meet so many of the Tractor Boys and Girls again at last.”
Fortuna are currently just above mid-table in 2. Bundesliga, but like Town are on a cup run.
"We’re in seventh place after half a season with still a small chance of promotion,” Friedie continued. "But we have to improve.
"In the German Cup we are in the round of the last 16. It would be great to advance further in this competition in which our club has such a great history. In the next round our game is FC Nuremburg away on February 8th.
"Our hopes lie with our midfielder Ao Tanaka from Japan, who scored the winning goal against Spain at the World Cup, throwing Germany out of the tournament as a result!”
The Fortuna Blues have previously brought a club legend with them to Portman Road with Egon Köhnen, Günther Kuczinski and Frank Mayer having made the trip in the past.
This time they’re joined by Welshman Dean Thomas, the first player from the British Isles to wear a Fortuna shirt in his spell at the club from 1985 to 1988 during which time he scored nine goals in 81 league games.
The midfielder, now 61, also played for Alemannia Aachen in Germany as well as in Finland with Ilves and in England for Wimbledon, Northampton, Notts County, hometown club Bedworth United and Hinckley United, later managing the last two clubs and Kettering.
In addition to the Fortuna Blues, the Danish Branch of the Supporters Club are making their first trip to Portman Road since the pandemic for the Argyle game. Both sets of fans will be appearing on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on BBC Radio Suffolk (12-2pm).
Although not an official group trip, 20 of the Ipswich Town Supporters Club of Norway will also be at the match.
Fifty members of the South-West Branch will also be present for what’s something of a local derby for them with their new banner on display in the ground.