Ipswich Town and Leicester City fans are putting rivalries to one side to back the Football Supporters Association’s national Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign ahead of the game at Portman Road on Saturday.
Before Town’s late 4-3 defeat at Brentford last weekend, supporters gathered in opposition to rising ticket prices across the Premier League and beyond. Similar banners were seen at every match in the top flight with each club represented by supporters.
Although price rises at Ipswich have been widely understood by fans given the back-to-back promotions, Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks is asking supporters to stand in solidarity with the wider football family against the trend in extortionate ticket prices rises across the nation, as well as the wholesale removal of concessions at some clubs.
Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks, Leicester City Supporters Club and the Foxes Trust are calling on fans to gather for a photograph with the #StopExploitingLoyalty banner at 13.30pm on matchday in front of the Sir Bobby Robson statue.
Elijah Aldridge from Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks believes there is a danger of losing the next generation of footballing fans.
"Sir Bobby’s famous quote of a small child clambering up stadium steps for the first time, gripping their parent’s hand must not become a fairytale but continue to be our communities’ reality,” he said. "We hope Town supporters will turn up in their numbers to support the campaign.”
From the Foxes Trust, Steve Mould was keen to reiterate the importance of supporters who attend games.
"The powers that be in football are keen to repeat the mantra ‘football is nothing without fans’,” he added.
"As Sir Bobby Robson also said, ‘What is a club in any case? It’s the noise, the passion, the feeing of belonging, the pride in your city’. That very lifeblood is in danger of being drained from many clubs.”
Amy Ginnetta of the Leicester City Supporters Club echoed: "Fans are the heartbeat of our football clubs and the importance of players being able to celebrate with packed stadiums in those moments of jubilation must be protected.”
Those unable to attend on Saturday are being asked to use the #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign on social media to help continue the discussions around ticket prices.
Other fixtures hosting a fans’ protest on Saturday are Newcastle v Arsenal, AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City, Liverpool v Brighton, Nottingham Forest v West Ham, Southampton v Everton and Wolves v Crystal Palace.