Pat Godbold, the first lady of Ipswich Town, is celebrating her 90th birthday today.
Godbold joined the club aged 19 in 1954 as then-boss Scott Duncan’s secretary - becoming the Blues’ first-ever female employee - and went on to work for every subsequent manager - Sir Alf Ramsey, Jackie Milburn, Bill McGarry, Sir Bobby Robson, Bobby Ferguson, John Duncan and John Lyall - until retiring from full-time work during George Burley’s time in the hotseat in 1997.
She continued to work at Portman Road as archivist on a part-time basis until her retirement after 70 years with the Blues last year, Town staging an event to mark the occasion.
She was ideally suited to the archivist’s role with her remarkable recall of events and characters from Town’s history remaining undimmed. Alongside the position, she also given talks and made regular media appearances.
Godbold, who continued to work for Robson during his time as England boss in addition to her Town duties, a total of 36 years as PA to the man she always refers to as ‘Mr R’, was inducted into the Town Hall of Fame at the 2009 Ex-Players’ Reunion Dinner, an event she organised for many years.
In 2004, she had been honoured by the FA, receiving a long-service medal in recognition of the 50th anniversary of her arrival at Portman Road.
More recently, in 2018, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Suffolk, then the following year she was presented with an LMA Service to Football Award by the League Managers Association.
The club wished her many happy returns on their website: "Happy birthday, Pat, from your many friends and former colleagues, as well as the many Town fans who also know you and appreciate your efforts for the club so dear to all our hearts.”
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