In these quiet, international fixture weeks, the TWTD Message Board becomes cluttered with all kinds of nonsense – discussions about politics, vegetarianism, the rights and wrongs of veal, favourite cheeses, among many other topics. One intriguing question was also posed recently to a regular poster who seemed to have become dissatisfied with Town’s current players, manager, owner, chairman and footballing style. Which led to the obvious question – why do we support the Town?

It is a complicated question, with any number of different answers. The simple response, for me, is that my family lived in Essex in the early/mid-Seventies, had the Evening Gazette delivered every night, complete with rapturous reports of ITFC victories, and I just became more and more wrapped up in the boys in blue.

But, as Town sit rooted at the bottom of the Championship, a million miles from our aim to roar into the Premiership, there must surely be more to it than that? And, of course, there is. And they are:

• Our colours - blue is lovely, isn't it? Especially contrasted against brilliant white.
• 1962 - winning the championship at the first attempt, a feat which will never be matched.
• Legendary managers - Sir Alf, Sir Bobby. Statues of them both. RIP.
• The training pitch - perfect for picnicking on. Is there a better place to be at 2.30 on a sunny April/August Saturday, than lying on the fake turf, reading the programme and sipping a pint in anticipation of the match? No.
• David Geddis, Willie Young, Roger Osborne, 1-0.
• That picture of Gates, Mariner, Mills and Butcher all on England duty together.
• Kevin Beattie, the first ever Young PFA Award winner, should have been the greatest England player of the era
• European nights - Seventies, Eighties, Noughties. Glorious.
• Mr John - and the corinthian attitude which he and his family embodied.
• 1981 - the best team in Europe.
• Silky passing football - our tradition since the days of the two Dutchmen.
• Warky’s 36 goals, in one season. From midfield.
• Little old ladies and gents with blankets over their knees and flasks of coffee...
• ... all of them laughing at poor little Ullathorne and Gunn, back in 1996.
• Target men - Trevor Whymark, Paul Mariner, David Johnson (mk1), Ian Marshall, all of them fast, lithe, battering rams with sublime skill.
• Marcus Stewart, rounding Westerfeld to score and secure a 1-0 win at Anfield in 2000.
• The youth system - two FA Youth Cup wins and home-grown talent from Beattie, Wark, Butcher, Whymark, Osborne, Dyer, Wright, Bent et al.
• 17-year-old Kieron – skipping through Championship opposition midfielders in the late Nineties.
• 1978 - hammering the Arse for most of the match.
• Finidi George defeating Derby on his own in 2001.
• Our beautiful south and north stands - perfect vantage points.
• The swift walk to PR from the station - for those of us now based in London.
• “Reuser! Premiership!”
• The Portman Road pitch - lush, green, perfect. The best in the land.

dirtydingusmagee added 09:36 - Oct 9 always use to come home with another fag burn on ya coat,,standing up squashed in, dropping ya burger and not being able to pick it up , spilling half ya Bovril getting back to ya place [or was i just a clumsy sod] ,pints in Sporting Farmer and Running Buck.Best chips in the world just up the road,[cooked in beef dripping]. clean chants...give it to Charlie ,give it to Charlie,lets av a larf lets av a larf..Brings a tear to my eye . COYB

0

Franzgumm added 13:15 - Oct 9 bluewein - just had to say how much I agree, particularly that image of Burley hugging Dale Roberts. Brings a lump to my throat, especially given Dale is now gone. One of my greatest days as a Town fan, funnily enough, was taken my daughter to her first match, the match against Newcastle, when Sir Bobby was the manager, for Dale's testimonial. A really special day, and we beat the toon too. Also, worth a shout out for Sheepshanks too. Anyone who says he was just in it for his salary and didn't care about the club should go back to his interview after that play-off final. I have never seen a chairman (of any club) so emotional, he was almost crying - it was the moment he confirmed that he is one of us, a fan of the club. For all his mistakes, I always was - and will remain - a big fan. He did a huge amount for our club.

0

tractorboybig added 16:42 - Oct 9 the reasons why we started the support may become blurred and distorted but the fact remains. You can never give up that support and believe me I have followed them in many many relegations.
0

violablu added 21:06 - Oct 9 Everyone else at primary school supported Liverpool or Man Utd, and I wanted to be different, so looked at who was next in the league table. And then we won the FA Cup the next year - no looking back...
0

hunterandbeattie added 10:45 - Oct 11 Probably the day in 1973 when Grandad asked me if I wanted to use his mates ticket in the East Stand. We played Arsenal and lost 2-1 but this six year old was hooked. The time Sir Bobby ruffled my hair as I cheered them off the bus at PR when they got back from the semi against West Brom. Wembley x 2 ( I dont include the Charity Shield !) The Cornhill x 3 Mick Mills and his dead catapillar lifting the cups The passion shown at Villa Park in the semi of 81 - The Beats swansong The awesome noise from the North Stand boys as we crused the budgies 5 For every single time I have stood or sat in the sun and rain and seen the Blues WIN And having the belief that those times will return.

0

ipswich1992 added 22:28 - Oct 11 Magiltons hat-trick against Bolton in the playoffs his very very last minute equaliser. Then the wembley expierience. We were the last team to be promoted at the old wembley.
0

Blogs 297 bloggers