Being only 23 I never had the opportunity to watch the likes of Beattie and Muhren, strutting there stuff on the Portman Road turf, however I have been able to enjoy the many pushes towards the play-offs, that beautiful day at Wembley and then the amazing season where we exceeded expectations.

And now I have the honour of being able to see the transformation of a little club called Ipswich into what could possibly in time become one of the biggest clubs in the world. When the Town won the UEFA Cup and that FA Cup trophy, Ipswich Town was a small fish in a big, massive pond. Unfortunately following those triumphs many members of the Town faithful now expect success and do not allow any failures. We were a family run club under the Cobbolds, which carried on through the Sheepshanks, Burley, Royle and Magilton era and now Keane... oh wait, I already can sense supporters reading this and straight away claiming the family connection to Town has gone with the high profile signature of Mr Keane.

But can I ask, what is a family club? Is it a family friendly face-to-face owner? Is it a manager who never raises an eyelid to disrespectful media questions? To me Ipswich Town has always been and will continue to be a family club - the family I'm talking about is those 18,000 season ticket holders who continue to pay big sums of cash to support the Blues. This is the family, the family of support, the family of continuous backing. The fans that travel hundreds of miles to support their team, to cry when we lose to cheer when we win.

Yes, we are struggling at the moment, and we hear many, many excuses - but the biggest excuse which I find most amazing is that we are where we are because the 'family friendly' past has been ripped out from the club.

Yes, the Cobbolds have gone - but so they had when we got promoted. So, we now have a high profile manager and a multi-millionaire owner - but one thing remains - support, proper support. Getting behind the team when things are going wrong, writing positive messages on blogs and in newspaper articles when a possible win turns into a loss. These are the fans that will bring an end to this dreadful run, which in turn will transform our season.

So come on, show your support, show the world that the small family friendly Ipswich Town has not ceased trading, show Keane and the players that no matter what happens, the family stays together. Don't expect great things, as it will take time, let Keane have time, give the players time, don't hate, slag off new signings that don't work, they themselves will know when they are dropped.

You may be thinking what is the point of this blog - it's to prove to the world that no matter how bad our season gets, no matter what league we are in, no matter who slags our club off, The family, our family, the biggest family of all will never break up. The Ipswich Town Family.

MarcFowler added 15:10 - Oct 20 *hands you your flame shield* You're absolutely right. I'm even a couple of years younger than you and it's so clear that we've got to stick together in this bad time rather than fight amongst ourselves. The club needs our support now more than in a very long time.
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tractorboybig added 15:36 - Oct 20 But who is the club? so who gets the support.
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Paddy39 added 15:37 - Oct 20 Couldn't agree more.
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prozach added 15:37 - Oct 20 Completely spot on. Supporters are far too unrealistic and demanding sometimes. We will be fine - come on you blues!
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WeWereZombies added 15:43 - Oct 20 Good blog, but we were not such a small club when we won the FA Cup and UEFA cup - we had already won the league seventeen years earlier than the FA Cup triumph and were even then providing England with top quality centre-forwards (and Ireland with a very solid full-back, and the USA with a centre-forward!) Then of course the best ever England manager. We still spent quite a few years in the top flight before Robson's real glory years started. 'Sleepy' rural Ipswich is a complete myth to me - we have more in common with somewhere like Swansea (although much more success as a football team), in Dylan Thomas' words 'an ugly, lovely town'. True there are the bland developments and insurance offices in place of the docks, power station, brewery and engineering works of old but there is still a discernable character here, perhaps now that Roy Keane is employed by one of the prawn sandwich hospitality set he is just too soft to manage Ipswich?

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DrJeckyll added 16:32 - Oct 20 Fantastic blog
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brogansnose added 17:02 - Oct 20 Good blog young 'en. Up or down , good times or bad, still going to be here.
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BrightBlue added 17:19 - Oct 20 A well written blog that is spot on. At last someone with some positivity. Positivity breeds positivity - lets cheer on those blue boys tonight!!
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Stu_Magoo added 17:25 - Oct 20 Good blog, well written and bang on the money. Good wisdom from one so young!!!
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Gonefishing added 17:50 - Oct 20 I like your sentiment, but sentiment it is. Football is corporate and we are customers.
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Nevadablue added 17:56 - Oct 20 Agree with the gist of what you're saying. But just as it's important to give the team every encouragement at games, it's also vital that fans voice intelligent opinions, good and bad about the club's direction at other times.
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runaround added 18:34 - Oct 20 A very well written piece. I agree with every word. I really hope everyone gets behind them tonight as they are representing our club
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runaround added 18:36 - Oct 20 A very well written piece. I agree with every word. I really hope everyone gets behind them tonight as they are representing our club
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Lightningboy added 18:41 - Oct 20 I would hate it if ITFC ever turned into a chelsea or man.city...I watched that new owner walk into Birmingham city last week with talk of spending £40million in january and just thought to myself that the heart is being ripped out of football by people like him..it's all money,money,money now...what we were doing 10 years ago under Burley was utterly magical and sadly I don't think it'll ever happen again..money isn't always the answer.

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bluethroughnthrough added 20:24 - Oct 20 Firstly, Im sorry if im getting the wrong end of the stick here, but, a family club? Its the 21st century, and unfortunately traditions do not bring success to a football club anymore. And maybe being a "family" club is part of the reason why the atmosphere can be so poor around portman road nowadays. I know some of you might slate me for saying this, I wasnt alive when Ipswich last won any silverware, and I don't understand what it is about the Cobbold family that some Ipswich fans can't move on from.

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superblueflude added 20:39 - Oct 20 bluethroughnthrough - you have looked at my blog the wrong way - im saying that the family name that goes with town isnt the club itself its the supporters and that keeping this closeness together will bring success to the club rather that slating the club at every poor game. and in response to another comment about we are customers - no we are not, you dont pay to be entertained you pay to support, if it was entertainment you want totry wrestling or sit in front of the xfactor - yes entertining football is brilliant to watch but i would rather see a hard thought 1-0 win than lose 6-0 because we're being "entertaining"

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dusth added 22:50 - Oct 20 Superblueflude I enjoyed your blog and you are right, of course. Most intelligent supporters know they feel much better if they hide their disappointment and think positive. Then when the good times come around again they can look at the cynics and have a good laugh. Are you related to Ray Flude who lived in Ipswich in the sixties? I watched England win the World Cup on his folks' telly! (First game age 14- Charity Shield Portman Road 1962 - Ipswich 1-Spurs 5.)

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devontractorboy added 23:19 - Oct 20 I'd take issue that the club is the 18,000 season ticket holders, that 'ballhooks' my friend, I have supported this club since 1967 and live and work in Devon, my fathers family all came from Ipswich and I spent many childhood holidays there watching Town. I spend on average more money per season watching Town than some season Ticket holders, travelling mostly to away games all over the country. Too muchMoney in the game killed the 'family clubs' but i shall continue to follow and support Town as long as I'm able and I'm every bit as much of a supporter as the 'Season Ticket Holder'.

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superblueflude added 09:00 - Oct 21 Apologies i do also include those that continouly pay their money to support the town.
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tom12481 added 09:01 - Oct 21 Wise head on toung shoulders! I see a family club being a club that never has crowd trouble, freindly in bars to away fans, children and women feel at home and welcome. Just all round SOFTIES like us.
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