To my fellow Ipswich Town fans, I’ve often thought about writing an open letter to other Ipswich fans over the past 1-2 years. I always eventually went off the idea, due to the fact that the negativity it may have received from certain fans who only seem to thrive on matters of a negative nature at ITFC, would outweigh any positive outcome.

However, after Saturdays win against Bolton I felt compelled to do so this time. What will it achieve? Probably nothing other than the aforementioned people having a laugh at my expense or other fans of a similar mindset.

Although my first ever match was actually the Cup Final in 78, not that I remember anything about it, I have followed Ipswich religiously since 1986 when I was 10 years old and my first ever game at Portman Road was when one of our many legends, Jason Dozzell, made his debut against Coventry. I was hooked from thereon.

Like many other fans who live and breathe our truly amazing club, I have travelled the length and breadth of the country to follow the Town through thick and thin.

Nowadays it is not so easy, I live in Oxford and am married with two children. I aim to get to Portman Road 10-15 times a season and grab away games when I can.

The last couple of seasons have plainly not been great for Ipswich fans, the players, management, staff and owner alike.

This letter is not about going into opinions on why things have gone wrong on the pitch. Rightly or wrongly everyone is entitled to their opinions, although I think the way some fans deliver it in this age of social media is totally abhorrent.

This is meant to be a club they love and want to do well. The manner of social media attacks on players, management etc was hardly going to inspire positive performances on the pitch. It would have worn down the hardiest of souls eventually. Thankfully the squad and manager pulled together and kept us up.

I, like many, have my own private frustrations with certain things going on at Ipswich currently, but personally I’m a huge fan of Mick McCarthy and feel he has worked wonders with very little resources and huge slices of bad luck at points. That’s just my opinion, though.

My issue and the point of this letter is with certain Town fans who are staying away from Portman Road this season. Last season as we know was one to forget for the most part. It drove me mad that people stayed away then, but that’s history. Over the summer the owner gave Mick money and I believe it was well spent. The club also responded to the pricing structure etc. On Saturday my wife and daughter sat in great seats in the Co-op Stand lower and it cost just £28 in total.

Every new season starts with a swell of confidence for all football fans across the country and I’d like to think it’s the same for Town fans. We started with, and still have a pretty horrific injury list.

However, we have had a fantastic start and picked up five wins from seven matches. Whether people think it’s been against weak sides or we have had luck, that’s irrelevant. You can only beat what’s in front of you.

We still have a number of players to come back and from the outside looking in, the squad spirit is as good as ever. This could be a season when very good things could potentially happen.

There is, however, a very fine line between that and having a bad season, luck also plays its part in that. However, we have all seen what happens generally when a team get on a role in this insane league and the momentum keeps going.

We have the foundation in place with our good start. Hopefully when everyone is back fit we can go a long way towards getting things back to where we all want them.

But why oh why are a number of fans staying away from Portman Road on match day? Do you have any idea just quite how huge the part you play during a game is? Fans had a lot to say about season tickets, ticket prices, performances, lack of signings etc over the summer. Well, the club listened and responded in a positive manner.

The boys then started the season at home very well indeed. What is the excuse of the stay away fans now though? If you want the club you love so dearly to succeed then you should be there in numbers packing it out and giving the players the extra lift to achieve even higher performance levels, not just for the so called bigger fixtures.

Staying away is achieving nothing other than you missing out and probably disappointing the players. Many owners, managers and players say that results are what bring the fans back. I’ve generally believed this to be true. What is the excuse of some of our fans then? We have won all but one of our home games, the prices have been reduced, new players have been signed, our existing best players are buzzing and the youngsters coming through from the Academy are very exciting.

To me, it all equates to a pretty good reason to get down to Portman Road on a Saturday or midweek. Or are you just making some sort of stand against the owner and manager? Seems to me like you are the ones missing out and the players are the victims.

A much busier stadium obviously means more revenue and fingers crossed will in time mean more budget for players and hopefully even more competitive pricing structures for season tickets and general matchday admission. Above all it will create a big swell of positivity and a brilliant atmosphere on match day and in the Town in general.

Even if there are still gripes amongst certain fans with the way the club is run or the team is managed, do the players, who are the ones we want to see doing well deserve to come out on match day when they are actually winning games to see a more than half empty stadium?

I spoke to a chap on Saturday after the Bolton game and he said, “I’m not coming next game because the football in the first half was rubbish”. What about the pretty decent and promising second half that won us the game? This mentality is crazy!

It’s only my opinion, but personally I think we could be on the cusp of something pretty special at the club, but equally we could be on the precipice of something pretty worrying if fans continue to stay away when the results are actually there.

I’m obviously not pinning the success or failure of the club on the fans, I think we have some of the best fans in the country and our away support backs that up every time we travel and has done for many years. I just feel that if the club are actually acting upon a lot of the issues fans had, yet they are still staying away then that is worrying and needs to be addressed by us, not the club.

We, the fans, are the lifeblood of the club and we will always be there. Players, managers and owners will come and go, but we won’t. Why stay away and sit at home moaning about the style of football, the prices, the owner, the players etc? Seems to me like a waste of time when we don’t have a whole lot of time on this planet as it is, make the most of it, and whilst we are it cheer our beloved club on through thick and thin.

Let’s buck the trend of the stereotypical moaning football fan, get behind our boys in blue and get us back where we belong!

COYB!!!

Bert added 13:25 - Sep 26 Everyone has their own reason s for staying away but the one I have no time for is the hatred towards MM. Yes he is a marmite character but he definitely has the club at heart. Too many of the anti brigade take personal exception to his frank and a times rather silly remarks but hey ho he is being asked questions and happily responds with candour and openness. To take personal umbrage says more about the thin skins of some so called supporters. Yes the last two seasons were dull but a man who has pennies to play with has conjured up a squad that is pretty good. I totally understand why lack of disposable income is a reason and the ending of the 60 concession was lunacy in the manner it was done. On balance I can see improvements being made and for as long as that continues I will remain a loyal supporter of a club that tries to do things the right way but sometimes fails to misunderstand the need to communicate effectively.

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Pilgrimblue added 21:14 - Sep 27 Get over last season, it's history. Get over MM, he's heard us and much of the bad is going ; hoofing, negativity, no youth. Anyway Ipswich FC is more important than him. I understand those that live far away but those that don't have missed out. Millwall away and yesterday were worth a season ticket. Youth is being given a chance (albeit due to injuries) and look good so future is indeed bright. As for over 60s who haven't renewed, very sad but £100 over season isn't much!

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traktorbojz added 06:26 - Sep 28 I will never go to portman road again after the treatment my wife and i encountered. Treated like a criminal from the moment you pay the most expensive price at the turnstile for an owner who only thinks of profit margins .... Thats not football.
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Kieranaldous added 14:57 - Sep 29 I agree all these tinpot f*ckers who only criticise ITFC are the biggest c*nts. They will cheer when we score but if we lose then they boo f*ck off you sh*ty c*nts!
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Dissboyitfc added 06:56 - Oct 26 How are all the MM lovers feeling now? we are in free fall?
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Dissboyitfc added 06:57 - Oct 26 Over to you mickdove33
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