| The Tractor Boys tag 14:14 - Aug 21 with 4739 views | Menton |
I’m pretty sure it was first used by the Birmingham fans in about 97 or 98 at Portman Road. They were singing ‘no noise from the Tractor Boys’ at us and when we scored we retorted with ‘1-0 to the Tractor Boys’. Can anyone confirm that? May have been Stoke (the mind is hazy) |  |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 14:18 - Aug 21 with 3976 views | TrumptonBlue |
I remember it from a similar exchange with the Chelsea fans in the 2-2 draw at PR in 94/95. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 14:32 - Aug 21 with 3935 views | franz_tyson |
It was coined by Warren Clarke in an episode of Lovejoy circa 1989.
Clarke was portraying a ITFC supporting refuse collector when a tractor sped past along a country lane. Atop the tractor were 3 Town fans clad in blue and white and , no doubt, heading to the game.
"Up the Tractor Boys" , roared Clarke's character - and hence, from that moment on, Town were then known as the Tractor Boys. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 14:42 - Aug 21 with 3883 views | DJR |
On a linked theme, I remember in the 70s in the North Stand that London fans tended to chant "fertiliser" at us, and we responded with "soap and water". I never really understood our response.
EDIT: rather than "water" it came out as "waw-ah". [Post edited 21 Aug 2022 14:46]
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:01 - Aug 21 with 3784 views | braveblue |
Thought it was at Leeds? | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:06 - Aug 21 with 3771 views | EastTownBlue |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:01 - Aug 21 by braveblue |
Thought it was at Leeds? |
The 2-1 win at Leeds 2000 was when the supporters first used it. Perhaps inspired by the defeat again Villa the week previously? | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:19 - Aug 21 with 3717 views | ronnyd |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 14:42 - Aug 21 by DJR |
On a linked theme, I remember in the 70s in the North Stand that London fans tended to chant "fertiliser" at us, and we responded with "soap and water". I never really understood our response.
EDIT: rather than "water" it came out as "waw-ah". [Post edited 21 Aug 2022 14:46]
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Probably implying that all city dwelling fans needed a good wash. | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:24 - Aug 21 with 3712 views | shaunmahony |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:06 - Aug 21 by EastTownBlue |
The 2-1 win at Leeds 2000 was when the supporters first used it. Perhaps inspired by the defeat again Villa the week previously? |
I was at that Leeds match and I think you are right - that was the first time I heard it. Magilton was a bit upset at first but then he got with the irony! | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:26 - Aug 21 with 3619 views | EastTownBlue |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:24 - Aug 21 by shaunmahony |
I was at that Leeds match and I think you are right - that was the first time I heard it. Magilton was a bit upset at first but then he got with the irony! |
Yes, it makes me wonder if that inspired Mr Ham to make the first mention of "extractor fan" or was it someone else on here ? | | | |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:39 - Aug 21 with 3577 views | Churchman |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:06 - Aug 21 by EastTownBlue |
The 2-1 win at Leeds 2000 was when the supporters first used it. Perhaps inspired by the defeat again Villa the week previously? |
I think you might well be right. It was certainly coined during that season. ‘1-0 to the tractor boys’ was a self depreciating up yours to the opposition. Magilton didn’t like it, but I thought it quite amusing and still do.
I don’t think it had anything to do with the Lovejoy episode called Bin Diving. That goes back to the early 90s and did feature the great Warren Clarke as a dustman called Brian Nunn who wore an Ipswich baseball cap and made money on the side finding good stuff people had binned. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:40 - Aug 21 with 3577 views | ITFC_Forever |
It was Birmingham away in 1998. |  |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:45 - Aug 21 with 3565 views | DJR |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:19 - Aug 21 by ronnyd |
Probably implying that all city dwelling fans needed a good wash. |
I think that's probably right. There were also from memory "sheep shagger" chants to which the response was "sheep shagger agro".
EDIT: From that era, I think we also sang the following.
"I can't read, and I can't write, but I can drive a tractor,
Turn it left, turn it right, I can drive a tractor." [Post edited 21 Aug 2022 17:09]
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 17:17 - Aug 21 with 3514 views | FromReuserWithLove |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 15:01 - Aug 21 by braveblue |
Thought it was at Leeds? |
This was 100% when it became a thing. The media picked up on it and it stuck. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 17:33 - Aug 21 with 3462 views | ITFC_Forever |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 17:17 - Aug 21 by FromReuserWithLove |
This was 100% when it became a thing. The media picked up on it and it stuck. |
Was first sung by Birmingham fans to us, then Leeds in Sept 2000 after they went 1-0 up, we then sang it back them when we went 2-1 ahead and won, that’s when it was picked up on by the fans and media. | |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 18:12 - Aug 21 with 3369 views | Sharkey |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:45 - Aug 21 by DJR |
I think that's probably right. There were also from memory "sheep shagger" chants to which the response was "sheep shagger agro".
EDIT: From that era, I think we also sang the following.
"I can't read, and I can't write, but I can drive a tractor,
Turn it left, turn it right, I can drive a tractor." [Post edited 21 Aug 2022 17:09]
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I think I remember hearing a chant a LONG time ago that went something along the lines of " they complain about the [something], they complain about the weather, but I've never seen a farmer on a bike". There was more time for chants in those days, as you were in the ground up to an hour before kick-off. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 08:47 - Aug 22 with 3048 views | CityBlue |
I remember the tag being banded about to this tune during that period. The original nickname for the club was always "The Super Blues" - not very original tbh so I am more than happy to embrace the tractor boys. In deed it then leads on to the Old Farm derby. |  |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 08:51 - Aug 22 with 3045 views | Bobbychase |
Correct. It was at Birmingham away, when Trevor Francis was manager and we were in our annual race to try and finish top two and avoid the play offs. We then adopted it when we (eventually) got promoted. |  |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 09:22 - Aug 22 with 2945 views | Luggworm |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:45 - Aug 21 by DJR |
I think that's probably right. There were also from memory "sheep shagger" chants to which the response was "sheep shagger agro".
EDIT: From that era, I think we also sang the following.
"I can't read, and I can't write, but I can drive a tractor,
Turn it left, turn it right, I can drive a tractor." [Post edited 21 Aug 2022 17:09]
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The words were
"I can't read and I can't write but that don't really matter,
I support Ipswich Town and I can drive a tractor" |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 09:24 - Aug 22 with 2933 views | jontysnut |
I remember as a kid in the early 70s singing something like
I can't read I can't write
That don't really matter
I support Ipswich Town
And I can drive a tractor |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 09:24 - Aug 22 with 2928 views | PhilTWTD |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:26 - Aug 21 by EastTownBlue |
Yes, it makes me wonder if that inspired Mr Ham to make the first mention of "extractor fan" or was it someone else on here ? |
I think it was me, although someone else could also have come up with it independently. I mentioned it on Five Live while being interviewed ahead of a game in Mannings. |  | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 10:04 - Aug 22 with 2801 views | yesjohn99 |
Earl Soham Victoria Carlsberg Pub Cup Semi Final at Anfield. They won at Wembley a few weeks before the play off final. | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 10:06 - Aug 22 with 2776 views | PhilTWTD |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 16:40 - Aug 21 by ITFC_Forever |
It was Birmingham away in 1998. |
That has always been the accepted first airing, I think, with the Leeds game in the Premier League when it really got up a head of steam. | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 10:55 - Aug 22 with 2678 views | ArnieM |
The Tractor Boy tag came from fans watching Sudbury Town AFC at a Wembley game many yrs ago. They went 1-0 up snd he started to sing “ one nil to the tractor boys”. But He was also a Town fan , and it morphed into a tag for Town. |  |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 11:17 - Aug 22 with 2643 views | BondiBlue |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 08:51 - Aug 22 by Bobbychase |
Correct. It was at Birmingham away, when Trevor Francis was manager and we were in our annual race to try and finish top two and avoid the play offs. We then adopted it when we (eventually) got promoted. |
Birmingham away was the first time i heard it too. | |
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| The Tractor Boys tag on 11:23 - Aug 22 with 2613 views | PhilTWTD |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 10:55 - Aug 22 by ArnieM |
The Tractor Boy tag came from fans watching Sudbury Town AFC at a Wembley game many yrs ago. They went 1-0 up snd he started to sing “ one nil to the tractor boys”. But He was also a Town fan , and it morphed into a tag for Town. |
It's Soham who claim they sung it first but it had already been sung at Town before that. | | | |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 11:27 - Aug 22 with 2589 views | GeoffSentence |
| The Tractor Boys tag on 09:24 - Aug 22 by PhilTWTD |
I think it was me, although someone else could also have come up with it independently. I mentioned it on Five Live while being interviewed ahead of a game in Mannings. |
Which game was that? Mannings is quite a small venue to host a professional football match. |  |
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