| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' 07:11 - Nov 27 with 1474 views | jasondozzell |
God bless Ashton. He's exactly what we needed after years of being rudderless. Someone who knows the industry, drives change, and gets things done. I want to make it clear that he has been extremely good for us.
And god bless the American ownership. I've always said that Evans' greatest achievement (from a list of one) was the due diligence he did. Unfortunately you have to sell your soul now to be competitive and it was the club's last chance but at least we're owned by a fire fighters' pension fund and not some shady crook.
All the same, and as exciting as all the development and investment is, did anyone else feel a slight twinge of unease when watching the Portman Road video yesterday? Perhaps I'm being a fuddy duddy but the first thing that stopped me a bit was the boardroom being moved and Ashton sweeping a hand across the identikit corporate decor affair that it's being replaced with. Didn't the old boardroom have old wood panelling? Think I remember that from photos of players signing in there. Lots of history presumably. I'm probably being over sentimental but something sad about that room being swept away for the usual Instagram friendly minimalist boardroom chic. The changing room area is the same - it needed to be redone and looks good but it's very American somehow.
And then you've got 'stadium bowl', 'fan experience' and 'revenues'. The latter I get is really important but there's times when you realise that this is in many ways an American sports model being mapped onto a football team and not the other way round.
That being said, I understand the arguments that we need to modernise and that we need to maximise revenue. And Ashton to his credit is always very respectful of the club's history and I liked it when he said that the new Cobbold stand has to be bitten but also sympathetic to the history of the club and the ground.
It's just a slight twinge of discomfort that we're being corporatised if I can use that word.
I'm aware that this could be seen as very churlish. We were crying out for investment and direction and it has come in bucketloads. I think Ashton and the owners have done a fantastic job. I'm just slightly uneasy with the idea of us all in our replica jerseys, chowing down on Tingly Ted's (whatever that is), having a 'fan experience' at a tailgate akin to a franchise model in the states.
I'm definitely guilty of being a football romantic and ticket stubs, Bovril and crowds of flat caps are obviously not the future of football anymore. But all the same...
On the other side, we're incredibly lucky to be so well run and backed and I do think the owners have tried hard to do many things the 'Ipswich way'. Not least the appointment of KM. So I should probably shut up.
Interested to hear the thoughts of others.
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:14 - Nov 27 with 1379 views | SitfcB |
‘Didn't the old boardroom have old wood panelling?’
That wasn’t the board room but some offices/rooms above the main reception, still there I think. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:16 - Nov 27 with 1343 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:14 - Nov 27 by SitfcB |
‘Didn't the old boardroom have old wood panelling?’
That wasn’t the board room but some offices/rooms above the main reception, still there I think. |
Ah okay. That makes me feel a bit better! I just remember the wood panelling and a framed squad photo with Bobby. Was always in those staged shots of players signing with manager and parents standing behind! | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:25 - Nov 27 with 1294 views | SitfcB |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:16 - Nov 27 by jasondozzell |
Ah okay. That makes me feel a bit better! I just remember the wood panelling and a framed squad photo with Bobby. Was always in those staged shots of players signing with manager and parents standing behind! |
Yeah I remember seeing it over time as well, here’s a couple of angles. I think it’s actually Ashtons office, or has been as remember Stuart Watson mentioning it before.
I get what you’re saying with the whole corporate stuff, but Ashton did say himself people will say ‘they’re only worrying about the prawn sandwich brigade’ etc but dismissed it.
We were just so far behind in that department though so they had to bring us up to the levels needed.
I don’t like the ‘stadium bowl’ term but that’s just what they’ve used as the name for inside the stadium. | |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:30 - Nov 27 with 1246 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:25 - Nov 27 by SitfcB |
Yeah I remember seeing it over time as well, here’s a couple of angles. I think it’s actually Ashtons office, or has been as remember Stuart Watson mentioning it before.
I get what you’re saying with the whole corporate stuff, but Ashton did say himself people will say ‘they’re only worrying about the prawn sandwich brigade’ etc but dismissed it.
We were just so far behind in that department though so they had to bring us up to the levels needed.
I don’t like the ‘stadium bowl’ term but that’s just what they’ve used as the name for inside the stadium. |
There it is! Ah, the lesser spotted Piotr Malarczyk and a bonus Will Keane. Nice.
Yeah, you're right that we were just so far behind the times that a lot of it needed doing. Especially going up to the PL. And I suppose we have a lot more corporate clients to keep happy. Plus as you say Ashton said it isn't all the prawn sandwich brigade.
Stadium bowl is horrific but again as you say it's just a technical term for them I guess.
I tell you what though, they had better not delete the 'Welcome to Portman Road z this sound' when they get the new tannoy in! | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:49 - Nov 27 with 1147 views | Zx1988 |
Another Americanisation from the video - 'Memorial Sunday'.
No, Mark. No. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:54 - Nov 27 with 1113 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:49 - Nov 27 by Zx1988 |
Another Americanisation from the video - 'Memorial Sunday'.
No, Mark. No. |
Jesus. Missed that one. 😬😬😬 | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 08:02 - Nov 27 with 1070 views | Reuser_is_God |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 07:30 - Nov 27 by jasondozzell |
There it is! Ah, the lesser spotted Piotr Malarczyk and a bonus Will Keane. Nice.
Yeah, you're right that we were just so far behind the times that a lot of it needed doing. Especially going up to the PL. And I suppose we have a lot more corporate clients to keep happy. Plus as you say Ashton said it isn't all the prawn sandwich brigade.
Stadium bowl is horrific but again as you say it's just a technical term for them I guess.
I tell you what though, they had better not delete the 'Welcome to Portman Road z this sound' when they get the new tannoy in! |
The memorabilia from that old room has been retained in the new one. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 08:08 - Nov 27 with 1042 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
What's with the title? Who is that a quote from? |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 08:44 - Nov 27 with 927 views | Swansea_Blue |
I’ve only started watching it, but the new space for back office staff looks fantastic. I’d have loved to have had a dedicated space like that in my career, but none of the organisations I worked for were rich enough or cared enough to do it. We desperately needed dragging into the 21st Century, so I’m all for it. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:15 - Nov 27 with 688 views | billlm |
I get it my first game was 1971 as a young kid, seeing the old pictures brings back great memories,
Standing in the north with coopers between you and the away fans was pretty tasty,
Dolly girls programme sellers,
All memories
But sports changed and anything that restores town to a good team club and business these days il take,
We're Ipswich a huge part of my life, uppa town, |  | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:17 - Nov 27 with 686 views | Guthrum |
Think of it in terms of having a vehicle that you use a lot for work.
Do you have a lovely old classic car, which looks beautiful, does ten miles to the gallon, costs a bomb to maintain with barely-concealed rusting, the heating is ineffective and the road-handling is inferior. Or something modern, smart, efficient and where you can connect your phone hands-free to the onboard system?
The former is great for nostalgic pottering around the highways and by-ways on a summer weekend. But is simply isn't so effective as a working environment.
On the term "stadium bowl", I think that is simply being used as a collective term for the inward-facing parts of all four stands, combined with pitchside and the playing surface itself, i.e. the part of the ground which the fans see the most during the game. It has to be taken as a whole in the upgrade, given they want to create an overall smart impression - so it needs a name. Note that Ashton only refers to it thus in that particular context. Otherwise he uses "ground", "stadium" or "Portman Road". |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:22 - Nov 27 with 650 views | Blueschev |
He's basically a chilled out entertainer. |  | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:26 - Nov 27 with 628 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:22 - Nov 27 by Blueschev |
He's basically a chilled out entertainer. |
He can communicate with people from all walks of life. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:28 - Nov 27 with 616 views | squiz |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 08:08 - Nov 27 by Marshalls_Mullet |
What's with the title? Who is that a quote from? |
Ashton quipped, why buy a book when you can join a library |  | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:30 - Nov 27 with 610 views | Blueschev |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:26 - Nov 27 by ThisIsMyUsername |
He can communicate with people from all walks of life. |
If you were to ask Ashton if he'd rather be known as a funny man or a good boss, his answer would always be the same; the two are not mutually exclusive. | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:33 - Nov 27 with 591 views | farkenhell |
Somewhere in the dark depths of anger, frustration and despair, an elephant stirs at the mention of ITFC and "franchise". | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:47 - Nov 27 with 554 views | WubbleU |
We should dig up some old posts about the state of the North Stand roof and give everyone highlighting the bad state back then 50 super-fan points, only now can you see how right they were to highlight the lack of maintenance showed the rot at the heart of the club.
Long term fans are always going to be uneasy as the fancy areas come in but it is how the modern game works. Only way the investors can pump money into the club is through infrastructure, it's just like money laundering in a way (but not). The infrastructure creates revenue which then creates better players.
I'll always be a traditional fan and proud to be so but l still love Gamechanger Ipswich Town too. | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:53 - Nov 27 with 524 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:30 - Nov 27 by Blueschev |
If you were to ask Ashton if he'd rather be known as a funny man or a good boss, his answer would always be the same; the two are not mutually exclusive. |
And really all he wants is that when it's time for him to leave, people say 'There goes Mark Ashton. I must remember to thank him'. | |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:57 - Nov 27 with 498 views | Churchman |
I can’t support any praise for Evans. I believe he’d have sold the club to Satan if the man with the pitchfork and pot had come up with a better offer. But yes, we’ve been very lucky with the ownership group and with Ashton. I get the annoyance with the Brentishness, corporate bullsht bingo speak and he’s made plenty of mistakes.
However, those who don’t make mistakes are people that don’t do anything. He’s very much a ‘driver’ and has a clear vision on the club, infrastructure, area and just about everything else. He’s been good for us, especially when you compare him to nobodies like Milne and Clegg.
Regarding your reservations about the new Boardroom, I have not seen all the video but I did see that bit. I actually have no problem at all with it. It’s 2025 and the club is looking to progress in everything it does. If it’s a bit ‘American’ that’s ok providing it serves its purpose.
It does feel like an American sports model being mapped out. That’s fine with me too. My limited experience of it tells me that it’ll be a good thing for us overall. I’d love the club to build a museum to link past to present and the future. I’ve no idea how much stuff it has, but given ITFCs fascinating history, I think something telling the story would be of interest to a lot of people especially if it had an element of interactive in it for kids.
An example of what I mean is that recently a Short Scion aircraft was on display in Rochester Cathedral. Underneath it was all sorts of activities (such as building model floatplanes) for children, who were having a great time. Something for everyone, in other words.
I’m fine about corporatisation if it develops the football club and secures its future. It broke my heart to see it neglected and dying under Evans. Had he not sold it, we’d be in L2 now at best. The club and its supporters deserved better and now we have it.
Fan experience? I’ve seen how they do NFL in this country and baseball in America. It is a good thing, not least because it will never detract from the tribal nature of football in this country.
Am I nostalgic about the past? Very much as my many posts, especially ITFC history and my own experiences, show. But there was plenty about the past that wasn’t good and in the same way there will always be positives and negatives going forward.
And we do have to move forward, shiny Boardroom n all. I accept that part of my positivity on this stems from my working world where change was normal (project world) and you did get used to and embrace it. But change is not something natural to ‘umans in that feeling comfortable with what you know, habits etc is the default position for people.
I like Tingly Teds btw.
Just a view. |  | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 12:37 - Nov 27 with 367 views | Illinoisblue |
You’re always so upbeat and pro-Ipswich. Why the negativity?
This bit makes zero sense btw:
I'm just slightly uneasy with the idea of us all in our replica jerseys, chowing down on Tingly Ted's (whatever that is), having a 'fan experience' at a tailgate akin to a franchise model in the states. |  |
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 12:56 - Nov 27 with 328 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Stop having a pop at things feeling American. It’s Thanksgiving for a lot of us for a start!
Why is fan experience a bad phrase? I’ve been to most NFL grounds and a lot of baseball stadiums, if you want a place to enjoy with friends and family then all of this stuff is positive. Portman road is beautiful but outdated and there’s a lot of work that has to be done.
You know could make the environment feel very English? The fans and the atmosphere! [Post edited 27 Nov 12:57]
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| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 15:57 - Nov 27 with 103 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:47 - Nov 27 by WubbleU |
We should dig up some old posts about the state of the North Stand roof and give everyone highlighting the bad state back then 50 super-fan points, only now can you see how right they were to highlight the lack of maintenance showed the rot at the heart of the club.
Long term fans are always going to be uneasy as the fancy areas come in but it is how the modern game works. Only way the investors can pump money into the club is through infrastructure, it's just like money laundering in a way (but not). The infrastructure creates revenue which then creates better players.
I'll always be a traditional fan and proud to be so but l still love Gamechanger Ipswich Town too. |
Fair points. And the literal tree growing out of the roof of Churchman's was a disgrace. It's great to see everything being cared for. | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 16:04 - Nov 27 with 92 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 10:57 - Nov 27 by Churchman |
I can’t support any praise for Evans. I believe he’d have sold the club to Satan if the man with the pitchfork and pot had come up with a better offer. But yes, we’ve been very lucky with the ownership group and with Ashton. I get the annoyance with the Brentishness, corporate bullsht bingo speak and he’s made plenty of mistakes.
However, those who don’t make mistakes are people that don’t do anything. He’s very much a ‘driver’ and has a clear vision on the club, infrastructure, area and just about everything else. He’s been good for us, especially when you compare him to nobodies like Milne and Clegg.
Regarding your reservations about the new Boardroom, I have not seen all the video but I did see that bit. I actually have no problem at all with it. It’s 2025 and the club is looking to progress in everything it does. If it’s a bit ‘American’ that’s ok providing it serves its purpose.
It does feel like an American sports model being mapped out. That’s fine with me too. My limited experience of it tells me that it’ll be a good thing for us overall. I’d love the club to build a museum to link past to present and the future. I’ve no idea how much stuff it has, but given ITFCs fascinating history, I think something telling the story would be of interest to a lot of people especially if it had an element of interactive in it for kids.
An example of what I mean is that recently a Short Scion aircraft was on display in Rochester Cathedral. Underneath it was all sorts of activities (such as building model floatplanes) for children, who were having a great time. Something for everyone, in other words.
I’m fine about corporatisation if it develops the football club and secures its future. It broke my heart to see it neglected and dying under Evans. Had he not sold it, we’d be in L2 now at best. The club and its supporters deserved better and now we have it.
Fan experience? I’ve seen how they do NFL in this country and baseball in America. It is a good thing, not least because it will never detract from the tribal nature of football in this country.
Am I nostalgic about the past? Very much as my many posts, especially ITFC history and my own experiences, show. But there was plenty about the past that wasn’t good and in the same way there will always be positives and negatives going forward.
And we do have to move forward, shiny Boardroom n all. I accept that part of my positivity on this stems from my working world where change was normal (project world) and you did get used to and embrace it. But change is not something natural to ‘umans in that feeling comfortable with what you know, habits etc is the default position for people.
I like Tingly Teds btw.
Just a view. |
You're right Churchman. It's easy to forget how sorry a state the club was in. I think you're quite right about league 2 - that was where we were headed. Total freefall really.
Ultimately the club's medium to long term future is very secure. And that's a great place to be in.
Love the idea of a museum. Would be fantastic.
I suppose it is just Ashton's corporate style that is sometimes a bit difficult to swallow but he's doing a great job (and my complaints are definitely not because he missed my hand for a high five when he went berserk at Lincoln after first win that season under Cook...😁) | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 16:08 - Nov 27 with 84 views | jasondozzell |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 12:37 - Nov 27 by Illinoisblue |
You’re always so upbeat and pro-Ipswich. Why the negativity?
This bit makes zero sense btw:
I'm just slightly uneasy with the idea of us all in our replica jerseys, chowing down on Tingly Ted's (whatever that is), having a 'fan experience' at a tailgate akin to a franchise model in the states. |
No negativity, honest! It's all been brilliant and we couldn't have hoped for a better takeover. Investment, success on the pitch, engaging the community etc. I suppose I'm just expressing a slight reaction to the corporate nature of it all and how in the end Ashton is answering to corporate bosses in US more than to just the football club.
I'm definitely not complaining about Gamechanger!
I suppose what I'm driving at is that in the US that sports model is all about 'fan experience' etc. in a way that reminds you that ultimately they see it as selling a product. Whereas it isn't a product is it. I think that's the tension in football in the moment and where we are headed. It's why clubs are beginning to edge out season ticket holders... | | | |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 16:12 - Nov 27 with 65 views | Churchman |
| Put 'Mark Ashton is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility' on 16:04 - Nov 27 by jasondozzell |
You're right Churchman. It's easy to forget how sorry a state the club was in. I think you're quite right about league 2 - that was where we were headed. Total freefall really.
Ultimately the club's medium to long term future is very secure. And that's a great place to be in.
Love the idea of a museum. Would be fantastic.
I suppose it is just Ashton's corporate style that is sometimes a bit difficult to swallow but he's doing a great job (and my complaints are definitely not because he missed my hand for a high five when he went berserk at Lincoln after first win that season under Cook...😁) |
I’m not sure I’d get on with MA with his style. I’ve had to stifle the laughter in the past when I’ve sat in a room with somebody doing the bullsht bingo speak.. People like that are not easy to work with, but you never know what they are truly like until you do.
Blue sky thinking, bottom up planning, quick wins, low hanging fruit, peeling the onion, bite size chunks, boil the ocean, deliverables……..- aaaaaargh! | | | |
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