| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here 08:29 - Mar 25 with 4618 views | jasondozzell |
Sounds like there's a good chance Ashton invited Farage.
He's got an inflated opinion of himself. It's not his club it's ours. |  | | |  |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:30 - Mar 25 with 823 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:15 - Mar 25 by itfc_statman |
No way are you still this naive when it's been confirmed the club was lying hahahahahaha |
Try reading the actual facts we know.
And while you're at it, if Ashton had invited Farage do you not think Farage would be posting that all over his socials?
It's you who is naive. |  |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:32 - Mar 25 with 808 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:18 - Mar 25 by bartyg |
I've got some beans to sell you. |
How about dealing with my points?
How about dealing with the fact that Farage hasn't bothered mentioning on social media that Ashton invited him? | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:36 - Mar 25 with 784 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:32 - Mar 25 by The_Flashing_Smile |
How about dealing with my points?
How about dealing with the fact that Farage hasn't bothered mentioning on social media that Ashton invited him? |
Maybe the commercial permission to use the company branded was provided as long as MAs name was kept out of it.
But personally I dont think it was MA. I think he knew all about it. But the invite could have been sent by someone like werhun. |  |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:38 - Mar 25 with 783 views | soupytwist |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:13 - Mar 25 by The_Flashing_Smile |
There's nothing to stop Reform/Farage saying "Ashton invited us/me".
They haven't. |
No there isn't, but in my view they've got what they needed from this and have moved on. They have nothing to gain from getting involved in confirming or denying any element of the story put out by others. |  | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:42 - Mar 25 with 743 views | FrimleyBlue |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:38 - Mar 25 by soupytwist |
No there isn't, but in my view they've got what they needed from this and have moved on. They have nothing to gain from getting involved in confirming or denying any element of the story put out by others. |
Also to Farage MA isnt important. Thats not gonna get you clicks when the reply is 'who?' | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:44 - Mar 25 with 742 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:36 - Mar 25 by FrimleyBlue |
Maybe the commercial permission to use the company branded was provided as long as MAs name was kept out of it.
But personally I dont think it was MA. I think he knew all about it. But the invite could have been sent by someone like werhun. |
The Athletic article says "an associate of a senior club figure to a Reform official asking for a meeting with Farage during his visit to the town."
So that's not an invite to the club itself, whoever this "associate" or "club figure" was.
Like I said above, Alan Brazil (or Terry Butcher) wanting a few beers with Farage would still fit that statement. | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:44 - Mar 25 with 737 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:38 - Mar 25 by soupytwist |
No there isn't, but in my view they've got what they needed from this and have moved on. They have nothing to gain from getting involved in confirming or denying any element of the story put out by others. |
They've got what they needed, and as milky as the Town response was it's all too late by then. Its like the apology printed on page 9 of a newspaper a week after they've run a front page smear of someone. The cork is out of the bottle, the ability to limit damage is at that point is difficult regardless of what goes out from the club. Those Farage pictures holding up the shirt at PR are out there in cyberspace forever more.
The real issue is how it was allowed to happen, the response to it is secondary.
We had absolutely no moral or legal obligation to let him in to the club, and I struggle to see any brand or commercial benefit of it. Its a wild thing to do, and its deeply concerning that the decision makers within the club didn't have the foresight to see that. It speaks volumes. |  | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:47 - Mar 25 with 725 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:42 - Mar 25 by FrimleyBlue |
Also to Farage MA isnt important. Thats not gonna get you clicks when the reply is 'who?' |
Given the fallout and statement from the club, yes putting out some proof Ashton invited him (or even just saying it) would definitely get more clicks.
In fact why didn't he put out, "Thanks for the invite Ipswich" in the first place? | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 with 731 views | N2_Blue |
For those still disputing involvement of a senior official and it not being Ashton - I don't know who it was but I've seen a reliable source who knows members of staff at the club state that they had lunch in the Chairman's suite. Make of that what you will.
I've defended Ashton in the past but i would be happy if he left the club now. He enabled this and is ultimately responsible. |  |
| |
| Anyone that didn’t realise…. on 09:48 - Mar 25 with 722 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Anyone that didn’t realise…. on 08:54 - Mar 25 by itfcjoe |
For me it's always been obvious what he can be; and this is pure ego - the difference is normally his competence outweighs his ego but not this time |
There's no doubt about that. If he was made of chocolate he would eat himself, and that has in part been a strength. I can see why he's a compelling ambassador in front of fans and investors, and a leader of people, but his insistence on sticking his tongue up the arse of anyone high profile can, as we've seen this week, be to the huge detriment of the club. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 with 718 views | bartyg |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:32 - Mar 25 by The_Flashing_Smile |
How about dealing with my points?
How about dealing with the fact that Farage hasn't bothered mentioning on social media that Ashton invited him? |
Sure man, here you go;
1. An associate. Not a senior figure at the club but an associate of them, whatever that means. Someone who knows them.
The inference here is clearly that an associate has reached out on behalf of the senior figure. That is standard procedure- someone like, Mark Ashton say, would have a secretary who manages his calendar and does admin work on his behalf.
Your reading does not make any sense. Do you think Mark Ashton's cousin could organise for Farage to have a guided tour of PR?
2. A senior club figure. If it were Ashton, why doesn't it say Ashton?
The Athletic aren't going to throw around specific names for no reason when it isn't particularly relevant to the story. The pertinent information is that it's a senior club official, and therefore sanctioned by the club by association.
I'm not an "Ashton truther" and think it's unwise to immediately assume he is the official in question but as demonstrated many times before MA is very keen to be involved in everything at the club. Therefore it's hard to believe this didn't cross his desk at any point.
3. During his visit to the town. Lower case T. So the town of Ipswich not the football club.
I don't even understand this point. The whole point of the article is that he visited PR. The sentence means that someone from the club knew he was in the area and therefore invited him to tour PR. I fear this is basic literacy. |  |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:55 - Mar 25 with 698 views | Guthrum |
There's a good deal of assumption going into the idea that it was Ashton (directly or otherwise) who invited Farage. Likely inspired by the projection - and position - of him as head and chief directing force of the club.
However, it is equally likely that it was someone else with status (maybe a distinguished former player, an investor, staff or board member), whom Ashton and the hierarchy could not, or were wary of, offending by outright refusal or too much public distancing after the event. |  |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:02 - Mar 25 with 658 views | HighgateBlue |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 08:56 - Mar 25 by pointofblue |
I agree, and I called it the moment O'Leary retired. Someone else should have took on the role rather than Ashton promoted.
And where is he anyway? We've heard more from Queen Elizabeth II than him since this happened. |
Yes, me too.
It's the height of arrogance to think that you can be an effective CEO and Chairman. We absolutely should have a wise head who is there to hold an energetic tail-wagging CEO to account. Both roles are vital.
This particular episode may or may not have happened if we had two proper, separated roles like we should do. But the fact that we don't means that the buck stops with Billy Twojobs.
Ashton has achieved a lot of note at Town, so I'm not anti-him at all. But I am, and always have been, extremely anti Ashton being Chairman.
Maybe we should now appoint one. And no, not Nigel Flippin F*rage. |  | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:04 - Mar 25 with 661 views | nrb1985 |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 by N2_Blue |
For those still disputing involvement of a senior official and it not being Ashton - I don't know who it was but I've seen a reliable source who knows members of staff at the club state that they had lunch in the Chairman's suite. Make of that what you will.
I've defended Ashton in the past but i would be happy if he left the club now. He enabled this and is ultimately responsible. |
Have heard that too.
And also from somebody at endeavour house who saw the whole thing that Nash greeted him like a long lost brother upon arrival - apparently with the ITFC media crew in tow as well.
I want Nash and Ashton gone. Weasels the pair of them. |  | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:04 - Mar 25 with 649 views | Smoresy |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 08:35 - Mar 25 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Phil has said they booked the tour anonymously ...so in what way is there "a good chance Ashton invited Farage"? |
Is that Phil's understanding now? More information has come to light since local journalists were initially briefed. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:05 - Mar 25 with 647 views | nrb1985 |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:55 - Mar 25 by Guthrum |
There's a good deal of assumption going into the idea that it was Ashton (directly or otherwise) who invited Farage. Likely inspired by the projection - and position - of him as head and chief directing force of the club.
However, it is equally likely that it was someone else with status (maybe a distinguished former player, an investor, staff or board member), whom Ashton and the hierarchy could not, or were wary of, offending by outright refusal or too much public distancing after the event. |
Lol. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:09 - Mar 25 with 630 views | Guthrum |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:04 - Mar 25 by nrb1985 |
Have heard that too.
And also from somebody at endeavour house who saw the whole thing that Nash greeted him like a long lost brother upon arrival - apparently with the ITFC media crew in tow as well.
I want Nash and Ashton gone. Weasels the pair of them. |
Which would suggest that Nash was the instigator, who is also in control of the public response.
However, that does not absolve Ashton, given he has ultimate oversight of what goes on. | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:11 - Mar 25 with 617 views | grow_our_own |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 by N2_Blue |
For those still disputing involvement of a senior official and it not being Ashton - I don't know who it was but I've seen a reliable source who knows members of staff at the club state that they had lunch in the Chairman's suite. Make of that what you will.
I've defended Ashton in the past but i would be happy if he left the club now. He enabled this and is ultimately responsible. |
I've come round to the same opinion. That 5pm statement yesterday and the fact no-one has been held responsible for this utter sh!tstorm means only one person can be. Appreciate Ashton's energy, but most of his major signings have flopped. He's clearly very flawed as a CEO. I'm no longer pro-Ashton. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:12 - Mar 25 with 604 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 by N2_Blue |
For those still disputing involvement of a senior official and it not being Ashton - I don't know who it was but I've seen a reliable source who knows members of staff at the club state that they had lunch in the Chairman's suite. Make of that what you will.
I've defended Ashton in the past but i would be happy if he left the club now. He enabled this and is ultimately responsible. |
Why did Farage/his team not take any photos of them having lunch in the Chairman's suite? | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:23 - Mar 25 with 554 views | nrb1985 |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:09 - Mar 25 by Guthrum |
Which would suggest that Nash was the instigator, who is also in control of the public response.
However, that does not absolve Ashton, given he has ultimate oversight of what goes on. |
I like you and you seem a well informed reasonable poster.
But in a tiny business of few hundred people if that, do you HONESTLY, believe the CEO who we know loves the limelight, had nothing to do with welcoming in the potential new Prime Minister to the club?????
Like seriously? Come on man. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:23 - Mar 25 with 552 views | darkhorse28 |
He DID invite him and my post saying so has been removed, it’s not conjecture, it’s fact. Send Mark my details if he’s got a problem with that being in the public domain, because it’s true.
What happens when a club indexes itself to ONE person with ZERO oversight. He’s positioned himself to have full executive control over everything, and as bad as this is. It’s hardly his worst day. The talent ID and McKenna as one of the best paid managers in world football, before he’s kicked a ball at elite level, were woeful decisions. SO poor.
Even if KM went on to get an outcome suggesting he was that world class manager, it’s such poor decision making, he didn’t know what elite looked like, and how could he, when in 35 years he too hasn’t had a single day at that level in an lead exeutive decision making role.
It’s SO poor from the ownership, they clearly aren’t football people, it is what it is.
I’ll say this though, and you won’t like it.
Until he disagreed with your politics. What scrutiny and oversight of Mark and his role(s) have you provided?
This is why the scrutiny most don’t like in case they get a down vote, is SO important.
A club our size, with our resources, should never have given all the control to one person, it’s not how any club operates since 1990!!!
That’s not against Mark either. My views are well known, he’s never been elite and never will be.
If we had the best exec in world football we still shouldn’t build around one individual, it’s such poor governance, you don’t do it, you have a team of people, all expert in their roles and the head of that allows himself not to be the best or the decision maker across everything.
Mark is pure ego. He always was …, wanting us to sing ‘shit on the villa’ at the promotion party for HIM ALONE said it all.
So the question is. Why do you only notice when his politics don’t align?
He’s always been an ego fuelled self interested individual, he hasn’t changed.., suddenly it’s popular and easy to criticise him. Where have you been!!! When the club needed that level of scrutiny and accountability.
Ashton had made us toxic in many people’s eyes, including future coaches, managers, can you imagine the number of people that now won’t touch us with a barge pole???!?!!
So unecessary - all about Marks EGO. SO PREDICTABLE.
Not now.., but in the summer he HAS to go. Horrible little man in every sense of the word.
No doubt he sees the writing in the wall if we don’t go up, and he’s thrown the entire club under the bus for the sake of his career.
I’ll say it again though, lots complaining in here have skin in this game, you all made out Ashton was a GOD.
He never was. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:25 - Mar 25 with 550 views | nrb1985 |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:23 - Mar 25 by darkhorse28 |
He DID invite him and my post saying so has been removed, it’s not conjecture, it’s fact. Send Mark my details if he’s got a problem with that being in the public domain, because it’s true.
What happens when a club indexes itself to ONE person with ZERO oversight. He’s positioned himself to have full executive control over everything, and as bad as this is. It’s hardly his worst day. The talent ID and McKenna as one of the best paid managers in world football, before he’s kicked a ball at elite level, were woeful decisions. SO poor.
Even if KM went on to get an outcome suggesting he was that world class manager, it’s such poor decision making, he didn’t know what elite looked like, and how could he, when in 35 years he too hasn’t had a single day at that level in an lead exeutive decision making role.
It’s SO poor from the ownership, they clearly aren’t football people, it is what it is.
I’ll say this though, and you won’t like it.
Until he disagreed with your politics. What scrutiny and oversight of Mark and his role(s) have you provided?
This is why the scrutiny most don’t like in case they get a down vote, is SO important.
A club our size, with our resources, should never have given all the control to one person, it’s not how any club operates since 1990!!!
That’s not against Mark either. My views are well known, he’s never been elite and never will be.
If we had the best exec in world football we still shouldn’t build around one individual, it’s such poor governance, you don’t do it, you have a team of people, all expert in their roles and the head of that allows himself not to be the best or the decision maker across everything.
Mark is pure ego. He always was …, wanting us to sing ‘shit on the villa’ at the promotion party for HIM ALONE said it all.
So the question is. Why do you only notice when his politics don’t align?
He’s always been an ego fuelled self interested individual, he hasn’t changed.., suddenly it’s popular and easy to criticise him. Where have you been!!! When the club needed that level of scrutiny and accountability.
Ashton had made us toxic in many people’s eyes, including future coaches, managers, can you imagine the number of people that now won’t touch us with a barge pole???!?!!
So unecessary - all about Marks EGO. SO PREDICTABLE.
Not now.., but in the summer he HAS to go. Horrible little man in every sense of the word.
No doubt he sees the writing in the wall if we don’t go up, and he’s thrown the entire club under the bus for the sake of his career.
I’ll say it again though, lots complaining in here have skin in this game, you all made out Ashton was a GOD.
He never was. |
There's a difference between respecting the job he's done on the pitch, which has been immense and people now not liking the fact he's at best an idiot and at worst a racist sympathiser. | | | |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:30 - Mar 25 with 524 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:48 - Mar 25 by bartyg |
Sure man, here you go;
1. An associate. Not a senior figure at the club but an associate of them, whatever that means. Someone who knows them.
The inference here is clearly that an associate has reached out on behalf of the senior figure. That is standard procedure- someone like, Mark Ashton say, would have a secretary who manages his calendar and does admin work on his behalf.
Your reading does not make any sense. Do you think Mark Ashton's cousin could organise for Farage to have a guided tour of PR?
2. A senior club figure. If it were Ashton, why doesn't it say Ashton?
The Athletic aren't going to throw around specific names for no reason when it isn't particularly relevant to the story. The pertinent information is that it's a senior club official, and therefore sanctioned by the club by association.
I'm not an "Ashton truther" and think it's unwise to immediately assume he is the official in question but as demonstrated many times before MA is very keen to be involved in everything at the club. Therefore it's hard to believe this didn't cross his desk at any point.
3. During his visit to the town. Lower case T. So the town of Ipswich not the football club.
I don't even understand this point. The whole point of the article is that he visited PR. The sentence means that someone from the club knew he was in the area and therefore invited him to tour PR. I fear this is basic literacy. |
1. I've not said anything about who it might be. "Associate" is very vague... and usually deliberately so when a journalist uses it. You've gone straight to assuming that Mark Ashton is the senior figure. The senior figure could be anyone associated with the club... and then it's an associate of them who's asked for a meeting.
2. Of course it's relevant to the story. There's a world of difference between Terry Butcher asking to meet Farage and Ashton, through his secretary, asking to. And yet both would be quite clearly covered by this vague statement.
3. You don't understand the difference between town and Town? One is the town of Ipswich - Farage was in Suffolk for a rally. Town with a capital T refers to the football club. During his visit to the town of Ipswich is very different to during his visit to Ipswich Town Football Club. As per my previous example, Terry Butcher having a few jars with Farage in Isaacs is totally covered by the Athletic's intentionally vague statement... but that would be very different to being invited by Ashton to a meeting in Portman Road.
Think about why they're being so vague, and several times - the associate - the senior club figure (not official, not staff member) and then town as in the place not the football club.
It of course could be Ashton - that's what they want you to think. And that's a much sexier story that gets clicks. But actually, when you dig into their vague phrasiology, it could actually be anyone.
And then there's the fact that there's no pictures of Ashton in any of Reform's social posts. There's a hand writing "To Mark..." - but again, why just that? That's exactly what you would do if you wanted to infer it but you didn't actually have him there!
Are you not a little bit suspicious? | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:33 - Mar 25 with 516 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 09:55 - Mar 25 by Guthrum |
There's a good deal of assumption going into the idea that it was Ashton (directly or otherwise) who invited Farage. Likely inspired by the projection - and position - of him as head and chief directing force of the club.
However, it is equally likely that it was someone else with status (maybe a distinguished former player, an investor, staff or board member), whom Ashton and the hierarchy could not, or were wary of, offending by outright refusal or too much public distancing after the event. |
Astonishing that that's exactly what I've been saying, but the two people continuously downarrowing me for it have up-arrowed you!
Do they even realise what they're arrowing?!? | |
| |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:35 - Mar 25 with 495 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| This wouldn't have happened if Mike O'Leary had still been here on 10:04 - Mar 25 by nrb1985 |
Have heard that too.
And also from somebody at endeavour house who saw the whole thing that Nash greeted him like a long lost brother upon arrival - apparently with the ITFC media crew in tow as well.
I want Nash and Ashton gone. Weasels the pair of them. |
If the ITFC media crew were in tow, where's all their posts on it?
I smell bull. | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
