| Here's where I'm at 18:58 - Mar 26 with 1896 views | Cheltenham_Blue | I'm not angry, but I'm disappointed, massively disappointed. Not at Reform being invited, but by someone allowing Reform to use it for their PR. and then lying about it. I can see why Ashton and Werhun would have lunch with him, given the strength of the anti-labour sentiment throughout the country and seen on this board on a regular basis, there is a fair chance that there will be a big swing to Reform on the Town council in May, big enough to block planning applications, and an excellent chance they take the County Council from the Tories, projections are that they'll win that outright. On that basis, the club MUST speak with Reform, particularly when we have major infrastructure projects in the pipeline. What I don't get, if the gifting of shirts is correct, is how the club benefits from allowing the video or the pictures to be shot, especially in the home changing room. Neither Ashton, nor Werhun are stupid people, far from it, I refuse to believe that they wouldn't have expected this level of blow back by allowing it. I don't believe Ashton will resign, nor do I believe he will be sacked. He's their guy, but if he is, I can see one of the Americans as CEO probably Schwartz. Honestly, I'm just bewildered by the whole sorry affair. [Post edited 26 Mar 19:01]
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:20 - Mar 26 with 1507 views | N2_Blue | No way he keeps his job after this⦠thankfully. Iāll still say thanks, but I no longer want him anywhere near our club. And thatās nothing to do with Reform or whatever his political allegiance is. Itās to do with his total lack of integrity, judgement and treating the fans like mugs in this whole sorry episode. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:25 - Mar 26 with 1484 views | NederlandseBlue | Fair, but then tell people that there was a meeting and why. Some would have been angry still but don't lie and hope you won't get caught. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:28 - Mar 26 with 1462 views | BackToRussia | You can have lunch any old place. It's just complete hubris from Ashton to invite him to PR. It would probably be possible to have a secret meeting at PR, though even that would be an extreme misjudgment. The fact that they allowed Farage to plaster it all over Twitter shows they actually thought people would be ok with it. Complete clowns. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:29 - Mar 26 with 1450 views | Guthrum | Can't imagine it really works as currying favour if you then try to pretend it didn't happen. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:32 - Mar 26 with 1417 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:25 - Mar 26 by NederlandseBlue | Fair, but then tell people that there was a meeting and why. Some would have been angry still but don't lie and hope you won't get caught. |
Thatās the bit I donāt get. I get that they are going to be major players in local politics, (like it or not) and potentially national politics, so it makes perfect sense to talk to them. But why then lie? Maybe they didnāt want to say something that could be construed by Town fans and Ipswich Labour as an endorsement for Reform. But if they were worried about that, why not meet at the Salthouse. Like I said, bewildered. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:41 - Mar 26 with 1377 views | N2_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:32 - Mar 26 by Cheltenham_Blue | Thatās the bit I donāt get. I get that they are going to be major players in local politics, (like it or not) and potentially national politics, so it makes perfect sense to talk to them. But why then lie? Maybe they didnāt want to say something that could be construed by Town fans and Ipswich Labour as an endorsement for Reform. But if they were worried about that, why not meet at the Salthouse. Like I said, bewildered. |
And how can you not be angry. Iām livid, absolutely seething. This threatens to completely derail our season, our manager based on some of those Farage quotes and so much else like sponsorship. This is an utter disaster for ITFC and you are just disappointed ?? |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:43 - Mar 26 with 1361 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:41 - Mar 26 by N2_Blue | And how can you not be angry. Iām livid, absolutely seething. This threatens to completely derail our season, our manager based on some of those Farage quotes and so much else like sponsorship. This is an utter disaster for ITFC and you are just disappointed ?? |
Do you think having a pop at how other fans āfeelā will fix it? Donāt be silly. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:44 - Mar 26 with 1334 views | N2_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:43 - Mar 26 by Cheltenham_Blue | Do you think having a pop at how other fans āfeelā will fix it? Donāt be silly. |
Iām not having a pop at all. Iām just curious as to why youāre not angry, just disappointed?? What would the CEO of our football club have to do to make you angry? |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:48 - Mar 26 with 1301 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:44 - Mar 26 by N2_Blue | Iām not having a pop at all. Iām just curious as to why youāre not angry, just disappointed?? What would the CEO of our football club have to do to make you angry? |
Well, thatās my issue isnāt it? Not yours. This board has gone to sh t. Any reasoned debate has gone, I thought I made some decent comments. Your response, nothing about the points in the OP, just āwhy arenāt you angryā? āWell? Why?ā |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 19:54 - Mar 26 with 1255 views | N2_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:48 - Mar 26 by Cheltenham_Blue | Well, thatās my issue isnāt it? Not yours. This board has gone to sh t. Any reasoned debate has gone, I thought I made some decent comments. Your response, nothing about the points in the OP, just āwhy arenāt you angryā? āWell? Why?ā |
Well sorry I hit a nerve. Wasnāt my intention. Probably because Iām write all I had to say on the yesterday. But after today revelations Iām trying to understand why some donāt want him to resign and are say only disappointed at something that is an absolute disaster to the club, 6 weeks from the end of the season. Iām going to leave it there as Iām not here to antagonise anyone. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 20:00 - Mar 26 with 1222 views | rkc123 | One thing I haven't seen pointed out is the significance of the shirts, if we really gifted the 'Farage 10' shirts, does that not cross over into us not just hosting him, but actually endorsing him? I.e. Farage for number 10? |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:10 - Mar 26 with 1158 views | Camul123 |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:43 - Mar 26 by Cheltenham_Blue | Do you think having a pop at how other fans āfeelā will fix it? Donāt be silly. |
You've been doing just that the whole week. |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:13 - Mar 26 with 1144 views | NBVJohn |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:00 - Mar 26 by rkc123 | One thing I haven't seen pointed out is the significance of the shirts, if we really gifted the 'Farage 10' shirts, does that not cross over into us not just hosting him, but actually endorsing him? I.e. Farage for number 10? |
The shirts in the dressing room image is the one that upsets me most. One version I saw earlier in the week included several players surnames. Iād be furious if I was one of those players no matter what my political views. It didnāt fit the clubās statement either - no way did they not know this was happening. |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:37 - Mar 26 with 1091 views | redrickstuhaart |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:13 - Mar 26 by NBVJohn | The shirts in the dressing room image is the one that upsets me most. One version I saw earlier in the week included several players surnames. Iād be furious if I was one of those players no matter what my political views. It didnāt fit the clubās statement either - no way did they not know this was happening. |
Imagine Mehmeti going to his shirt on Matchday knowing that it had been replaced by someone who doesnt believe people like him should be in the country.... |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 20:48 - Mar 26 with 1065 views | HampBlue | I donāt particularly like Farage or his band of grifters, but like you I can understand why they met with him for the reasons you outlined. Whether we like it or not they are now leading in a lot of polls, likely to win the local councils and be in contention to become atleast the second biggest party. Thereās some benefit to us establishing a working relationship. My problem is with how it came at the cost of Farage using us for political PR. In the same way I would feel if any other leader done this. Itās then alienated people whoās politics are not aligned to Farage, especially given how tribal and polarised political debate is now. The most disappointing thing for me though is the cover up. If they were honest from the get go, this probably would of mostly passed this weekend. However, I donāt think Ashton should resign. Heās made a mistake, hopefully he owns it, he should of owned it earlier. But heās responsible so many good things about this club and I wholeheartedly believe he done this with the best intentions for the club. [Post edited 26 Mar 20:49]
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| Here's where I'm at on 20:57 - Mar 26 with 1000 views | NBVJohn |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:48 - Mar 26 by HampBlue | I donāt particularly like Farage or his band of grifters, but like you I can understand why they met with him for the reasons you outlined. Whether we like it or not they are now leading in a lot of polls, likely to win the local councils and be in contention to become atleast the second biggest party. Thereās some benefit to us establishing a working relationship. My problem is with how it came at the cost of Farage using us for political PR. In the same way I would feel if any other leader done this. Itās then alienated people whoās politics are not aligned to Farage, especially given how tribal and polarised political debate is now. The most disappointing thing for me though is the cover up. If they were honest from the get go, this probably would of mostly passed this weekend. However, I donāt think Ashton should resign. Heās made a mistake, hopefully he owns it, he should of owned it earlier. But heās responsible so many good things about this club and I wholeheartedly believe he done this with the best intentions for the club. [Post edited 26 Mar 20:49]
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Have the current council executives been offered similar publicity opportunities when the club sought planning permission? |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:00 - Mar 26 with 974 views | HampBlue |
| Here's where I'm at on 20:57 - Mar 26 by NBVJohn | Have the current council executives been offered similar publicity opportunities when the club sought planning permission? |
āoffered similar publicity opportunitiesā Sorry if my post wasnāt clear but I was referencing the lunch. Of which iām sure thereās probably been lots of lunches and dinners for this. Iām disappointed that we allowed Farage the ability to do the slimey PR |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:01 - Mar 26 with 967 views | Matterhorn | You would have pretty low standards to want favours from reform, weāre not talking about a govt putting 2 pence on fuel or 1 penny on your tax weāre talking about people in power who dislike any one who is not white, have a low opinion of women & lbgt & who are comfortable with whipping up racist riots |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:09 - Mar 26 with 911 views | HampBlue |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:01 - Mar 26 by Matterhorn | You would have pretty low standards to want favours from reform, weāre not talking about a govt putting 2 pence on fuel or 1 penny on your tax weāre talking about people in power who dislike any one who is not white, have a low opinion of women & lbgt & who are comfortable with whipping up racist riots |
So the club should risk a reform council ripping up itās plans which would be positive for the business, football club, fans & community? Yes, the shirts, the video, the whole PR fiasco and lack of ownership is a disaster. But the club is doing its lobbying. Iān sure if the opportunity came to host the leader of any individuals of influence they would. Just to reiterate , everything outside that lunch was a failure, but trying to influence a political figure over lunch isnāt anything new. |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:11 - Mar 26 with 897 views | Wallingford_Boy |
| Here's where I'm at on 19:44 - Mar 26 by N2_Blue | Iām not having a pop at all. Iām just curious as to why youāre not angry, just disappointed?? What would the CEO of our football club have to do to make you angry? |
Maybe doing something worse than having a meal with a politicianā¦. Honestly, the state of this board. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 21:14 - Mar 26 with 874 views | Butterbing |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:11 - Mar 26 by Wallingford_Boy | Maybe doing something worse than having a meal with a politicianā¦. Honestly, the state of this board. |
Wow, after three days of this people still don't get it. If you can't work out why it is an issue then you are very short-sighted. It's not about having lunch. It was about allowing the club to be used for political proaganda. Then lieing about it. In the process this has annoyed fans, staff and players. Such a monumental balls up. |  | |  |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:16 - Mar 26 with 852 views | N2_Blue |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:11 - Mar 26 by Wallingford_Boy | Maybe doing something worse than having a meal with a politicianā¦. Honestly, the state of this board. |
If you think just lunch in the chairmanās suite with this individual / organisation causes no harm to a community football club with supporters / sponsors / players / employees from all backgrounds and beliefs you are just too thick to understand whatās at stake. [Post edited 26 Mar 21:41]
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| Here's where I'm at on 21:17 - Mar 26 with 841 views | bournemouthblue | Labour would still retain their majority on the Borough Council even if Reform won all 16 seats, which they won't but I have less problem with the private meeting than the gaslighting over the Party Political Broadcast |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 21:46 - Mar 26 with 747 views | Wallingford_Boy |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:16 - Mar 26 by N2_Blue | If you think just lunch in the chairmanās suite with this individual / organisation causes no harm to a community football club with supporters / sponsors / players / employees from all backgrounds and beliefs you are just too thick to understand whatās at stake. [Post edited 26 Mar 21:41]
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And may I, as my right on a football forum, say that if you think this is more than an error of judgement and the sooner the likes of you shut up about it and move on, the better. |  |
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| Here's where I'm at on 21:47 - Mar 26 with 739 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Here's where I'm at on 21:46 - Mar 26 by Wallingford_Boy | And may I, as my right on a football forum, say that if you think this is more than an error of judgement and the sooner the likes of you shut up about it and move on, the better. |
Yes. "Error's of judgement" often make the NYT's twitter feed. Just last week I parked on a double yellow whilst I nipped out to the shops. All over the news that was. |  |
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