| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? 20:26 - Mar 28 with 2247 views | Zx1988 |
Thinking out loud a bit, so forgive me if it seems a bit far-fetched.
I think it's reasonable to assume that Ashton is at least sympathetic to Reform, otherwise he wouldn't have invited them to ITFC, presented them with shirts, had lunch with them etc., doubly so if the 'To Mark' signed shirt was for him.
Similarly, notwithstanding any impact of Ashton's ego, it feels beyond sense that he could get the PR on this so wrong, so consistently.
Reform's take on Louise Cobbold's art this afternoon also seems a bit odd. Unless it's just a simple 'owning the Libs' sort of play, I can't see what their aim is here, other than to keep things prominent and further annoy a good chunk of the fans.
Would it be outside the realms of reason that Reform and Ashton are working together, to try and engineer his sacking? At which point Reform could go big on the 'sacked for supporting Reform' line, which would no doubt play exceptionally well with both their current supporters, and those who can be tempted to join the camp.
Probably a load of BS, but part of me isn't quite convinced that the seeming ineptitude of how this is being handled is just accidental. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 21:49 - Mar 28 with 555 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 21:25 - Mar 28 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Do you think Anis Mehmeti, the son of Albanian immigrants, is OK with what Reform stands for?
It need not be any distraction for the players if they don't care about the issues involved. The Guardian article written on the subject stated that there was plenty of discussion of it amongst the players.
Several non-white fans have commented or been quoted on threads in here and their feelings over this. Would it be reasonable to assume that the non-white players and foreign players would have similar sentiments?
The players have seen departures from their number due to non-compliance with the standards and values that the club promotes. Do you think it would be reasonable for them to expect those above them to be held to the same level of accountability? |
Frankly, it’s pretty wrong to assume someone’s individual political beliefs based on their race or background. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 21:49 - Mar 28 with 558 views | Guthrum |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 21:12 - Mar 28 by redrickstuhaart |
Having a boss who supports a bigotted outfit like Reform, is potentially a big issue in recruitment and player retention / contentment. [Post edited 28 Mar 21:12]
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Not if he supports Reform in a private capacity (even in a public manner). A person is entitled to their own beliefs.
It's when he is doing in in his official role of Chairman and CEO, bringing the club into it, that the problem arises. Then it becomes an ITFC issue, not just whom Ashton may choose to support.
I wouldn't say that - prior to Monday - backing Reform and their values (if indeed he does) has noticeably affected the carrying out of his duties, including the Foundation, dealing with players of all origins and ethnicities, promoting community links and so on. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 22:25 - Mar 28 with 497 views | redrickstuhaart |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 21:49 - Mar 28 by Guthrum |
Not if he supports Reform in a private capacity (even in a public manner). A person is entitled to their own beliefs.
It's when he is doing in in his official role of Chairman and CEO, bringing the club into it, that the problem arises. Then it becomes an ITFC issue, not just whom Ashton may choose to support.
I wouldn't say that - prior to Monday - backing Reform and their values (if indeed he does) has noticeably affected the carrying out of his duties, including the Foundation, dealing with players of all origins and ethnicities, promoting community links and so on. |
I think its an issue either way if he is public about his views, as he effectively has been.
But - absolutely- once we are all aware that his views impact his professional decision making, we have a huge issue/
Mhemeti had his shirt replaced by a Farage one ffs. | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 22:33 - Mar 28 with 478 views | WeWereZombies |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 20:50 - Mar 28 by Zx1988 |
I can certainly see that. Reform would probably love to get hold of him for his sporting contacts etc., and I dare say that Ashton would feel that he'd be well cut-out to transfer his skills from CEO-ship to being a Reform MP. |
From Phil's 'Ashton: I unreservedly apologise' piece at 20:35 yesterday:
'It has also emerged that club consultant James Pearce, who has been working with Town since the 2021 takeover, initiated contact with Reform, suggesting a private meeting between Farage and Ashton during the Clacton MP’s time in Suffolk. However, not an invitation to Portman Road, with questions remaining about how the visit then developed and who agreed to it.'
Ashton had made a complete pig's ear of communication during the past week but I do not think we can yet allege that he was the one who started the sh1testorm. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 22:38 - Mar 28 with 467 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 20:47 - Mar 28 by redrickstuhaart |
Nope. Silly tbh.
Its just Reform being trolls to sow division, which aids them. Though I agree it seems clear that Ashton is a supporter of Reform, which is massively problematic for our club. |
I disagree. I don't think anyone's politics should be problematic for the club as long as it remains just that. Their politics.
I do have more of an issue with everything that has followed though, but I think I've probably made my position more than clear by now. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 09:07 - Mar 29 with 357 views | BlueBoots |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 20:50 - Mar 28 by Nthsuffolkblue |
I've been trying to think how the whole situation can be summed up and, to me, it's a bit like this:
My wife confronted me about a night out the other day I had with another woman. When she confronted me, I told her that she happened to be in the same place as me and we hit it off and had a good evening and went our separate ways.
Unfortunately my wife then told me that the woman herself told me that we had done more than that so I had to deny that we spent the rest of the night together.
Later my wife showed me a screenshot of the message I sent the other woman asking her to meet up and more details of our night of passion.
I had to front up and apologise for the other woman and say there are a lot of mistruths out there.
I think that should do the trick, shouldn't it? All should be fine now. |
Almost perfect, but "I had to front up and apologise for the other woman and say there are a lot of mistruths out there." isn't quite right...your apology wouldn't be for what you did with the other woman, but apologising to your wife if she was hurt or upset by what you did with the other woman! |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 09:23 - Mar 29 with 333 views | Herbivore |
Yes mate, I think you're on to something here. Keep up the good work. |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 09:59 - Mar 29 with 302 views | farkenhell |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 09:23 - Mar 29 by Herbivore |
Yes mate, I think you're on to something here. Keep up the good work. |
Thank you OP for setting that up. Some of the responses have made me laugh more loudly than I have for weeks. So thank you and keep up the good work! | | | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:10 - Mar 29 with 289 views | CobboldCrusty |
Stunning attempt to unite the fanbase this! |  | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:13 - Mar 29 with 274 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 22:33 - Mar 28 by WeWereZombies |
From Phil's 'Ashton: I unreservedly apologise' piece at 20:35 yesterday:
'It has also emerged that club consultant James Pearce, who has been working with Town since the 2021 takeover, initiated contact with Reform, suggesting a private meeting between Farage and Ashton during the Clacton MP’s time in Suffolk. However, not an invitation to Portman Road, with questions remaining about how the visit then developed and who agreed to it.'
Ashton had made a complete pig's ear of communication during the past week but I do not think we can yet allege that he was the one who started the sh1testorm. |
I’m surprised Pearce has avoided so much attention. If for no other reason than someone who’s advising on comms and PR is self-evidently so crap at his job! |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:40 - Mar 29 with 249 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 09:07 - Mar 29 by BlueBoots |
Almost perfect, but "I had to front up and apologise for the other woman and say there are a lot of mistruths out there." isn't quite right...your apology wouldn't be for what you did with the other woman, but apologising to your wife if she was hurt or upset by what you did with the other woman! |
I still don't think this goes far enough. I think we can still workshop a better 'apology' here.
It should be to apologise for any hurt or upset that the actions may have caused. There is no need to be specific on what those actions may or may not be. We need to keep this broad here, otherwise we risk accountability.
Also it should definitely be "the" actions not "his"/"my" actions. | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:43 - Mar 29 with 244 views | farkenhell |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 20:48 - Mar 28 by vilanovablue |
More like Farage knows there's a local election coming up in Ipswich used his contacts to utilise the club as a tool to do what he does. He knows his presence is divisive so using the club was handy way for him to use the divide and conquer playbook. The fact Ashton allowed himself to be sucked in is depressing. A bleak week for the club. |
I've been trying to work out all week why MA invited Farage to the club, what was he hoping to achieve? The naive part of me, who's always looking for the best in people, wonders/hopes that it may have been a clumsy attempt to enhance or at least preserve the steps that have already been taken towards the future development plans for the stadium and its immediate surroundings, with the local elections coming up. Putting aside that contact with such a divisive character was bound to upset local councillors of other political persuasions (although who knows, perhaps some of them may already have been feted in a similar manner), that MA was actually acting, or believed that he was acting, in the best interests of the club? And that those plans were railroaded by what Reform and Farage did post-visit.
Then again, I'm most likely clutching at straws (I know that). Also, none of that would explain why the club initially lied about the degree of its involvement in the visit and why MA, having been given the opportunity, chose not to explain why Farage was invited in the first place. | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:45 - Mar 29 with 241 views | farkenhell |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:40 - Mar 29 by TheMoralMajority |
I still don't think this goes far enough. I think we can still workshop a better 'apology' here.
It should be to apologise for any hurt or upset that the actions may have caused. There is no need to be specific on what those actions may or may not be. We need to keep this broad here, otherwise we risk accountability.
Also it should definitely be "the" actions not "his"/"my" actions. |
Or "our" actions. His and his cock. | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:49 - Mar 29 with 228 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:43 - Mar 29 by farkenhell |
I've been trying to work out all week why MA invited Farage to the club, what was he hoping to achieve? The naive part of me, who's always looking for the best in people, wonders/hopes that it may have been a clumsy attempt to enhance or at least preserve the steps that have already been taken towards the future development plans for the stadium and its immediate surroundings, with the local elections coming up. Putting aside that contact with such a divisive character was bound to upset local councillors of other political persuasions (although who knows, perhaps some of them may already have been feted in a similar manner), that MA was actually acting, or believed that he was acting, in the best interests of the club? And that those plans were railroaded by what Reform and Farage did post-visit.
Then again, I'm most likely clutching at straws (I know that). Also, none of that would explain why the club initially lied about the degree of its involvement in the visit and why MA, having been given the opportunity, chose not to explain why Farage was invited in the first place. |
As it was recommended by the PR numpty, it will have been about networking with a possible eye on Farage being in a position of power in a few years. I’ve used a PR advisor before and it seems normal for them to view any politician as a potentially useful and influential contact. I would be very surprised if it was anything different. But yes, very naive of Ashton to not realise there would be fallout. | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:50 - Mar 29 with 226 views | CrayonKing |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:13 - Mar 29 by Swansea_Blue |
I’m surprised Pearce has avoided so much attention. If for no other reason than someone who’s advising on comms and PR is self-evidently so crap at his job! |
I don't know, the (non) apology, coordinated with the supporters club statement, and a whole bunch of usually quiet posters all declaring it was time to move on within a few moments of it going live was a valiant effort at changing the narrrative.
I mean, it didn't work too well because the hole is too deep but I can see what he was trying. |  | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:56 - Mar 29 with 201 views | CrayonKing |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:43 - Mar 29 by farkenhell |
I've been trying to work out all week why MA invited Farage to the club, what was he hoping to achieve? The naive part of me, who's always looking for the best in people, wonders/hopes that it may have been a clumsy attempt to enhance or at least preserve the steps that have already been taken towards the future development plans for the stadium and its immediate surroundings, with the local elections coming up. Putting aside that contact with such a divisive character was bound to upset local councillors of other political persuasions (although who knows, perhaps some of them may already have been feted in a similar manner), that MA was actually acting, or believed that he was acting, in the best interests of the club? And that those plans were railroaded by what Reform and Farage did post-visit.
Then again, I'm most likely clutching at straws (I know that). Also, none of that would explain why the club initially lied about the degree of its involvement in the visit and why MA, having been given the opportunity, chose not to explain why Farage was invited in the first place. |
There's 2 possible scenarios for me, one more-favourable and one less-favourable.
1. He thinks (rightly or wrongly) a football regulator would be bad for the club and did all this to convince NF to kill the football regulator bill. I.e. he thought he was acting in the club's best interests.
2. He's got an eye on his next career move. i.e. he was using the club for his own self-promotion. | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:02 - Mar 29 with 189 views | ketton_itfc |
Fck me some take this is.
Bottom line Ashton is rising in stature and was reaching out to someone who will likely either be in power or leader of the opposition. And as unpalatable as it is links to Trump. Money! Investment! Friend in high places and all that. |  | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:05 - Mar 29 with 182 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:02 - Mar 29 by ketton_itfc |
Fck me some take this is.
Bottom line Ashton is rising in stature and was reaching out to someone who will likely either be in power or leader of the opposition. And as unpalatable as it is links to Trump. Money! Investment! Friend in high places and all that. |
You are missing the issue. For most this is not about reform. It is about any political party and everything that has happened since. | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:06 - Mar 29 with 177 views | J2BLUE |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:56 - Mar 29 by CrayonKing |
There's 2 possible scenarios for me, one more-favourable and one less-favourable.
1. He thinks (rightly or wrongly) a football regulator would be bad for the club and did all this to convince NF to kill the football regulator bill. I.e. he thought he was acting in the club's best interests.
2. He's got an eye on his next career move. i.e. he was using the club for his own self-promotion. |
People are coming up with all sorts of conspiracies.
Do you mean standing as an MP as his next career move? |  |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:11 - Mar 29 with 151 views | CrayonKing |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:06 - Mar 29 by J2BLUE |
People are coming up with all sorts of conspiracies.
Do you mean standing as an MP as his next career move? |
yea, that did cross my mind. Either that or just a "look at me and my best bud the future PM" being useful for the CV.
Total speculation and probable nonsense on my part. It's been a long week... | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:15 - Mar 29 with 139 views | BlueBlueBluex2 |
This is not football related but is still on the board ? | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:17 - Mar 29 with 131 views | J2BLUE |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:11 - Mar 29 by CrayonKing |
yea, that did cross my mind. Either that or just a "look at me and my best bud the future PM" being useful for the CV.
Total speculation and probable nonsense on my part. It's been a long week... |
Well, he was apparently on £600k a year when he came here. So it would be a huge salary decrease. | |
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| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:19 - Mar 29 with 126 views | farkenhell |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 10:56 - Mar 29 by CrayonKing |
There's 2 possible scenarios for me, one more-favourable and one less-favourable.
1. He thinks (rightly or wrongly) a football regulator would be bad for the club and did all this to convince NF to kill the football regulator bill. I.e. he thought he was acting in the club's best interests.
2. He's got an eye on his next career move. i.e. he was using the club for his own self-promotion. |
Thanks for the reply. As an aside, when you see Farage's name abbreviated to his initials, NF, does anyone else immediately think National Front?
Freudian or what! | | | |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:26 - Mar 29 with 110 views | farkenhell |
| Is there an ulterior motive to all this? on 11:15 - Mar 29 by BlueBlueBluex2 |
This is not football related but is still on the board ? |
Of course it's football related. We're talking about the CEO and chairman of the football club! | | | |
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