| Why Ashton needs to go... 09:57 - Mar 31 with 5559 views | mrshallisfit |
What we have now is a disunited fanbase. That has been ripped open by Ashton and it cant be repaired. We all realise when we go to a game that the 29000 or so around us that we have different opinions than each other. I hear the Reform based chants. I hear the knuckle dragging comments on a regular basis. I have the seething contempt for people's apathy and people's bigotry. But I try to ignore it all and hope my club helps me to forget it all by whipping me away into an alternative world of one agenda: ITFC. Most of the time this season at home the players have done that successfully.
What Ashton has now done is created, in such a poorly timed way, a huge divide between fans that someways can never be healed. Its the same gap that occurs across society day to day.
So what to do for the immediate? There should be a protest on the day. Before the match perhaps in central town and then at the club but positioned to avoid the bus route of the players. That protest should be suspended about 45 mins before kick-off and then resumed straight after the match, hopefully in even bigger numbers.
Of course I want the players protected as much as possible, but if we are to believe various statements they are angry as well.
If you don't want any protest against Ashton because (a) you cant be arsed (b) or even worse you think Ashton was right and the club should be linked with Reform - then that shows the divide there is amongst fans anyway. I for example wouldn't want to share one micro-seconds oxygen with you for the rest of my life, as I have complete contempt for you.
I suppose that is the wonder of football. It brings together many various and varied people together under one shared experience. Our chairman has decided to blaze a floodlight onto these differences at just the worst moment, creating the perfect opposite of what he always said he wanted to achieve - fan togetherness. Of course, he did not do that deliberately. His actions were blinded by his raw undiluted ego.
I have been going to Portman Road for nearly 48 years and Ashton wont stop me going in the future. However, whilst he is in charged I don't feel the same about the club. I know its futile in some ways but I haven't worn anything ITFC related since the events of last week. I have been ashamed since then to be a supporter. That's why I will continue to protest against his presence till the moment he has gone. Any right-thinking fan with some kind of fucntioning moral compass should do the same. [Post edited 31 Mar 9:58]
|  | | |  |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:24 - Mar 31 with 750 views | noggin |
Ashton out |  |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:34 - Mar 31 with 715 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:23 - Mar 31 by pointofblue |
For me, if ther's any way to divide the playing squad from the board this is it. The players and playing staff deserve all the support they can get for the run it. But there needs to be a change at boardroom level.
The silence from the owners is infuriating me more as time goes on. |
” The silence from the owners is infuriating me more as time goes on.”
Has any considered that the Board, or some Board members(s) may have either sanctioned or arranged the Reform visit?
I think someone posted that there had been an emergency Board meeting (not sure how this would be leaked), but if this goes beyond Ashton, it could explain a lot. | | | |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:40 - Mar 31 with 696 views | bluelagos |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:34 - Mar 31 by SuffolkPunchFC |
” The silence from the owners is infuriating me more as time goes on.”
Has any considered that the Board, or some Board members(s) may have either sanctioned or arranged the Reform visit?
I think someone posted that there had been an emergency Board meeting (not sure how this would be leaked), but if this goes beyond Ashton, it could explain a lot. |
So on the KOA podcast - they said the emergency board meeting was in response to the sh1tshow - not before it.
So assuming they are correct - the board didn't sanction the visit. They actually explicitly said that too. [Post edited 31 Mar 20:41]
|  |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:46 - Mar 31 with 661 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:40 - Mar 31 by bluelagos |
So on the KOA podcast - they said the emergency board meeting was in response to the sh1tshow - not before it.
So assuming they are correct - the board didn't sanction the visit. They actually explicitly said that too. [Post edited 31 Mar 20:41]
|
Ok, not listened to the podcast yet. Will do, but not until tomorrow.
That’s where the info on the emergency Board meeting was mentioned?
What did they actually say about it? You’d expect such a meeting to response to the sh1tshow regardless of who organised it / sanctioned it, wouldn’t you. Were there details of what was discussed?
This is what really frustrates me - so little detail from the people at the heart of the situation. | | | |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:54 - Mar 31 with 633 views | bluelagos |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:46 - Mar 31 by SuffolkPunchFC |
Ok, not listened to the podcast yet. Will do, but not until tomorrow.
That’s where the info on the emergency Board meeting was mentioned?
What did they actually say about it? You’d expect such a meeting to response to the sh1tshow regardless of who organised it / sanctioned it, wouldn’t you. Were there details of what was discussed?
This is what really frustrates me - so little detail from the people at the heart of the situation. |
Yeah, it was very brief but defo mentioned
Basically was called in response to the sh1tshow (my words) and I think that was before Ashton's apology - so presumably led to that - though they didn't explicity say that
Someone will correct if am wrong am sure.
Well worth listening to. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:12 - Mar 31 with 599 views | victorysquad |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:54 - Mar 31 by bluelagos |
Yeah, it was very brief but defo mentioned
Basically was called in response to the sh1tshow (my words) and I think that was before Ashton's apology - so presumably led to that - though they didn't explicity say that
Someone will correct if am wrong am sure.
Well worth listening to. |
It seems one pf the main outstanding questions is how did reform get
Access tp the ground and be allowed to take media shots from inside the stadium. There can only be two answers, either a) MA knew about it or b) reform rang rings round our PR stadium tour person
Either way the result is the same, it was incredibly stupid and naive. Lets take the worst case scenario that a) is true and MA was happy to let reform use the club for political gain,
Regardless of his personal political views, it was damn right stupid and will likely finish any hopes of him taking a CEO job at say one of the top six clubs. The only rational reason for MA to let them do this would be if he was after a job in the new gov, but given farage went to sunderland next i would say this is unlikely, so it seems to me that it was just a monumental feck up, rather than anything particularly sinister, and his poor apology was purely down to him not finding it easy to accept blame.
Whatever happens moving forward, i would hope lessons have been learn”t.
I want us to get promoted and i will be there for 7 of the 8 remaining games giving my all to get behind the manager and the team. I personally think the summer is the time for the
Board to decide what action they want to take which may well depend on how MA carries himself moving forward. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to resign with as much gravitas as he can muster on 21:25 - Mar 31 with 559 views | grow_our_own |
| Why Ashton needs to resign with as much gravitas as he can muster on 19:13 - Mar 31 by WeWereZombies |
Well that's your take on these events, I have suspicions that are a bit different. Let us be clear who the real villain is here, Farage is the one who has tried to drag the name and image of our Club through the mud. Live Saville he is a skilled media manipulator who can play an out of their depth (in this public arena) character like Ashton like a puppet. If there had been a Chairman in place who Ashton was answerable to then I hope at least a phone call would have been lodged to them by Ashton and he would have been told that good corporate governance forbade anything other than a regular stadium tour to Reform (sic) representatives.
So, just as Jim so horribly fixed things and Trump had that motto under his Presidential campaign rostrum too, Farage fixed Ashton. It's a stain that is going to be hard for the Chief Executive Officer, and the Chief Operating Officer, to remove. If the Club can find a way for them to leave with some dignity intact and for a better identity to be established going forward I think that is the best we can hope for. [Post edited 31 Mar 19:17]
|
"If the Club can find a way for them to leave with some dignity intact and for a better identity to be established going forward I think that is the best we can hope for." - I'm relieved you identify the only way the club will start to heal, and I agree a Chairman would have helped. But I don't buy that Ashton was an innocent mark. I am 100% convinced Reform's social media team doesn't attend without Ashton's sign-off. Pearce didn't take that bullet, and Ashton hasn't denied it. That single decision to invite the circus in caused this whole clusterf#ck. Ashton's an experienced CEO, not an intern. Naivety excuse doesn't go far. Have a good evening dude. [Post edited 31 Mar 21:30]
| | | |
| Why Ashton looks like sh1te warmed up on 21:41 - Mar 31 with 502 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Why Ashton looks like sh1te warmed up on 18:35 - Mar 31 by WeWereZombies |
I don't think the Club is sponsoring a racist, Fartrage tricked his way in as far as I can see (with the aid of this shady Pearce character according to some reports) and an uncharacteristically gullible Ashton got pranked...maybe. Ashton's haggard appearance in that not quite an apology video looks like that of someone who wished he had never seen or heard of Fartrage, let alone dined with him. And, anyway, Ashton is not the Club but does represent an important facet of the Club...at the moment. [Post edited 31 Mar 18:48]
|
"Tricked his way in?" How?
Unless respectable media are lying to us. The club invited him. The club wined and dined him. The club gifted him 6 custom-made propaganda shirts. The club gave his media team free reign of usually restricted access areas of the ground.
But somehow Farage tricked them into turning it into an advertisement for him and Reform?
The only thing that is actually missing is a photo of Ashton shaking hands with him to receive his signed shirt. I suspect that photo exists somewhere in Ashton's private photos.
To say Farage tricked his way in is a bit like saying Cadbury World tricked me into advertising their products when I paid to visit them, did their tour, took pictures and shared them on my social media. They tricked me into advertising them. How was I to know Cadbury World would be supporting Cadbury's?
Other chocolate manufacturers exist. [Post edited 31 Mar 21:45]
|  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:42 - Mar 31 with 494 views | hunty21 |
What we have now is a handful of individuals o who would rather rip up our season than get promoted | | | |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:47 - Mar 31 with 478 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 19:05 - Mar 31 by ITFCson |
He needs to go for your benefit it seems, for your ideology. Many are happy for him to stay and continue with the good job he has been doing.
You do realise that this has became bigger news because of the meltdown from some of our fans? You do realise that you are part of the problem? It has been picked up more by the media because of the fanbase over reaction. If the team starts to suffer because of this it will be on you, not that any of you would ever acknowledge that and maybe in fairness you may not even be aware.
And for reference I am not a supporter of NF. |
This may be the case but I will not shut up about my club being used to sponsor a racist and his racist political party.
I would be unhappy with it being used to sponsor a decent politician but to sponsor a racist is appalling for me. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:48 - Mar 31 with 472 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:42 - Mar 31 by hunty21 |
What we have now is a handful of individuals o who would rather rip up our season than get promoted |
Yes, that is exactly what I want. Thank you for articulating my point so succinctly.
What we also have now is a handful of individuals who would rather completely dismiss anyone else's view that does not align with their own. |  |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to resign with as much gravitas as he can muster on 21:50 - Mar 31 with 460 views | WeWereZombies |
| Why Ashton needs to resign with as much gravitas as he can muster on 19:19 - Mar 31 by mrshallisfit |
But Ashton shouldn't be out of his depth. What has driven him/blinded him is a mixture of his inflated ego and/or his political leanings towards Reform. |
Whether he should or shouldn't be out of his depth is an out of date question now, he obviously is as far as political nous goes. Will this extend to the wider remit of running the Club as a commercial enterprise goes ? He has covered a lot of ground since Gamechanger took over and this sad affair could be an indication of burn out, no one is indispensable and the needs of the Club take precedence over any one employee. We must find a better Chief Executive Officer now and ensure that there is a responsible Chairman to operate alongside them. |  |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:53 - Mar 31 with 446 views | pointofblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:42 - Mar 31 by hunty21 |
What we have now is a handful of individuals o who would rather rip up our season than get promoted |
How is Mark Ashton so important to our promotion chances that his survival in position is paramount to our promotion? And if so, what does that say about McKenna?
If in truth, you mean any sound of dissent will hit the players then I think it's exaggeration from fear. An understandable fear, but an exaggeration all the same. And if the owners/board are that worried about fan reaction affecting the players IMO they would have managed the situation far better than they have. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:53 - Mar 31 with 441 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:01 - Mar 31 by lazyblue |
Players are not angry stop trying to aggravate it even more for your little protest, wokies love a protest.
Move on or stay away as some of us want to watch and enjoy our football. |
You know every one of the players and that they are all happy?
Why does that conflict with the reports of at least two reputable journalists with access to the players?
Not that you will answer any of these questions because you are just here to fan the flames with your inflammatory snippets of "stop it, and leave the poor racist-promoter alone." | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:56 - Mar 31 with 427 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:11 - Mar 31 by TheMoralMajority |
I know you are more interested in lobbing hand grenades and running away, but in the unlikely event you do actually wish to engage, here are 2 sources of evidence that would dispute your assertion.
Protest by PhilTWTD 29 Mar 14:56The players were and probably still are furious about all this, as you'd imagine they'd be having had shirts with their names on appearing in videos promoting Reform without their knowledge. And it's certainly not about 'left-wing views', plenty of people who would put themselves on the right on here and elsewhere are unhappy with the association of their club with Reform.
Farage’s visit was openly discussed among the first-team players when they convened for training at their Playford Road base, several querying how he had been allowed to project himself from areas that are sacrosanct to them on a matchday. A diverse, particularly engaged squad was left unimpressed. It is the last thing Kieran McKenna needs, or deserves, as Ipswich prepare for an eight-game sprint towards promotion next month. Errors of this gravity touch every area of a club.
https://www.theguardian.com/fo
Care to counter? |
"Lobbing in hand grenades and running away" is the most accurate description of Lazy Blue I have seen.
I think they just want to pretend the whole issue never happened rather than deliberately trolling but it would be nice for them to actually engage in answering questions like whether they are happy for the club to be promoting a racist and his racist party. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 22:02 - Mar 31 with 400 views | pointofblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:56 - Mar 31 by Nthsuffolkblue |
"Lobbing in hand grenades and running away" is the most accurate description of Lazy Blue I have seen.
I think they just want to pretend the whole issue never happened rather than deliberately trolling but it would be nice for them to actually engage in answering questions like whether they are happy for the club to be promoting a racist and his racist party. |
I think the final line is an issue though, and makes it about WHO was at the ground, rather than the meaning behind it. If any politician/party were allowed to use the club to promote themselves in the manner Farage was, it's an issue which needs to be resolved. | |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 22:06 - Mar 31 with 384 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:42 - Mar 31 by hunty21 |
What we have now is a handful of individuals o who would rather rip up our season than get promoted |
Do you know what? I think I am there.
I love this club and I want this club to excel at the very highest level possible.
But I cannot support this club whilst it is an endorsement for Farage and Reform.
Once Ashton has gone, all will be well and this will be a nasty stain in the history of the club. Until then, do I want us to be promoted? I honestly am not sure I do! And that is a horrible position to be in as a lifelong fan. | |
| |
| Why Ashton looks like sh1te warmed up on 22:10 - Mar 31 with 354 views | WeWereZombies |
| Why Ashton looks like sh1te warmed up on 21:41 - Mar 31 by Nthsuffolkblue |
"Tricked his way in?" How?
Unless respectable media are lying to us. The club invited him. The club wined and dined him. The club gifted him 6 custom-made propaganda shirts. The club gave his media team free reign of usually restricted access areas of the ground.
But somehow Farage tricked them into turning it into an advertisement for him and Reform?
The only thing that is actually missing is a photo of Ashton shaking hands with him to receive his signed shirt. I suspect that photo exists somewhere in Ashton's private photos.
To say Farage tricked his way in is a bit like saying Cadbury World tricked me into advertising their products when I paid to visit them, did their tour, took pictures and shared them on my social media. They tricked me into advertising them. How was I to know Cadbury World would be supporting Cadbury's?
Other chocolate manufacturers exist. [Post edited 31 Mar 21:45]
|
From Phil's new article at 20:35 on Friday:
'Town initially claimed that there had been no official input into the visit, that the tour had been arranged without the club’s knowledge before being allowed to go ahead but with no contact between the senior management and Farage.
However, it subsequently emerged Ashton and Blues chief operating officer Luke Werhun met Farage for a brief lunch, while the club also provided Reform with six shirts they used in their videos and photos.
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.'
Note that it has emerged that James Pearce 'initiated contact' (not sure how that differs from an invite but words get muddy when dodgy dealings happen) and was the one to suggest a private meeting between Fartrage and Ashton. Perhaps it is better that the Poundland Mussolini pushed the agenda so far that we all got to see what he was up to rather than clandestine cosying up that we would never know about. The more I think about it the more obvious it is that, in this instance, Ashton has been a complete mug. [Post edited 31 Mar 22:11]
| |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 22:13 - Mar 31 with 331 views | TheMoralMajority |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 22:02 - Mar 31 by pointofblue |
I think the final line is an issue though, and makes it about WHO was at the ground, rather than the meaning behind it. If any politician/party were allowed to use the club to promote themselves in the manner Farage was, it's an issue which needs to be resolved. |
Unfortunately that does not suit the narrative. There are 3 main arguments which have been leveled against those that think serious questions need to be asked. All have been countered in one way or another, and yet they persist, which is frustrating
1) It is Farage. You would never be doing this if it was anyone else. Woke nonsense. Grow up snowflake
For some, I have no doubt that this is true. He is a divisive figure. However for the vast majority of us it makes no difference who the politician or which party it is. You do not let your club be a mouth piece for politics. Politics, by their nature are divisive. It could be Starmer, Polanski, Farage, Screaming Lord Sutch. It makes no difference. It WILL divide the fanbase (and, lo, look at exactly what has happened.)
2) He's apologised. Move on. No one cares.
He has apologised for nothing. He has admitted nothing. He has lied, doubled down, lied again and only "apologised" when backed into a corner with no where else to go. For me, at least, this is why I am being so outspoken. I could have forgiven everything else with the right messaging, but now... yeah, it's going to be tough
3) All we want to do is disrupt the team and jeopardize promotion
This is the absolute last thing I (or most sane thinking people) wants. I want the team to succeed. I want them to win promotion. When I am next there they will get my 100% support. They are entirely blameless in this and *deserve* our support. I imagine they have wanted the noise around this as much as we have. that is to say, not at all. We should all be pulling together. And on match day, I 100% will. But in the meantime, the leadership *must* be held to account.
The leadership can address the narrative whenever they see fit. The fact that they still have not is a massive dereliction in duty, imho, and continues to divide the fanbase further. I have no issue with my fellow fans (although I appreciate a lot appear to have an issue with me). I only have an issue with being lied to and taken for a fool, all the while whilst messaging about "Running Towards Adversity", "Being the best version of yourself" and "Doing the right thing whilst no one is looking" ir parroted. Words are cheap. Actions matter. [Post edited 31 Mar 22:18]
| |
| |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 10:57 - Apr 1 with 196 views | mrshallisfit |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 20:07 - Mar 31 by positivity |
how do you know players aren't angry?
it's very likely that they were part of the staff complaining to hr, particularly given farage's xenophobic view of ethnic minorities, muslims and albanians. |
I have a feeling that lazyblue knows little of anything at any time in any place. | | | |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 11:01 - Apr 1 with 187 views | mrshallisfit |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:42 - Mar 31 by hunty21 |
What we have now is a handful of individuals o who would rather rip up our season than get promoted |
Jeez. You really aren't the sharpest chisel in the box are you. | | | |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 11:03 - Apr 1 with 177 views | mrshallisfit |
| Why Ashton needs to go... on 21:48 - Mar 31 by TheMoralMajority |
Yes, that is exactly what I want. Thank you for articulating my point so succinctly.
What we also have now is a handful of individuals who would rather completely dismiss anyone else's view that does not align with their own. |
Or perhaps don't even really get it because they are as dumb as a bag of spanners. (Or perhaps I'm being too generous to them.) | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
