In response to complaints after a number of incidents involving a small group of fans during Town’s pre-season games, the Supporters’ Club, via chair Elizabeth Edwards’s column in tomorrow’s programme, are calling on those involved to “grow up or stay away”.

This is the first time I have ever asked Simon Clegg to agree my [programme] column before it is published. Read on and you will understand why.

I am proud to be an Ipswich fan — I am proud of our heritage and historic success, and I am proud of the way, as fans, we have kept loyal despite it being the best (or worst) part of a decade since we played in the Premier League.

Like many other fans, I follow Town home and away, not discriminating between the glitz of the Emirates and the somewhat more historic ‘charms’ of Selhurst Park. I also go to a lot of other games, around the world, both club matches and internationals.

And there is one thing that I always notice about following Ipswich — that makes us stand out from most others. It’s a simple thing, but it’s vital, and it is called respect.

Respect means knowing not to cross the line between ‘banter’ and ‘abuse’. It means avoiding racist, homophobic or obviously offensive chants. It means sitting down in the right seat, when stewards, police or other fans ask you to do so. It means making sure that anyone can happily follow Town, whatever their age, from the youngest to the oldest, from teenager to parent.

Sadly, over the last year or two, but especially recently, I have been getting a lot of complaints - from people who have been going home and away for years and from others who are just getting the habit.

They are all complaining about one, tiny group of antisocial so-called fans. Most of the time, their behaviour is low-level annoying (inane and sometimes abusive chanting) but occasionally it breaks out into more serious stuff, such as letting off smoke bombs, abusing police, stewards and other fans, let alone their ignorant and disgusting booing following the serious injury to Colchester player Andy Bond the other week.

They know who they are, and if you go to away games, especially, you will know who they are too. And, like me, you would be pretty upset to hear some of the complaints that I get.

I never, ever again want to get the kind of phone call that followed the Col U game. One of our most loyal fans, a friend to many of us, who called me straight after the game and said, “Tonight, I am ashamed to call myself an Ipswich fan”.

So, I have a message for that little group. The club are watching every move you make, because they don’t want that kind of fan. As a Supporters’ Club, we don’t want that kind of fan either — your silly childish behaviour, and your style of ‘support’ that is making others think twice about going to games.

Because of you, and your behaviour, we risk losing the kind of policing style that is reserved only for those who know how to behave and respect others. So, I'll give you a choice - either grow up, or stay away.

Let’s make this a season to remember for the right reasons.

Elizabeth Edwards

Chair, Ipswich Town Supporters Club

Photo: Action Images

commando_north added 16:22 - Aug 12 Whymark4 - get real. If you think 20k people from completely different class backgrounds and demographics all want the same experience you are mental. Im pretty tolerant of behaviour but this doesn't mean I partake in it. If I was party to genuine racist or homophobic chanting I would either speak to the people doing it or, if intimidated, report them to a steward. The majority of ITFC fans I know ate the same. If people were being unnecessarily rude tk stewards or police I think, and have seen in past, that the fans police themselves. Nearly every song sung at PR or away is either Pro-Ipswich or Anti-Norwich - I'm happy with that. I think the fact that some supporters of our club refer to these people as 'so-called fans' is arrogant in the extreme, and I guarantee the people ego create the atmosphere refer to the tartan blanket and thermos flask brigade in exactly the same terms. Neither are right. People need to be more tolerant and if things genuinely offend them do something about it at the time, by speaking to them or a steward

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Tiggs added 16:26 - Aug 12 It wasn't a small group of fans at Norwich last year. It was a disgraceful large amount causing wanton damage underneath the stand, not to mention ripping out seats inside the ground. I was very ashamed to be a Town fan on that day. With regards to Colchester it should also be noted that Town 'fans' set a fire on the footbridge at the station.
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SammyT added 16:27 - Aug 12 Irks me a little bit how people talk about how "nicer" Ipswich were a 15+ years back as well. The guy who sits opposite me at work is always telling me stories about when the North Stand was divided in 2 by a fence, Home fans one side Away fans the other. He remembers have "a police officers" hat full of urine chucked over him. People used to try and scale the fence snarling, swearing, shouting racial chants. Telling me about the time he was chased by Millwall fans in surgical masks, the times where Chelsea fans used to beat fans up for no reason and leave "Chelsea Headhunter" Business cards. Football has and always will have its ugly side. ITFC were and still are one of the better clubs.

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UsualSuspect added 16:33 - Aug 12 Jeremy Kyle would have a feckin field day listening to some of you. Like it or not there will always be moronic behaviour at football, always has been always will be, unfortunately one mans threshold is not necessarily anothers. Football clubs generally know when the line has been crossed and will take action when and if required. Now I suggest the baby squad and the blue rinse brigade all get together over a very exspensive cup of coffee and a portman pie and give each other a cuddle. Bless. COYB

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commando_north added 16:33 - Aug 12 I have to agree that Norwich last year was a disgrace, and I was embaaassed by that but that was a large number of people well out of hand
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SitfcB added 16:33 - Aug 12 Tiggs, that wasnt a fire, it was a smokebomb.
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SammyT added 16:37 - Aug 12 As "chair of the supporters club" Liz should be trying to unite the fans, with a view to working with people to the eradictation of racial chanting, abusive behaviour etc. Instead she seems to be driving a wedge between fans, reminds me of a lady I used to know on the local Parish Council, was on there to be someone rather than to make a difference...
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textbackup added 16:40 - Aug 12 only at ipswich town fc could there be this kind of statement. what an absolute joke... shock at people singing an offensive chant at football! it happens, and to compare the booing of a game being called off to the london riots, which someone on here has done, really sums some people up. yes i agree in the family stands that the language should be watched, but if u sit in the north stand where its no under 16's you know what your going to get. we need an atmosphere and if theres a swear word involved what does it matter?? oh look the pc brigade have come out... now theres ur reason for riots! to many people being worried of offending anyone!

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Vexorg added 16:50 - Aug 12 Liz Edwards is da man! Gonna get my club back, now need her on the streets to get my country back. Pleased to see a stewards warning some 14 yr-old on Tuesday who persistently did the w@nker sign to the away fans. From 25 yards away it was really brave thing to do and really funny for us grown ups to watch. Not.
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keighleyblue added 16:52 - Aug 12 Well like every walk of life there are some people that go to football games that are half intelligent, others who aren't, there's some behaviour that is accepted in certain social circles, others that isn't. Football just reflects the rich tapestry of society, as long as no-one gets hurt then I don't see the problem really. If boundaries between what's acceptable behaviour and what isn't are changing, and whether certain kinds of 'banter' is acceptable within society at a given time, then that's exactly what you'll see reflected inside a football ground. For better or worse, I don't think it's anything that pious statements like this from the supporters club can change.

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Karlosius added 16:53 - Aug 12 Didn't even realise there was a Supporters' Club to be honest...
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yorkshireblue added 17:00 - Aug 12 At least she got a steward to have a friendly word rather than issue a pretentious statement.
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JayITFC added 17:16 - Aug 12 I know exactly the group she is talking about & agree 100%. 10-20 youths at Cambridge friendly were a disgrace. Let off a smoke bomb, anti-Cambridge chants, disgusting language at ball boys, wh*re this, c*nt that, I was ashamed to be in the same stand as them. Ruined the game.
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Toepunt added 17:18 - Aug 12 Perhaps we should have a swear box in the north stand, that should easily cover Bullard's wages if we get him!
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blue_em_away added 17:19 - Aug 12 Liz.... you should have stood next to me in the north stand in the late 70's early 80's when we were one of the best. You would think a football game today is like a tea party in a library. I do however see your point but, football is a tribal thing and tempratures will rise. Ipswich fans have always been more "polite" than most, and always will be.
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SammyT added 17:22 - Aug 12 Well said Blue_em-away
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JayITFC added 17:23 - Aug 12 Having said that it's the hardcore that make the noise. 10 years ago we had a song for most players! Now if there's any singing at all it's either anti Delia/Norwich/player/club we are playing. Can't the supporters club arrange some new songs & chants? Perhaps circulate the lyrics in the programme so people are aware/join in? Get some atmosphere back at PR that isn't negative or anything to do with Norwich!!!

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MathieandMarshall added 17:35 - Aug 12 All very simple people. If the WHOLE crowd make more noise of a positive kind and for those that have forgotten i mean singing your hearts out while the churchmans clap along, the abusive chanting of the minority will simply be drowned out and they'll either give up or join in with the rest of us. It wasn't that long ago that Sir Alex commented that out 20,000 made the noise of 40,000 (in the 1-1 draw at PR) What has happened to the noise ??

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bugblatter added 17:40 - Aug 12 It does seem to be a change in society over the last few years, not just at football (anyone for a riot?). There are too many kids thinking that they can get away with the hell they like because no-one: parents, teachers or even the police will really do anything about it – they are probably scared themselves to do so for fear of getting into trouble themselves... If the kids do get pulled-up they're then treated like victims, it not being their fault for being ignorant antisocial yobs. I stood up to the idiots in the lower SBR stand during the home game v Norwich when a pathetic Justin Fashanu song started being sang (hey that's topical!). I am pleased to say the rest of the stand applauded and supported my call to 'shut the fxxx up'. It is simple, you don't have to be offensive to create a great atmosphere...

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yorksblue added 17:43 - Aug 12 Only way to get atmosphere back into football stadia is to re-introduce terracing, but I know I'm p****ing in the wind. OOps! sorry about the poor language.
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Lightningboy added 17:59 - Aug 12 Totally with you Elizabeth..sadly as seen this week,a minority of our society live in the sewer and rather than try and climb out they'd preferto try and drag others down to their level with them. Sadly it goes on at every club these days..we need to start getting tough with these thickos. Hopefully they can be identified and given a life ban.
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Ohmyhat added 18:09 - Aug 12 I think that Elizabeth, in her role as Chair of the Supporters' Club, is fully justified in her comments. The 'behaviour' of some at Colchester was, quite frankly. embarrassing. I consider myself a passionate town fan, but I can't understand the 'anti' everything about the opposition, no matter who they are... for goodness sake, Cambridge! At the moment, it is a small minority, but we've seen recently how others can jump on a bandwagon when they feel that they can get away with anything they like. The trouble is, in this case, I'm not sure that the 'minority' will get the message. Anyway, fingers crossed for a good performance and win tomorrow and a lively crowd signing songs to get behind their team.

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MattinLondon added 18:14 - Aug 12 I'm 33 and when I first started going to football the North Stand was spilt into two and the atmosphere seemed (was too young to go in) a lot lot better than what it is now. It does make me laugh that some 'older' fans have stated that atmosphere at football grounds has gotten nastier the last few years. Sorry but the 70s/80s was the golden age of football hooliganism and so I cannot imagine the atmosphere we have at PR today is nastier than what was on show then. I don't see anything wrong in flares/smoke bombs being set off at grounds or massive banners being on display. Homophobic and racist abuse should allowed. I'm mixed race and I am never experienced racism at PR. I heard it once directed at Peter Ndlove (incorrect spelling) and he was reported and kicked out. Ever since the North Stand was re-built the atmosphere has gone down

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SammyT added 18:14 - Aug 12 "a minority of our society live in the sewer and rather than try and climb out they'd preferto try and drag others down to their level with them" - how is that relevant Lightingboy?
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derbytractor added 18:26 - Aug 12 Hi BREEDON BLUE Will be there tomorrow, get to all saturday home games used to travel with my Dad who passed away a couple of weeks ago aged 88! He went to most of last seasons home games - a true blue my dad also lived in derbyshire
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