Town paid £4,500 to secure former full-back John Compton’s 1961/62 Football League championship winners’ medal at an auction at Sotherby’s this morning. TWTD alerted the club to the medal’s availability last month with chief executive Simon Clegg keen to add it to the Blues' collection of memorabilia.

Clegg told TWTD: “I discussed it directly with John but unfortunately it was too late to withdraw it from the auction.

"So, having discussed it with the owner, Marcus Evans, he agreed with me that this was an important part of the club’s history and I was delighted to secure it for the future, to be viewed by current and future Town fans for years to come.

“This would fit in the long-term aspiration we have for creating a club museum within Portman Road.”

The Blues chief executive says he is aware that much of Town’s historical material is currently only available to a few supporters: “I recognise that a lot of the fantastic memorabilia we have at the moment is restricted to those who have access to the boardroom, the boardroom corridor or some of the corporate facilities in the Britannia Stand.

“The long-term aspiration I have is to create a facility where much of our memorabilia will be more readily available to Town fans than is currently the case.”

Clegg says the club has also added some of the material from the recent Ipswich Town in Europe exhibition to its collection: “I’m also delighted that we were able to secure some large photographs which were made for the recent 30th anniversary of us winning the UEFA Cup which were displayed in the exhibition in the Town Hall.

“Those photographs, which were not previously the property of the football club, will now be displayed in the central Britannia Stand stairwell, the entrance way to the Far Post Bar and Centre Spot restaurant and the Sir Bobby Robson Stand ground floor, where I’ll be putting something of Sir Bobby, and in the upper South Stand stairwell.

“All four stands will have benefited from some additional exhibition material which was produced for the 30th anniversary.”

Clegg says Compton, who started 41 of the 42 games as Sir Alf Ramsey’s side carried off the title, played an important role in taking the club to one of its greatest achievements: "John Compton's name is written into this club's history and I'm delighted that we have been able to keep his medal under the name of Ipswich Town.

“The club remains ready where appropriate to secure important elements of our rich sporting heritage.”

Poplar-born Compton was with the Blues between 1960 and 1964, making 131 appearances without scoring a goal. He also played for Chelsea and Bournemouth.

The left-back, now 74, plans to pass the proceeds from the 9ct gold medal on to his grandchildren, who live in Australia.

Town are honouring the 50th anniversary of the title-winning season by inviting the surviving members of Sir Alf's squad to Portman Road for the game against Leicester on Monday 9th April.

Photo: Action Images

alsagerblue added 14:59 - Nov 8 Felt sorry for John Compton as he didn't play in the opening match against Bolton away when the team photograph was taken, so Ken Malcolm appeared instead. That photo is used many times in football publications. Ironically that was the only league match he missed all season! So pleased the club have bought his medal.
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irishtim added 15:01 - Nov 8 well done glad the medal stays where it belongs
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safeashouses added 15:13 - Nov 8 We are prepared to pay money for history it seems but not the future !!!!!
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TractorBeezer added 15:19 - Nov 8 I was at most of those home game plus a few of the away games that season including the pivotal away game v Spurs and am extremely pleased that we were able to secure John's medal. I would imagine that John is especially pleased with this outcome. Well done ITFC!!
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TJS added 15:21 - Nov 8 what the price of a couple of days wages for half the current lot ? I'd say that was fairly good value !
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DiamondGezzer added 15:37 - Nov 8 Well done Town for securing a piece of club history, that young fans [ who were not even born when John won it ] may one day get a chance to see it, if indeed, one day we do have a museum dedicated to ITFC. Roll on the day.
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FifeITFC added 15:40 - Nov 8 safeashouses, don't talk rubbish. I'd hardly call 12 or so signings in the summer not investing in the future or the club.
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FifeITFC added 15:40 - Nov 8 Glad the medal is staying at the club, though.
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blueoff added 15:55 - Nov 8 the only relic the club has bought this season thats worth having
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safeashouses added 16:10 - Nov 8 FifeITFC you call those signing investments for the future ? Average age ? Loans?
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tractorgirls added 16:21 - Nov 8 they should give it back to him now...
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:24 - Nov 8 Well done Evans & Clegg! This is very encouraging because it seems to show our owner does have a feeling for the history of our club and its consequent importance for the local society.
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Fatboy added 17:02 - Nov 8 Maybe we could loan it out to Norwich to give them a taste of what it's like to have won a major trophy? PS Sotheby's (sorry!)
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gcasselton1 added 18:18 - Nov 8 straight outta compton!
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algarvefan added 00:30 - Nov 9 Why oh why do some people on this site moan about the current team when this article is about a member of the 60/61 champions side. Well done Town for securing the medal and helping out an 'old boy', Ipswich has always been known as a good decent 'family' club, long may it continue. The reaction of the fans to Sharp on Saturday shows most of us are still decent supporters.

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SuffolkBlue88 added 08:13 - Nov 9 Cleggy should download the eBay app on his phone! Good news anyway
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cooper4england added 08:21 - Nov 9 Algarvefan~ agree except it was 61-62 season. Now lets hope we can get some of the medals from the '77 cup final ;-)
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CornardBlue added 09:06 - Nov 9 Well done ME, like the idea of loaning it to little club up the road.
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Pendejo added 13:03 - Nov 9 Good work, well done.
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ElvisMariner added 16:19 - Nov 9 Excellent that the club are investing in its heritage - a club museum would be fantastic at Portman Rd
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denhamblue added 12:24 - Nov 10 glad the medal is where it belongs,but i have to agree with safeashouses.a fair few of our (for the future signings) are not long term,just season by season stop gaps.yes experienced i agree,but loans ,and over 32s,hardly thinking of the future.
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