I'm also rather hoping that the email address in the paragraph at the start gets an awful lot of 'please Mr Evans, can I opt out of this scheme as I never signed up to the f***ing thing in the first place' emails in the next few days?

Maybe then we might all get an apology?

My son's season ticket is £176, and the poor lad was going to have to shell out £296 if we hadn't spotted this. Thank goodness for TWTD, for bringing this into the public domain and consciousness.

And you know who has been labelled the world's biggest ticket tout.

I couldn't get the OPT OUT link above to work either Bergholtblue. I emailed the main ticket office and I'm hoping for the best. A bit worrying.

i didn't send my renewal form back...check on my account on the itfc website (you have an acount if you ever bought a ticket) it said i have payment pending of £519 instead of £399..All check yours ...blatant robbery

instead of using the link on here enter the E-Mail address on your normal E-Mail account ..i got an automatic out of office reply immediately saying they will process my opt out ( hopefully )

Not sure why some are having trouble with the email link, seems to work OK. Otherwise, copy and paste the address as suggested above.

Re SouperJim

The club says there should have been an alternative opt out box on the form sent to existing direct debit season ticket holders rather than the one which was erroneously included which was only intended to appear on the form sent to non-season ticket holders.

This is the worst sort of behaviour that you might expect from an unethical insurance company, but not what we should get from ITFC whom we support as loyal season ticket holders! Regardless of what was printed on forms, this could clearly be an OPT IN choice. People don't just give away £120 for nothing.

By the way, in terms of just the free season ticket offer, this has been the best season results wise for many years yet even now £120 bet on Ipswich getting promoted would win you £2,040.

I think it's great if people are willing to support the academy, but don't assume people want to or can afford to.

It's £120 next season but you also have to pay £120 the season we go up so your really paying £240 for a prem season ticket which is good but it's not free like they say

It's not good business to alienate your most valuable customers.

This practice is used by other companies, most notably Sports Direct with their mugs and magazines, however those cost a pound, this is £120.

It's either incredibly ignorant of the club or sinister business practice, knowing the club, I'd suggest it's the former. What an own goal!

Re: SouperJim- I noticed the same thing in the ST booklet which more than suggests you have to opt in, rather than opt out. To add to this, the letter sent out with the application form clearly states that "as you are renewing by direct debit you don't need to do anything, unless you wish to add a membership". On the ST application form, it clearly states that memberships cannot be added to a direct debit and the "Ramseys Friends" option is listed in the section entitled "membership".
So rather than a simple "printing error" on the application form, two further separate print outs also suggest the same thing. Why send out a letter clearly saying "memberships need to be ordered separately, without adding something about "except membership to Ramseys Friends, which has been automatically added". That would be cheeky at best, but it's a whole lot better than putting nothing and hoping no one notices the payment schedule.

The intention is clear to me here, I'm just glad it was spotted.

This is my contribution to the "Raising funds for Itfc Saga.
A number of years ago, at it's inception, I signed up for The Blues Foundation Big Blue Game and have been paying £9.75 per month ever since. The reason for so doing was to contribute to the fundraising for the Academy. Go to the website www.thebluesfoundation.co.uk for the details where Simon Milton's words include " ..this is a vital fundraising scheme for the Academy." This does show that being a member will also include entry into various draws, prizes etc. I have won one £10 note during the time of my membership. I have no complaints about the lack of wins. However I have never been told exactly how much of my £9.75 has gone to the Academy and how much elsewhere.
Now go to www.itfc academy.com where there is an opportunity for anyone to pay £10pm for 5 years ie £600 in total to be a "Ramsey Friend" - a Play Off Final ticket will be guaranteed but will be charged at normal price.
Now go to the Ipswich Town Season Brochure/Booklet 2014 -15 and accompanying letter which I received as a season ticket holder ( since 1991) and supporter since 1958!.
There is ABSOLUTELY no reference in either, that the "Ramsey Friend" £10pm will be/ has been included in the season ticket automatic renewal direct debit process.
I qualify for a Senior Concession price of £379 which equates to £16 per match. In relative terns of what " entertainment" costs, it is an acceptable (paying the full cash price on the day for that same seat is however scandalously high, but that's another story)
I telephoned the ticket office and spoke to two "agents". Both advised me that my direct debit would be automatically amended to the new price of £379. Neither mentioned the " extra" £10 pm £120pa. But when I looked at my online Itfc account and it shows my pending "direct debit" total to be £499 not £379!
Having held a 2013-14 season ticket entitles me to a half price season ticket( for 2014-15) if we get promoted through the play offs this season ( a possibility) - will that be half of £379 or .£499"!
Being a season ticket holder plus academy friend for 2014-15 would provide me with a free season ticket for 2015 -16 if promotion is gained in 2015, but what if we are already promoted in 2014?!
Do we then get refunds of the £10pm AcademyFriend donation?
For we are asked to sign up for the 2014-15 season tickets with or without Academy Friend by 14 April and start paying on 1 May , two days before the final game of the season is played!
All in all a confusing scenario and potential administrative nightmare ahead.

its sharp practice by itfc, i'd say, its not an error