Town have announced that club patron and former board member Philip Hope-Cobbold died this afternoon.

Born in 1943, Hope-Cobbold was the nephew of former chairmen John - who took him to his first Town match in 1950 - and Patrick Cobbold, as well as a grandson of Ivan Cobbold, who put up the money required to turn the club professional in 1936.

He was invited to join the Blues board in 1995 after Patrick’s death and remained a director until the 2007 Marcus Evans takeover when he became the club's patron as well as a member of the PLC board.

After attending the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Hope-Cobbold served with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars, now the Light Dragoons, for 30 years in Germany, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, Canada and Oman and rising to the rank of Major before retiring in 1992.

He inherited Glemham Hall, the place of his birth, from his uncle Patrick where he and wife Raewyn hosted the club’s annual pre-season barbecue for some years.

The high sheriff for the county of Suffolk for 2005, Hope-Cobbold remained a familiar face around Portman Road last season.

Very sad day for the Club, the last in a very long line of the brilliant Cobbold family at Ipswich Town. Always a pleasure to meet up with him on match days and the boardroom will not be the same without him. Deepest condolences to his family #RIP #philiphopecobbold https://t.co/GgIs8DJN4B– Simon Milton (@Milts25) July 8, 2020

Incredibly sad news. What a fantastic man with a great sense of humour. Such passion for the club and will be deeply missed by all the Ipswich Town family https://t.co/tmd0pqnHTQ

— Matt Holland (@mattholland8) July 8, 2020

Wonderful man and fantastic supporter of the club. He was a class act and wrote a lovely letter to me when I left the club. Always loved a bit of craic and I will miss him. RIP Sir 🙏

— jim magilton (@magilton7) July 8, 2020

Photos: TWTD/ITFC