Town manager Kieran McKenna has stressed the importance of the club’s work in the community with Saturday’s match at home to Portsmouth having been declared the Blues’ annual Community Day.

Fans are being asked to ‘bring a pound to the ground’ to donate to the Town Community Trust, which was relaunched in August 2019.

“It’s massive,” McKenna said. “From my first meetings with [CEO] Mark [Ashton], he was clear on the importance of the club and the community and how they wanted to strengthen the links between the football club and the town and the whole county, links which were already there but that they want to make even stronger.

“The work that we do at the training ground and on the pitch is one part of that but there are a lot of other things that go on, initiatives and projects that the trust do that help and bring people together in different ways.

“It’s a really important arm and part of the football club, we’re really happy with what they’re doing and also with the club’s plans to keep growing and developing in that area.

“I got to meet [head of community] Jason [Curtis] and lots of his staff on Thursday when they came to the training ground and I had breakfast with him and he watched training and had a mix and a mingle with the players as well.

“I think that was hopefully an enjoyable day for them, it was nice for us to have them here and it’s an exciting day for them on Saturday as well with the things that are going on around the game and we hope that we can play our part on the football side of it to make it an enjoyable game for everyone at the club.”

The players are similarly aware of the importance with Conor Chaplin and Natasha Thomas, Ipswich Town Women’s all-time top scorer, both on the trust committee.

“I think the players know that it’s a special football club and a special area where the football club is so important to people in the area,” McKenna added.

“It’s a one club county and I think the players understand that not everywhere you are is like this and it’s important to make a difference in any way we can, and if we can make a difference to people’s lives, it’s important that we do so.

“I think the players really feel that connection. It’s hard not to feel that connection when you have the support that we have at games. It’s hard not to have that connection when pretty much all the boys live in and around Ipswich and walk through the town and they feel how important it is to the people.

“It’s a responsibility that the players enjoy. Certainly, I think they’re very, very willing to get involved with things. I’ve not seen anyone have to have their arm tied behind their back to go and help out at any of the club’s projects.

“We have a good group of players here and they’re happy to get out and about and around the community and put their name and their face and help out as and where they can.”

Photo: TWTD

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