Town have launched Medals2Matches, a scheme encouraging serving and former military personnel to wear their medals to Saturday’s home game against Cheltenham, this season's designated Remembrance fixture.

The initiative is in conjunction with Combat2Coffee, a mental health project which supports veterans and their families and has a coffee van in the FanZone and a kiosk in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand upper tier on matchdays.

Those wearing their medals on Saturday will receive a 10 per cent discount at the FanZone bar and £1 hot drinks at the Combat2Coffee van and kiosk.

Nigel Seaman, the founder of Combat2Coffee, proposed the idea, which will be repeated at future Remembrance fixtures at Portman Road.

“We usually only wear medals at funerals and on Remembrance Day. Why shouldn't we wear these at a Remembrance match to continue to grow the Armed Forces message?” he told the club site.

Soldiers from Wattisham Airfield will be at Portman Road for an on-pitch tribute on Saturday, alongside a bugler from the East of England Co-op brass band, who will be performing The Last Post ahead of kick-off.

Veterans who served elsewhere in the RAF, Army and Navy within Suffolk and North Essex will also be at the match, while The Royal British Legion will be collecting outside the ground, in the FanZone and in hospitality areas.

Photo: Matchday Images

arc added 12:54 - Nov 9 I hope this doesn't become like the NFL with asinine "salutes for service" every week and coaches wearing camouflage on the sideline. I come from a military family and have great respect for the work our servicemen and women do, but society is built by the "service" of everyone, and focusing tributes on one group disproportionately is not right.
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CityBlue added 13:58 - Nov 9 and again...it is NOT RAF Wattisham....
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trncbluearmy added 14:08 - Nov 9 Ex military so feel qualified to comment, not sure about this, feels a bit yankified COYB
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bluelodgeblue added 14:51 - Nov 9 Love a fly past!🇬🇧
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Zx1988 added 15:14 - Nov 9 "The Armed Forces Message"? That sounds disconcertingly vague.
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PhilTWTD added 15:26 - Nov 9 CityBlue Sorry, Wattisham Airfield. I did used to play football with some lads from the Army Air Corps who were based there, so probably should have known!
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Number22 added 16:05 - Nov 9 Also ex-military, mine will be finley ready for Sunday. Not celebrating Ladapo's hat-trick.
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shortmarine1969 added 17:12 - Nov 9 Sorry not up for this at all a nice thought & gesture but I feel misplaced., as others have said a bit of "American" approach. Same as servicemen and women are not all hero,s ..some are but these are very few and far between. We all volunteered for the job and get paid, occasionally circumstance makes hero,s out of a few. My medals will be worn at the right place and at the right time a football game to get 10% discount is not that time in mine view. 36 years of service done and still in, so able to offer a valid view !!.

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ButchersBrokenNose added 18:35 - Nov 9 So, as an American veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (who has never worn my medals since retiring), I can understand some of the concerns voiced on here. But, the article clearly states that this initiative is not just about giving 10% off a cup of coffee; it is aimed at raising awareness of veterans' mental health issues, something which has affected Terry Butcher's family among others. Dismissing this as a "yankified" practice is disappointing and doesn't help anybody. We now have American owners whom I'm guessing are aware of the issues reintegrating British veterans face and want to do something about it. They're trying to help the community, but instead they're getting criticism. I've had colleagues and friends kill themselves after coming home. Anything that can stop that from happening to just one family is a good thing.

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azuremerlangus added 18:39 - Nov 9 Does feel a bit alien this side of the pond as British vets/military tend to be slightly more reserved. I now have a scarf which matches my campaign medal ribbon - you see many of them about over the remembrance weekend where medals would look perhaps out of place at certain venues. Much more understated and only those in the know will normally spot which war/conflict/campaign they are from.

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CavendishBlue added 19:22 - Nov 9 Not ex-military and pacifist.My boss was responsible for seeing that Armed Forces Day is respected each year and that the Veterans Medal is available freely to those who qualify. Feel this is all very well intentioned and would have expected the new owners to have more than just brainstormed the idea over a subsidised coffee. Hoping they will get a response in line with the spirit of the initiative and that it will create more awareness of the issues that blight so many veterans.

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bluelodgeblue added 20:02 - Nov 9 Our armed forces should be celebrated and respected. Their sacrifice ensured the freedoms we have today despite your political persuasion? I have no issue with peoples view it's a bit American? Having experienced first hand the way the US acknowledges their military is one of the most moving occasions ever! 🇬🇧
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Viking1759 added 14:03 - Nov 11 Having served for 27yrs and not been out long, served in several War Zones, had my men killed in front of me and seen plenty of death! One day a year the Country gets together to remember our Great Dead Hero's, this is a great gesture and well done C2c and ITFC for Championing this!! My message to you have a little word with yourselves and very happy to discuss and meet at the ground if you disagree with me as I'll be travelling down from Yorkshire later for the Game!! WHEN YOU GO HOME TELL THEM OF US AND SAY, FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE YAVE OUR TODAY!

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