Town Issue Statement On Farage Visit
Tuesday, 24th Mar 2026 17:12

Town have issued a statement regarding last night’s visit to Portman Road by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

As reported earlier, a private tour of the stadium was booked with the club understood not to have initially been aware who was taking part.

They opted to still allow it to go ahead and to admit social media staff, who shot videos and photographs inside the stadium, which were released by the political party this morning via their channels.

Fans reacted angrily to their club apparently associating with and endorsing Reform with the story subsequently picked up by the national media.

The statement reads: “Ipswich Town Football Club has, over several years, hosted representatives from a range of political parties.

“The club remains apolitical and does not support or endorse any individual or party. The club will continue to engage with representatives from across the political spectrum as part of its role within the community.

“Ipswich Town is proud to be an inclusive, diverse and welcoming organisation that supports all members of the local and wider community. This commitment remains unchanged.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

Page:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Ravanelly added 17:14 - Mar 24 Pathetic
42

WeirdFishes added 17:14 - Mar 24 A complete cop out and pathetic statement. Ashton Out.
-13

urbanpenguin added 17:15 - Mar 24 Being diverse and welcoming does not mean everybody is welcome equally. Fascists should never be welcome. With this and the club's response last year to concerns of homophobia, decades and decades of excellent community work is at risk.
68

Somersetractor added 17:15 - Mar 24 "anti community" perhaps
6

Freddies_Ears added 17:17 - Mar 24 Utterly inadequate. At a minimum, ITFC should announce it is to make a substantial payment to the Foundation for its work with ethnic minorities and refugees. Whoever sanctioned the media antics (now ITFC have admitted this happened)) should be fired.
49

BlacknGoldnBlue added 17:17 - Mar 24 From that report, the club knew what was happening and allowed it. Shameful. I'm absolutely disgusted by the football club at this point.
55

ITFCSG added 17:20 - Mar 24 Ashton and Nash, if tomorrow Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un want to conduct their propaganda video shoot and wave our home kit with their name emblazoned on the back at PR the Club would be rolling out the red carpet for them as well? Inclusive and diverse enough? Ffs.
34

finidi added 17:20 - Mar 24 Perhaps all those who are bleating will give up there season tickets to give others a chance to watch games, would they feel the same if Keir Starmer visited?
-37

phil1982 added 17:20 - Mar 24 I have written to Mark Ashton - I think they have made a massive mistake here. I don't believe OUR club should be used by any political party for their own ends, especially one that seeks to divide. I'd be interested to know what Ed Sheeran thinks
26

NottsTractor added 17:20 - Mar 24

That is a 'nothing' statement. The array of shirts and the fact that they admitted Reform social media staff is incredibly close to facilitating promotion of the party rather than facilitating a visit.

Whilst the stated commitment to inclusion and diversity may remain for the club, it is surely damaged by hosting a political party with a stated aim of removing all EDI roles in the council areas it has control of.

In 47 years of being a supporter I have never been so embarrassed as I am today.

JeanManuelThetis added 17:22 - Mar 24 Pathetic. Total distraction with 8 incredibly important games coming up.
7

WhitstableBlue added 17:23 - Mar 24

I'm of Polish descent and have recently received pro-Nazi comments at the stadium. It’s been deeply distressing and has me questioning whether to renew my season ticket. I've not been to recent games because of the comments. I initially contacted the club assuming this was an oversight—I couldn't imagine they would knowingly allow a group that normalises such rhetoric to conduct a photo shoot in the stadium. To hear this was given the green light, even if unaware initially, is sickening. I’m honestly at a loss for words.

finidi added 17:23 - Mar 24 Perhaps all those who are bleating will give up there season tickets to give others a chance to watch games, would they feel the same if Keir Starmer visited?
-42

MagicYouKnow93 added 17:23 - Mar 24 Need to grow up if you're offended by someone visiting the stadium. Club states they don't endorse him. Stopping him attending is discriminating in itself? Don't/won't vote Reform either before anyone throws that
-10

OrwellianGeorge added 17:24 - Mar 24

Just being Devil's Advocate, I don't recall a similar reaction when Morsy refused to wear the LGBT armband in December 2024 at the Premier League's behest? It could be argued that this breached the ideals of the ITFC Foundation and it certainly attracted a lot of negative publicity for the club in the media. Is it not OK to be racist (and rightly so) but OK to be homophobic & transphobic?

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 17:25 - Mar 24 Urban penguin. U literally prove my point . Inclusivity and acceptance is only valid as long as you agree with me. Lefties are such hypocrites
-16

smithlarr added 17:27 - Mar 24 @finidi There was plenty of backlach for Morsy, but most of it on here was downvoted. People like Morsy, and support of the LGBT community is usually paper thin for a lot of people, until it means criticising someone they like.
10

tractorboybig added 17:27 - Mar 24 Free speech and free thought something the woke lefties hate
-24

NederlandseBlue added 17:27 - Mar 24 It took them this long to come out with that?? Not "initially" aware... so when did they become aware? Sufficient for senior management to do the meet and greet obviously. To what extent will they "continue to engage" with this or any party in future? Personalised shirts and photoshoots for all? Who received and accepted the signed Farage shirt?
30

smithlarr added 17:28 - Mar 24 @OrwellianGeorge ^^ wrong reply target
0

smithlarr added 17:29 - Mar 24 Anyone who says "what if Kier Starmer did it" convieniently can't point towards him or anyone else actually doing it, unlike Farage actually doing it.
28

Ralphinho added 17:31 - Mar 24 Absolutely shocking from the club. I am ashamed to call myself an Ipswich supporter.
7

TractorBlue00 added 17:32 - Mar 24

Didn't realize we had so many soft little cry babies in our fanbase. I think politics should be left out of football but the club is welcoming all people of all political parties and if you can't handle seeing someone you don't like then get over yourself. You can also see how many people are completely brainwashed by the media by thinking that farage is the next Hitler, pathetic.

-23

OldClactonBlue added 17:34 - Mar 24 Finidi I think you may find a good many do
5

ITFCSG added 17:35 - Mar 24 @Tractorboy1985 Opposing racism, homophobia and neo-N@zism doesn't mean I love communism and/or the socialist system. I don't support a system that has enslaved and killed a hundred million in the past century either. Its not a zero-sum game.
22