Town chairman and chief executive Mark Ashton has issued an unreserved apology for the hurt caused by this week’s controversial visit by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the manner the club then dealt with the subsequent furore.

Farage and Reform took part in a private tour of Portman Road on Monday with the club facilitating access for their social media team, angering fans, as well as players, sponsors - understood to include Halo, Ed Sheeran and the University of Suffolk - and club staff.

Town initially claimed that there had been no official input into the visit, that the tour had been arranged without the club’s knowledge before being allowed to go ahead but with no contact between the senior management and Farage.

However, it subsequently emerged Ashton and Blues chief operating officer Luke Werhun met Farage for a brief lunch, while the club also provided Reform with six shirts they used in their videos and photos.

It has also emerged that club consultant James Pearce, who has been working with Town since the 2021 takeover, initiated contact with Reform, suggesting a private meeting between Farage and Ashton during the Clacton MP’s time in Suffolk. However, not an invitation to Portman Road, with questions remaining about how the visit then developed and who agreed to it.

Speaking in a short video with the club’s TownTV channel, Ashton said: “I’m fully aware that this has been a very difficult week for all of us.

“The staff are hurting, elements of the fanbase are hurting and so are elements of our local community, and that upsets me immensely. And for that, unreservedly, I want to apologise and say, I'm sorry.”

Asked whether he understands the strength of feeling and anger from fans, he added: “Yes, I understand that supporters and elements of the community are angry. I also understand that there are a number of mistruths out there on what's actually happened this week.

“And I also understand that we have lessons to learn, because mistakes have been made, which have caused harm and distress to parts of our local community.

“And as the chairman of the club, I take full responsibility for those mistakes and full responsibility for making sure that those lessons are learned and learned quickly.”

Quizzed on how the club does that, the 54-year-old added: “I think a prime example is the board, the full board of directors are now reviewing the policy in regards to how we engage with local politicians and political parties.

“The board are reviewing that right now and we'll decide how, if and when we do that moving forward because, again, lessons have to be learnt.”

His message to supporters feeling hurt at the present time? “Again, I start with I'm sorry because I've been at this football club for over five years now and I care passionately about this football club, anyone who knows me, knows that myself, my team, my directors, my investors get up every single morning wanting to make this football club a better place and improve us and move us forward quickly.

“To do that, we've been really successful in doing that together. And I know this will have dented an element of the trust and faith that we have between the club and its fanbase and we have to put that right.

“And to put that right, we have to work hard, continue with the plan that we're doing and be the very best versions of ourselves. We have lots to do and when we've been the best at what we do, we've been together.

“I repeat, it's been a very difficult week for everyone. I unreservedly apologise for any hurt, pain, distress that's been caused, but we are better when we move together as one.”

Asked how best the club can now move forward, Ashton, who took the helm close to five years ago having been part of the Gamechanger 20 Ltd takeover, added: “I repeat, as one. We have to learn our lessons as a football club. The hurt and pain that's been caused this week is felt by myself, people within the club and we need to stay together as one.

“There's lots to fight for, on and off the pitch, as we move forward, and I feel that we've always been better when we do that as one.

“And we do try to listen to supporters and we do take on board their feelings and their thoughts on wide-ranging things, and the biggest thing for me this week has been the hurt and frustration that fans have had.

“And again, I repeat, I unreservedly apologise for that hurting pain. I'm genuinely sorry.”

While an apology and an acceptance that mistakes were made will be welcomed by fans, plenty of questions still remain unanswered regarding how the club put itself in the position of being used as the backdrop for a political party's election campaigning, one whose values appear diametrically opposed to those the club promotes.

And also the management of the subsequent fallout and media coverage.

Photo: TownTV