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Thread | Ipswich Town: Why fans are meeting relegation to League One with optimism
at 10:56 14 Apr 2019
Why does such positivity persist around Ipswich Town - a club that has endured one of the worst seasons in its history and been destined for the drop for so long?
The inevitable was confirmed on Saturday, ending a sequence of 17 consecutive seasons in the Championship and putting them in England's third tier for the first time since 1957.
However, rather than dread, the reaction of those connected to the club is one of optimism.
"We really didn't want this to happen," former club captain and record appearance holder Mick Mills told BBC Sport.
"Slowly but surely, we've known it's been coming. It's been a gradual process, maybe a three-year thing.
"But you have to focus on next season and start to look at the players who can start that campaign and hopefully be the club's future."
'Be careful what you wish for'
When Mick McCarthy left Ipswich in April 2018 after five and a half years in charge, former Norwich striker and BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Sutton warned supporters to "be careful what you wish for".
Since Sutton used that phrase, it has been regurgitated by other correspondents and employed to goad Ipswich fans now planning away trips to Fleetwood rather than Fulham next season.
There was mid-table stability under McCarthy, but a large section of fans had been disillusioned with his style of play for some time, with the Yorkshireman not afraid to give as good as he got.
He called out fans who he claimed "ruined" home games last season, calling them "numbskulls", while attendances fell.
Even in hindsight, few Ipswich fans regret seeing him go.
"It's been a difficult season, nobody can deny that," said supporters' club chairman Mark Ramsay.
"But the fans are optimistic. We're looking to the future and moving forward, not backwards.
"The football's been far better this season, far more attractive to watch.
"We like Paul Lambert, he likes us and we want him to become the modern-day Bobby Robson and move forward with a young squad coming out of the academy."
Ex-England captain Mills and Benjamin Bloom, host of The Blue Monday ITFC podcast, echo those sentiments, arguing "change had to come" when owner Marcus Evans decided not to extend McCarthy's contract last year.
"The lack of succession planning and where McCarthy left the club made it very, very hard for an inexperienced manager in Paul Hurst not to fall completely flat on his face," said Bloom.
"Sometimes it's better the devil you know, but sometimes a change can do you good.
"This is, of course, the worst-case scenario. But other clubs have gone down, organised themselves, come back up on a more secure financial footing and created a better feeling on their return, so why can't we?"
The future, however, may be filled with some hazardous precedents.
Plenty of other former Premier League clubs have dropped into League One in the past decade, with several finding the path back treacherous and long.
"What everyone's hanging on to now is a chance to get the club properly organised," Bloom added.
"There's almost been an extended pre-season for Paul Lambert for the past five months.
"You see clubs like Sheffield United and Norwich City, who dropped down before Ipswich - they already had plans set up in terms of contracts and personnel.
"It strikes me in football these days you only really need to have a two-year plan and you're miles ahead of everyone else because of the scale of managerial sackings."
Plotting the path back
Former Norwich manager Lambert's arrival in November has been just one of the turbulent events that have characterised Ipswich's season to forget.
While he was unable to mastermind the great escape many will have dreamt of when he took charge, the die was almost cast during the brief reign of his predecessor Hurst.
He lasted just 14 league games at Portman Road after his decision to leave Shrewsbury Town last summer backfired.
"We're not where we are now because of results in the last 10 games," Lambert said.
"It goes back further than that, to July and August. If the club was how it is now back then, I wouldn't be here because we would have been in a great place.
"It starts in July, your season, and that's what's cost us."
Lambert is no doubt alluding to the huge turnover in playing personnel that characterised Hurst's tenure at Portman Road.
Four key components of McCarthy's squad left before the season started. Adam Webster, Martyn Waghorn, Joe Garner and David McGoldrick left for fellow Championship clubs and in their places came a raft of players from League One and League Two.
"The four best attacking players left in the summer," Mills said.
"The replacements were made, but the fifth-best attacking player from last season in Freddie Sears emerged as the best this season and that tells its own story.
"That's where it went wrong and we just couldn't score goals."
Lambert, perhaps by default rather than design, has put his faith in the club's academy graduates while implementing his own playing style.
Players such as Flynn Downes, Teddy Bishop and Andre Dozzell have emerged from the same production line as former England internationals Kieron Dyer and Richard Wright of previous eras.
"The club has to have a structure in order to build," Lambert added. "The great thing about it is it also has a great support and they deserve to see this club do well."
Evans pays price for prudence?
While other clubs have pushed hard financially to chase the dream of promotion to the Premier League, Ipswich owner Evans has been more frugal.
McCarthy's era was characterised by having a watertight transfer budget, bringing in players on frees or using his powers of negotiation to pull off a bargain.
But has that financial caution been Evans' and Ipswich's ultimate downfall?
"It's a long story with Evans as he was the only person available to buy the club when he did and take on the level of debt," said Mills.
"I think he didn't really know the game too well then and trusted managers too much. Amazingly, when he did get one who knew the game well, he slashed the budget.
"All the time, it's just been slightly wrong and maybe if he'd surrounded himself with football people rather than business or financial people, it may have been different."
Ramsay added: "We'd all like to see the owner put more money in, but I think we're realistic and know we need to stay on an even keel and the club needs to keep moving forward.
"We don't want to end up in the sort of situation Bolton find themselves."
View from the commentator
Brenner Woolley, BBC Radio Suffolk
Even for a club that has had more bad times than good over the past two decades, this is a massive blow.
The huge drop-off in television revenue, and potentially gate receipts, will mean that cutbacks on and off the pitch are inevitable.
Players who have relevant clauses in their contracts will be forced into taking pay cuts, while the threat of redundancy looms large over the club's non-playing staff.
While owner Evans will continue to bankroll the club's day-to-day running, he is unlikely to give Lambert a sizeable war chest for recruitment.
For the most part, the Scotsman will spend the summer trying to lure free agents to Portman Road, while if he does wish to invest significantly, there is every chance he will have to sell before he can buy.
Bizarrely, given their side's dreadful position, there is a real spring in the step of Ipswich fans - many of whom believe Town's stay in the third tier will only last one season.
Their positivity is largely based on Lambert's previous success with Norwich, the signing of experienced midfielder Alan Judge and the hope that a crop of talented youngsters can all step up.
The more pragmatic believe a good start to 2019-20 is imperative. Otherwise, more choppy waters could lie ahead.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47908304
EDIT: Accidentally put a picture name in bold as a header - removed [Post edited 14 Apr 11:11]
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Thread | Save My Local
at 10:11 12 Apr 2019
I've recently started a job in Brentwood and I've really been enjoying this local pub. It is a traditional one, with a nice garden area and the staff and locals have character. Now it is under threat. Not because it isn't successful, but because of the freeholders. Please sign this petition to help me continue drinking!
Thank you to anyone who spares a minute to type their name and email
http://chng.it/tknHzTD7NX
Others say:
This is probably the last true, proper, working-man’s pub for many a mile. No food, Good atmosphere, Great customer base and a very well-run bar. It would be a tragic loss to the community for it to be turned into a soul-less managed house (or worse still, deliberately run-down over the next few years so that the brewery can then make a case to the Local Authority to turn it into flats).
It would be a crime for the to be allowed to happen. Let’s all support Ian, his family and staff |
| Blog | If Stats Won Games: Small Victories
at 17:08 8 Apr 2019
If you think the Premier League is over analysed with meaningless stats by meaningless contributors, have I got a treat for you! With six games to go and a 44% chance of relegation even if we win all six, my attention has turned to more realistic, less fruitful objectives. |
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Thread | Forest Fans from Harry
at 11:19 15 Mar 2019
“This won't be easy. I watched them drag Bristol City all over the pitch the other night. I can't believe this team is bottom on that performance”,
“They have started taking the odd point from games now so I would not be surprised to see them beat us at the weekend”
“Ipswich have drawn five of their last six games. They are going down, but are not just giving away games.”
“As we saw at the weekend, they went to West Brom and got a draw”
“They have been much better over the past month”
May the turnaround continue, COYB |
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Thread | Back to Back wins
at 21:12 18 Feb 2019
Given our recent performances, is it possible? and do you think we can close the game to 3 points? A big couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to it |
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Thread | Knudsen
at 18:22 16 Feb 2019
Whilst the debate goes on about his worth from the two polarised camps, I feel sorry for him on this one. It is the classic mistake from a team getting relegated. Miscommunication or a lack of communication from a defence that has been chopped and changed through injuries. It's not all that surprising.
What was surprising is we didn't let our heads drop and we battled for a point right up to
and into injury time. I'm glad we had the belief and perseverance to get a point back. It it's a shame this season doesn't go on for an extra 15 games, as game by game we are improving. |
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Thread | Nolan
at 16:55 15 Feb 2019
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Thread | Heading
at 13:38 14 Feb 2019
Just been reading a piece on the BBC about heading the ball - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47232257. In it they call for a ban on children heading the ball.
I never really liked heading the ball and as such tended to play midfield or goalkeeper, as you don't have to head the ball that much. I would often duck out of headers. I'd often feel like I was getting a nose bleed when I hit it with my forehead.
Due to the article, it got me thinking, what would the game look like if heading was removed from the game entirely.
The game would have to be more technical, for sure. Corners may have to be re-thought, and freekicks would be a bit odd.
Two questions.
Is it possible to remove headers, whilst maintaining the games current level of excitement and interest?
How much do you care about the long term repercussions of heading the ball?
I'm also interested in whether you think it is stupid to try, insult to the game, a necessary evil, an archaic part of the game, etc. I guess I'm interested in finding out what the current consensus is on the matter [Post edited 14 Feb 13:42]
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Thread | No Rights
at 09:08 2 Feb 2019
I have absolutely right to be confident about us winning. We haven't faired well against Bruce, we're 7 points adrift and we've lost our last 2.
I have absolutely no right to be excited. We haven't won back to back home games since December 2017, we have a goal difference of -27 and PL has never beaten Sheff Wed in the Championship.
I have absolutely no right to believe we have the potential to turn things around. We've won the least, lost the most and conceded the most.
But I am. I've woken up this morning confident we can win. If we play to the ability we have shown in patches over the last few games for a longer amount of time, we can win.
I'm excited because I see the North Stand, headed by Blue Action, is there to support the team, no matter what. That gives me huge confidence. The infectious nature of the support was clear to see at the end of the Rotherham game.
I believe we can turn it around because those around us are not great. We can close the gap to 4 points today, which would look much more "doable". It would also spark more belief in the players.
I can't wait until 3pm, and I'm looking forward to seeing how much noise we can generate to fill this new look team with self confidence. [Post edited 2 Feb 9:11]
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Thread | @betting types
at 08:46 16 Dec 2018
What are the best odds on us staying up and where can i find them? I'm actually pretty confident Lambert can turn it around in time. |
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