 | Blog
Comment | The Gamechanger Paradox
at 09:36:08
An excellent analysis of what we need and where we might get it And very well written, too. |
| Blog
Comment | The M Word
at 08:07:46
You're right. We're not a massive club and never have been. But despite the mismanagement during the Marcus Evans era we have maintained our support. Although Ipswich is not a big town it has a fairly wide catchment area. It also enjoys a fair bit of support outside of the catchment area due largely to the great teams of the 1970's and early 1980's when ITFC seemed to be everyone's second club. So far this season we're averaging 21,600 at home games. Only Sunderland enjoys greater support in League One while Sheffield Wednesday is on a par with us. In the Championship only Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Derby County are getting bigger home gates and in the Premiership Watford, Burnley and Brentford are drawing fewer fans. Undoubtedly we have very strong support for a slightly better than average League One club. The history and following of our club suggests that we should be gravitating between the Premiership and Championship. For many years we punched above our weight and currently we are definitely punching below. |
| Blog
Comment | The Swinging Sixty
at 00:22:58
A very enjoyable read, as usual. The 1961/62 season was before my time but memories of missing out on the league title in 1980/81 still hurt and my dislike of Aston Villa still persists. Something I didn't know about the 1961/62 team was that it had nine ever-presents or something close to it. It helps, or it did back then, if a team could use the same players consistently. I believe that in 1980/81 Aston Villa only used fourteen players and seven of them played all 42 league matches. You're right to bring up the parallels with Burnley. It was generally agreed they were the better team in 1961/62 just as we were the better team in 1980/81. The other parallel mentioned by you is that Burnley's FA Cup run undermined their quest for the title as it did us almost forty years later. In sport there are always preoccupations about what might have been. If a very average Aston Villa side could win the European Cup then it's reasonable to think Ipswich Town could have won it if they had been competing instead. |
| Blog
Comment | An Uncomfortable Truth
at 10:58:16
I have done some research on the Marcus Evans takeover and written a number of blogs over the years. My view has always been that the club would be better off in the long term if it reverts to the traditional model of local ownership and control.
We have perhaps 20,000 core fans who would be prepared to pay for lifelong membership rights. Some would have considerable financial resources and others relatively little. If the average amount contributed was £1,000, it would mean £20 million in total. Marcus Evans has rolled the dice a few times without a Premiership payoff. You put this to him: here is £20 million and if in the next 10 years ITFC wins promotion to the Premier League you will be paid another £20 million. There’s more than a fair chance he would take it.
ITFC members would then elect a board of directors. It doesn’t matter where they come from - business, the professions, government or an NGO. What matters is they have a record of achievement and are true fans. The board would appoint a skilled CEO supported by high quality specialists in finance, administration and marketing. With a strong and representative board, a competent day-to-day executive team, a progressive first team manager and an engaged fan base the club would be transformed.
This is not pie in the sky stuff. All it takes is for one individual with the time and energy to get the ball rolling.
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