From another Country? .... Why do you support Ipswich?

[Frosty]

Can't wait see a 'foreigner' like Marko's answer!

For me, my Mother ended up with a chap from who moved to NZ in the mid 70's. He was a boiler maker from Ipswich. (He worked at one of the large engineering firms in the area).

He used to read me Arthur Ransom novels such as 'Swallows & Amazons' and I grew up with a mystical view of East Anglia, which wasn't hard as most of the place's were fictional anyway.

Ironically my step father hated football, whereas I loved it, it just seemed natural for me to follow Town as back then NZ football wasn't really worth following so everyone had a favourite English team. Almost all of my friends support Manchester Utd ..... which shows you the effectivness of their international marketing.

[marko69]

My answer to this is somewhere in the archives of this forum....., so go find it you lazy kiwi git

Basically, one of my oldest uncles (RIP) lived very close to Wembley Stadium in the 70's (until he died in 95 @ 90) ......, in May 1978, I was in London visiting and the road he lived on was a road used by ITFC fans to walk to the stadium. I remember seeing massive banners with the old Ipswich badge, (with yellow instead of red, much better) all going past my uncles living room window. Was completely in awe of this blue army walking past with the very smart badge. I then watched the final and when they won I had such a sense of joy....., was if I'd supported them all my life until then! I've been a fanatical fan since, only managed 3 games, (all vs Norwich city, two draws and a loss, jinx bstd)......, and I've had many replica tops over the years. My mothers photo collection has many teenage photos of me and my bro and sis and I have the ITFC top on in a lot of them.
If the club dropped to the Blue Square South Division, I'd Still be an ITFC fan.

My son though was the similar age when Henry, Bergkamp and Pires were doing some magic at Arsenal and he is mad for the gunners......., he's even had a personal hand written letter from Wenger........, so........, I sort of keep an eye on Gunners results too.

[phily bon bon]

Ive been asking myself that very question over the last many years

[nicscreamer]

Born in NZ (upper hutt) , moved to England in the 70's and literally drew Ipswich out of a hat when deciding who to support!!

At the time it was the best piece of luck i had ever had, as we went on to win the FA Cup and challenge for the 1st div title on a number of years!

[Ohiotractorboy]

A couple of years ago I was talking to a co-worker about baseball. He then asked if I followed soccer as he is a big soccer fan.

I said I followed the Crew somewhat, but that there wasn't much passion for the game in the US. He suggested I follow an English team where the talent level of the players and fan passion is much higher than MLS. I agreed and told him then that I needed to immediately pick a team, get on a forum to get the "inside" following of the fans there, and be able to listen to the games live (in the very least) to follow the team. He is a Man U fan and I told him that an American following Man U is like an Englishman coming to the US and following the New York Yankees in baseball. Understandable, but a little too easy isn't it?

I then started to look at the, what, 30 teams or so in England. Needless to say after realising there are about 1,647 teams over there I needed a new approach. My co-worker was born in England, and his dad had played for several teams over there. I asked him who all he played for and one of the teams was Ipswich. I then looked up Ipswich's history, and when I saw why they were called the "Tractor Boys" I said this is the team I am going to follow. As some of you know, I am a Browns fan here in the NFL, and the fact that Ipswich was not in the Premier League did not bother me at all.

Now I am three years on and am enjoying following the team, being on these forums, and don't regret my decision at all. Add to that the fact that soccer is slowly building here in the states and MLS is getting more popular and all is well.

BTW, here is my friends dad...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Wigg

[Kev]

Hi all. Thanks again for the welcome, Dave.

I'm glad to find this thread because I've been wondering where to put my first post! I'll try to be very honest and I hope I don't alienate anyone with my perspectives. I'm posting from Dublin, Ireland.

In terms of British teams I am an avid supporter of Glasgow Celtic - they are the only team whose results can still kind of upset me or make me ecstatic. I have followed Barcelona since about 1975 and enjoyed the AC Milan team of Van Basten, Gullit and Rikjaard. Nevertheless, I always look out for Irish players/managers in England to see how they're faring. Mick McCarthy, having played for both Celtic and Ireland and then managing Ireland through a successful period, is one of my favourite people in football. Over the last couple of weeks I've read through many pages of this forum and have a reasonable understanding of the personalities who post here. I find the passion of Ipswich Town FC supporters on this forum to be simply stunning. You may not even realise it yourselves! Anyway, enough of the plimaussing from me.

Up until Mick signed last year I always had a soft spot for Ipswich Town FC. I am old enough to remember the successes of the not too distant past and I loved seeing a relatively small club doing so well while playing some lovely football too. When Mick signed I realised after a couple of months that I had ITFC as one of my favourites on Fotmob and that every week my mates would ask me after our Saturday golf game how Ipswich had done ( I had been talking about ITFC so much that the lads knew the first results I'd look at at around 4.45pm on Saturdays was always the Championship just to see how Ipswich did).

I have a confession: I like Chris Hughton. He was a good servant for Ireland and, by all accounts, an extremely nice bloke. However, whilst I don't wish Norwich bad I certainly want Ipswich to finish higher than them in the Premiership in season 2014/2015 because I firmly believe and hope that that's where ITFC will be. Not too sure about Norwich but who really cares!

The reason I think ITFC will be in the Premiership the season after next is MM is a superb manager. I think some of you are in for a surprise. Not as much because he will at least get ITFC into the play-offs (more likely direct promotion) but the style of football he'll employ. As a player MM was a hoofer. In his entertaining book 'Captain Fantastic' he describes how a journalist asked him after an Ireland match (MM was playing, not managing at the time) why he always hoofed the ball into the stand. Mick simply replied with another question to the journalist: "How many players have you seen score from Seat 100, Row Z?"

Effective and all as that was, Mick's teams do not play that way. Obviously this season called for one thing - survival, so don't judge this season's style with what's coming. I watched a lot of Wolves over the last few years when Mick was in charge. If anything they played too much football! Also, I think Kevin Doyle would be a major catch for Ipswich but I'll comment on that on the transfer thread.

Sorry for being so long-winded but I just wanted to eliminate any suspicions about me from the get-go. I'm a new ITFC supporter, nothing more, nothing less. COYB.

[Bluemike]

Excellent post Kev and welcome to the site, that is what being a new poster is all about, a great insight into your love of MM. hope you enjoy your time here.

[marko69]

Welcome Kev......, lets hope your team do not win on May 26th. 'MON THE HIBEES!

[Frosty]

Hi all. Thanks again for the welcome, Dave.

I'm glad to find this thread because I've been wondering where to put my first post! I'll try to be very honest and I hope I don't alienate anyone with my perspectives. I'm posting from Dublin, Ireland.

In terms of British teams I am an avid supporter of Glasgow Celtic - they are the only team whose results can still kind of upset me or make me ecstatic. I have followed Barcelona since about 1975 and enjoyed the AC Milan team of Van Basten, Gullit and Rikjaard. Nevertheless, I always look out for Irish players/managers in England to see how they're faring. Mick McCarthy, having played for both Celtic and Ireland and then managing Ireland through a successful period, is one of my favourite people in football. Over the last couple of weeks I've read through many pages of this forum and have a reasonable understanding of the personalities who post here. I find the passion of Ipswich Town FC supporters on this forum to be simply stunning. You may not even realise it yourselves! Anyway, enough of the plimaussing from me.

Up until Mick signed last year I always had a soft spot for Ipswich Town FC. I am old enough to remember the successes of the not too distant past and I loved seeing a relatively small club doing so well while playing some lovely football too. When Mick signed I realised after a couple of months that I had ITFC as one of my favourites on Fotmob and that every week my mates would ask me after our Saturday golf game how Ipswich had done ( I had been talking about ITFC so much that the lads knew the first results I'd look at at around 4.45pm on Saturdays was always the Championship just to see how Ipswich did).

I have a confession: I like Chris Hughton. He was a good servant for Ireland and, by all accounts, an extremely nice bloke. However, whilst I don't wish Norwich bad I certainly want Ipswich to finish higher than them in the Premiership in season 2014/2015 because I firmly believe and hope that that's where ITFC will be. Not too sure about Norwich but who really cares!

The reason I think ITFC will be in the Premiership the season after next is MM is a superb manager. I think some of you are in for a surprise. Not as much because he will at least get ITFC into the play-offs (more likely direct promotion) but the style of football he'll employ. As a player MM was a hoofer. In his entertaining book 'Captain Fantastic' he describes how a journalist asked him after an Ireland match (MM was playing, not managing at the time) why he always hoofed the ball into the stand. Mick simply replied with another question to the journalist: "How many players have you seen score from Seat 100, Row Z?"

Effective and all as that was, Mick's teams do not play that way. Obviously this season called for one thing - survival, so don't judge this season's style with what's coming. I watched a lot of Wolves over the last few years when Mick was in charge. If anything they played too much football! Also, I think Kevin Doyle would be a major catch for Ipswich but I'll comment on that on the transfer thread.

Sorry for being so long-winded but I just wanted to eliminate any suspicions about me from the get-go. I'm a new ITFC supporter, nothing more, nothing less. COYB.

Hi Kev,

Welcome again mate

Brilliant post!

Please feel free to post in the main forum, very few posters get eaten anymore by the rabid ones.

Cheers Dave

[Kev]

Thanks lads. Looking forward to next season.

[Watership Down]

I live just outside of Toronto, born in Sudbury Suffolk started supporting Ipswich in the early 60s watched Willie Jones , Ray Warne, Jimmy Leadbetter play for Sudbury Town, played against Colin Lundstrum, moved to Lowestoft played against Terry Butcher when he was 15, moved to Canada early 80s still supporting Ipswich, have a sticker in my car window says Ipswich Town East Anglias top team (Its an old sticker). Last season Toronto FC had Paul Mariner as their coach

[Chasman]

Another Canadian here. Found myself hooked on English football over the past few years but was stuck for a team to support. So I went into my family tree and found that my distant namesake ancestors hailed from Laweshall, Suffolk. Since Ipswich is the nearest pro team in the area, they're now my home team. Go Blues!

[The Don]

Another Canadian here. Found myself hooked on English football over the past few years but was stuck for a team to support. So I went into my family tree and found that my distant namesake ancestors hailed from Laweshall, Suffolk. Since Ipswich is the nearest pro team in the area, they're now my home team. Go Blues!

Welcome to the forum, Chasman.

I love connections like this. Completely random, yet a considered thought process.

We have numerous fans from over the world including USA, Germany, Denmark as well as the third world (NZ and Oz in case you're wondering)

Anything you need to ask, feel free to contact one of the admin. Aside from that, happy posting.

[Frosty]

Another Canadian here. Found myself hooked on English football over the past few years but was stuck for a team to support. So I went into my family tree and found that my distant namesake ancestors hailed from Laweshall, Suffolk. Since Ipswich is the nearest pro team in the area, they're now my home team. Go Blues!

Welcome mate

As the Don said, even people from the third world ...... somehow he got NZ mixed in with Australia though

I hope you enjoy becoming part of this forum, on the whole we are a friendly bunch.

Cheers Dave

[romantractorboy]

I'm nuts for English football...I use to come from Rome to watch a couple of matches at least once a year. This year I made my way to Portman Road for the game Vs. Huddersfield Town and I must admit it has been a great Saturdday: I enjoyed strolling around a nice town in a shining sunny day of mid-Autumn. The atmosphere at the ground was great too... I've enjoyed getting to know more about ITFC'S history and tradition and I decided it had to become my favourite team! In some ways ITFC was in my destiny, since on the occasion of my 18th birthday I don't know why but some friends of mine bought me the old-fashioned Umbro shirt with white sleeves and red laces on the neck!

[clifferat]

Sorry if this counts as spam since I posted this in the "who are you" section and then saw this thread. I will add a little more detail here. I am 45 and live in the U.S. I was first introduced to ITFC when I was 12 years old during the summer of 1981 when my father was stationed at RAF Lakenheath. I had always played as a youth and was overwhelmed by the passion for the sport in Britain. I attended about 10 matches a year from 1981-1984. It was a real eye opener for an American kid. Even though we have amazing coverage of all EPL games here in the states I am still a diehard Ipswich Town fan. I have not chosen one of the EPL "Big 6" out of some random fan false loyalty like most of my countrymen. I have tried to follow the Tractor Boys over the years but it has been difficult here in the states. Anyway, I decided to give this site a try and keep up with the club that fueled my passion for the game. Yes, I will sometimes type "soccer", and I know you are all going to cringe at your computer screen or mobile device. That's what we call it here and I will try to fit in and use the term football as much as possible. I hope to save up enough money to get back over to the U.K. someday and see a match as I did back in my youth.

I have great memories of going to games with an English friend of mine and sitting in the upper section watching Paul Mariner, John Wark, Kevin Steggles, John Cooper and seeing Sir Bobby Robson himself. I even had a match day cap that Sir Bobby signed after one match but sadly that was lost during the many moves since then.

Dave

[Frosty]

Sorry if this counts as spam since I posted this in the "who are you" section and then saw this thread. I will add a little more detail here. I am 45 and live in the U.S. I was first introduced to ITFC when I was 12 years old during the summer of 1981 when my father was stationed at RAF Lakenheath. I had always played as a youth and was overwhelmed by the passion for the sport in Britain. I attended about 10 matches a year from 1981-1984. It was a real eye opener for an American kid. Even though we have amazing coverage of all EPL games here in the states I am still a diehard Ipswich Town fan. I have not chosen one of the EPL "Big 6" out of some random fan false loyalty like most of my countrymen. I have tried to follow the Tractor Boys over the years but it has been difficult here in the states. Anyway, I decided to give this site a try and keep up with the club that fueled my passion for the game. Yes, I will sometimes type "soccer", and I know you are all going to cringe at your computer screen or mobile device. That's what we call it here and I will try to fit in and use the term football as much as possible. I hope to save up enough money to get back over to the U.K. someday and see a match as I did back in my youth.

I have great memories of going to games with an English friend of mine and sitting in the upper section watching Paul Mariner, John Wark, Kevin Steggles, John Cooper and seeing Sir Bobby Robson himself. I even had a match day cap that Sir Bobby signed after one match but sadly that was lost during the many moves since then.

Dave

welcome to the forums buddy and thanks for your posts.

FYI, ohiotractorboy is also from the States (although you probably would have worked this out yourself )

Just sing out if you need a hand with anything

cheers Dave

[Ohiotractorboy]

Sorry if this counts as spam since I posted this in the "who are you" section and then saw this thread. I will add a little more detail here. I am 45 and live in the U.S. I was first introduced to ITFC when I was 12 years old during the summer of 1981 when my father was stationed at RAF Lakenheath. I had always played as a youth and was overwhelmed by the passion for the sport in Britain. I attended about 10 matches a year from 1981-1984. It was a real eye opener for an American kid. Even though we have amazing coverage of all EPL games here in the states I am still a diehard Ipswich Town fan. I have not chosen one of the EPL "Big 6" out of some random fan false loyalty like most of my countrymen. I have tried to follow the Tractor Boys over the years but it has been difficult here in the states. Anyway, I decided to give this site a try and keep up with the club that fueled my passion for the game. Yes, I will sometimes type "soccer", and I know you are all going to cringe at your computer screen or mobile device. That's what we call it here and I will try to fit in and use the term football as much as possible. I hope to save up enough money to get back over to the U.K. someday and see a match as I did back in my youth.

I have great memories of going to games with an English friend of mine and sitting in the upper section watching Paul Mariner, John Wark, Kevin Steggles, John Cooper and seeing Sir Bobby Robson himself. I even had a match day cap that Sir Bobby signed after one match but sadly that was lost during the many moves since then.

Dave

Welcome in Dave, what part of the US do you live in?

[Ohiotractorboy]

Sorry if this counts as spam since I posted this in the "who are you" section and then saw this thread. I will add a little more detail here. I am 45 and live in the U.S. I was first introduced to ITFC when I was 12 years old during the summer of 1981 when my father was stationed at RAF Lakenheath. I had always played as a youth and was overwhelmed by the passion for the sport in Britain. I attended about 10 matches a year from 1981-1984. It was a real eye opener for an American kid. Even though we have amazing coverage of all EPL games here in the states I am still a diehard Ipswich Town fan. I have not chosen one of the EPL "Big 6" out of some random fan false loyalty like most of my countrymen. I have tried to follow the Tractor Boys over the years but it has been difficult here in the states. Anyway, I decided to give this site a try and keep up with the club that fueled my passion for the game. Yes, I will sometimes type "soccer", and I know you are all going to cringe at your computer screen or mobile device. That's what we call it here and I will try to fit in and use the term football as much as possible. I hope to save up enough money to get back over to the U.K. someday and see a match as I did back in my youth.

I have great memories of going to games with an English friend of mine and sitting in the upper section watching Paul Mariner, John Wark, Kevin Steggles, John Cooper and seeing Sir Bobby Robson himself. I even had a match day cap that Sir Bobby signed after one match but sadly that was lost during the many moves since then.

Dave

Welcome in Dave, what part of the US do you live in?

[clifferat]

Sorry if this counts as spam since I posted this in the "who are you" section and then saw this thread. I will add a little more detail here. I am 45 and live in the U.S. I was first introduced to ITFC when I was 12 years old during the summer of 1981 when my father was stationed at RAF Lakenheath. I had always played as a youth and was overwhelmed by the passion for the sport in Britain. I attended about 10 matches a year from 1981-1984. It was a real eye opener for an American kid. Even though we have amazing coverage of all EPL games here in the states I am still a diehard Ipswich Town fan. I have not chosen one of the EPL "Big 6" out of some random fan false loyalty like most of my countrymen. I have tried to follow the Tractor Boys over the years but it has been difficult here in the states. Anyway, I decided to give this site a try and keep up with the club that fueled my passion for the game. Yes, I will sometimes type "soccer", and I know you are all going to cringe at your computer screen or mobile device. That's what we call it here and I will try to fit in and use the term football as much as possible. I hope to save up enough money to get back over to the U.K. someday and see a match as I did back in my youth.

I have great memories of going to games with an English friend of mine and sitting in the upper section watching Paul Mariner, John Wark, Kevin Steggles, John Cooper and seeing Sir Bobby Robson himself. I even had a match day cap that Sir Bobby signed after one match but sadly that was lost during the many moves since then.

Dave

Welcome in Dave, what part of the US do you live in?[/quote

I live in DC metro area

[Ohiotractorboy]

Oh, okay. Always fun to visit DC

[tony01]

Hi Tony here and I'm from sunny South Africa. Have been supporting Ipswich Town back in the day when Colin Viljoen was playing for the team and have been following the team ever since.The glory days are sorely missed and my best team included Arnold Muhren,Frans Thijsen etc. We could attract those players then, why not today.We need these motivators to drive the team to greatness as nothing is impossible.