Lovely post here for a Town fan on TWTD…

[hallamblue]

He’s nailed it.


Before the match yesterday I was pondering the number of recent meaningful games we had in a generation.

No promotion and one relegation in the last 20 odd years. Even in the relegation season, we went down with a whimper. It wasn't really the case of having significant or do or die matches. Aside from blowing being top of the league at Christmas to scrape into the playoffs, failing to do our bit and benefitting from a result elsewhere, we'd been starved of any joy.

Even in that one season, the only one since at least 2005, in itself 18 years ago, we lost to our deadly rivals and had to watch them benefit from Middlesbrough's bloody bus breaking down and unsettling their own Wembley preparation. They yo-yo'd their way to parachute money galore. Not one of those season did ITV digital collapse, such is our luck. They should be on another planet to us. Norwich City - we're coming for you!

Last night was incredible. Everywhere I looked were people I knew. People I'd trudged out of Carrow Road with after being humiliated yet again. People I'd seen get angry on the way out of yet another, less than 10,000 in the ground, pathetic home defeat. People I'd spent 10 hours on a coach with, getting home at 4am, only to see a Town team that didn't even care. People who'd stopped going to Portman Road after 20, 30, 40, 50 years because of Evans or McCarthy or Lambert or a gutless, spineless squad full of players who cared nothing for our club.

Last night these same people were hugging, kissing, falling over seats, singing songs with all their heart. Some had tears running down their faces. Plenty were hugging their kids who've never known anything other than stories of past glory, with no previous memories of their own to enjoy. Well they do now!

For us fans on the coaches, Mark Ashton climbed aboard to thank us all for our support. The man who epitomises everything the club is now from the owners, players and management. Humble, grateful, hard-working, talented, motivated, ambitious and never satisfied with standing still.

On the pitch, the most likeable bunch of pros ever to wear the blue and white. Decent footballers, but even better people off the pitch. Players that our community has fallen in love with. Players who have fallen in love with our community.

For every Town fan whether home and away, season ticket, hundreds of miles away, overseas, we all have our stories of why we fell in love with the club and we all have plenty more about misery, humiliation, frustration, desperation and not being able to see when the good times would be back. 30,000 in the third tier. 5,000 going away on a Tuesday. The rest scattered around the UK and the globe breaking EFL iFollow records continually. We deserve this team.

This team is not just incredible. They are laughable levels of brilliant. How the hell can you take 37 points from 39 during the hardest run of the season, with the pressure that involves, battering teams left, right and centre, whilst never looking like conceding. Going to close rivals, in their own stunning runs of form, and destroying them.

For all those years of misery and wondering why we bother - this is why!

A promotion party at Portman Road to make memories for the old and new generations is now entirely likely.

Here lies the Banter Era. Long live the Town!!!

[Charnwood]

I really enjoyed reading that Liz as I have so much respect for footie fans across the country who stick with their clubs and support their teams through the bad times especially when it goes on as long as it has at Ipswich. For me this season is for the fans who’ve stuck with the club over the past 5 years from Paul Hurst onwards.

I’ve often thought of Mike over the last few weeks and whilst his life has changed for the good and I know he’s very happy, I do think of all the miles he’s travelled over recent years following struggling Town teams across the country watching complete dross and is now missing the best away days of the past 5 years. For me this season is for the Mike’s, Halam’s, Shed’s and others with similar profiles and I hope you enjoy every minute of it.

… and if we win this three points on Saturday that guarantee our promotion you can shed a few tears of joy for me too guys.

[Bluemike]

Cheers Andy, they were tough times following that dross, doing virtually every game home and away and yet I'm glad I did it, its easy to support them now, anyone can do that, but those seasons really took some doing.

[Shed on tour]

Thanks Charny. I will be honest and have often asked myself why am I doing this? Even this season when I came out of the ground after the Bristol Rovers away game I thought here we go again. Hopefully we can complete the job on Saturday so all the fans at Portman Road get a chance to celebrate. If it happens I will really be happy for the younger fans who haven’t had a chance to witness something like this.

[Steve]

Thanks Liz, what a post

Reading all this and agree entirely with Charny. I used to enjoy the company of supporters when I used to go to away games. The Ipswich fans. I was never a regular away day fan, Maybe 4 games a year used to go away but I salute you guys and girls who do go away

Hats off to you all, Respect you. Please Ipswich lets get this done and dusted on Saturday so Ipswich fans can enjoy Fleetwood away

[Tangfastic]

Here's another heartwarming post from TWTD. The players sound like a good bunch.... especially Chappers and Kayden Jackson.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/558091/a-s ... erves)/#18

Chatting coffee with Lee Evans, watching Fridge take an ice bath, photos with the players and exchanging numbers with Chappers. How did it happen to a 37-year old Ipswich fan living in Loughborough?

I’m a long term reader of TWTD but this is my first post in probably 20 years. As we collectively prepare for what we hope to be a party come 5pm on Saturday, I reflected on all the personal enjoyment and insight I’ve taken from this online community and have been moved to share memories and insights from a precious few days in my life in 2022, in the hope that anybody out there would enjoy reading my first hand experience with this team of players we now hold so dear.

It all started when TWTD were the first to break the news (of course) that my club, Ipswich, would travel to my hometown of Loughborough for their pre-season training camp. Great - I thought - if I’m lucky, I might get to watch them training at some point in the week.

July came around soon after, by which point I had a fair idea the squad would arrive on the first Monday of the month to start their camp. I planned an hour away from work expecting to cycle around Loughborough to try to find where they were stationed. As it happened, I cycled all of 100m from my house and at my first port of call and there was an energetic group of blue buzzing around on the university training pitches a row of houses away from my house. Wonderful. I could really get a close look. No fences, open fields and no other interest from what I could tell. I was the only fan there.

I caught them in their last 10 minutes of their first evening session, which was competitive and vocal. The next day I would realise that I could hear their heated practice match calls from my back garden. They marched off to hit the gym and all I could muster was a shy grin. To be honest at that moment in time I could only name around half the squad by sight. I did recognise Wes Burns though - fresh off his first Wales caps at that point. I managed a “Congrats on the caps Wes”. He said, “Thanks”, smiled and nodded as he walked by.

It’s timely to mention that together with my wife I own a cafe in Loughborough that is located somewhere between my house and where the team trained, i.e. very close. So as soon as I moved sheepishly away from Wes and biked home, all thoughts turned to how I could get the team along to my cafe.

First step, get my wife to the gym. Odd and perhaps slightly offensive to my wife you might say. No malice intended at all - she had a membership to the gym the boys were heading. And she had an Ipswich shirt. A relic from the 2011 season that she wore once all year - to the famous defeat of Arsenal courtesy of Tamas Priskin (my wife has a very good win record by the way). Off she went then, in blue and white to sow some seeds of an idea.

I was filled with envy when she (not so reserved, and a delight to talk to) sent me back a reel of photos working out alongside Fridge, Woolfy, El Miz and more. She even got her shirt signed on the way out. She also mentioned our cafe.

So the next day I had to play it cool. I was looking after my 3 year old boy that day. He also has an Ipswich shirt. I do too of course, but did not feel the full grown adult in favourite team shirt would strike the right note. 3 year old though - who could argue with that (he tried actually).

So we went along for the morning training session and as planned, attracted attention. The plan was working. First up, Mr. Chaplin trotted over, said hi, played with my boy, posed for pics joined by Kayden Jackson. I chatted with Dom Ball, who came off that training session with a sore ankle. It would develop into the first injury lay off for him in the season ahead. Across the way, Fridge was easing into an ice bath, lovingly prepared by the physio team for several players. He was the only one brave enough to jump in. More photos with him and Cam Burgess followed before the team retreated for lunch.

Away from the players, I had some fascinating chats. Notably with James Pullen who described his journey from Town ‘keeper debut to now, First Team Kit Manager. A forgotten role perhaps, but it was clear that James was just happy to be there, be around the team and be part of what he described as “something special happening”. He was like a fan in much the same way as I was, only he was excited like we all are now because he had seen it all develop, even as early in the McKenna reign as it was then. Another chat was with the tech guy. He was talking me through how they used video footage for analysis whilst he was busy operating a drone floating over the training pitch. I was a bit taken aback that such analysis was being performed on mere training exercises.

McKenna had an aura. He was either on the phone to someone (giving opinions on potential signings?), or in deep conversation with his coaching team about one thing or another. I would have expected a few laughs around the camp so early in pre-season. But it was training time and everyone without a fault looked focused and determined.

Finally I spoke to the guy who looked after the logistics, the team coach, what the players were doing in the little down time they had. He was the guy! We spoke at length and I invited the players for coffee at my gaff.

Without much expectation, I potted around the next morning only to be alerted by my staff (I had warned them of the slim possibility), that some guys in blue were getting takeaway coffees and I should probably come over. Off I went (sprinted) and arrived to find Wes, Kayden, Lee Evans and Head of Sport Science Andy Costin, sipping on my brew…from takeaway cups I had designed, with smiles on their faces (imagine if they had hated it). I introduced myself as a fan, and could think of nothing else to say but “Can I have a picture?” Taking it in their stride, they obliged. Even outside in front of the store. One for the scrapbook.

The next few days were a whirlwind. My cafe became their favourite chill out spot between training. A varied group of different squad members would drop in before the morning session and after lunch for the next few days. I chatted more and more with the like of Lee Evans who was fascinated by coffee (we do great coffee), latte art and the business in general. I had a decent conversation with Kayden about his kid. From seeing my boy with me on the first day he shared a story about his own lad of similar age. He, in particular, came across as such a genuine guy, prepared to do whatever it took to succeed, with his family as motivation. Seeing his season so far and his sacrifices for the team (despite the criticism he sometimes receives) makes me quite emotional, knowing where it comes from.

Fridge was like a kid. He jumped at the chance when I invited the boys to have a go at some latte art on our machine. A group of the lads came over to have a go. George was first up, with an audience of Walton, Chappers, Evans and Cam. I pinched myself as I stood in front of my boys on the pitch hanging on my every word. Sure it was about how to steam milk, but surely it’s pretty similar to how McK must feel in the dressing room, right?!

Without exception, the boys were gold and there was an overwhelming sense that they were one unit, a family almost, seeing them as they were simply enjoying free time around each other rather than being in their hotel rooms. The other thing that stood out was coaches like Rene Gilmartin and Andy Costin also enjoying time around the players relaxing, seemingly acting as a go between with the players and other management.

Perhaps it won’t come as a huge surprise as to who stood out all the way through though. It felt like a humble fella called Conor was at the heart of it all. He was first to say hi, he encouraged the boys along to the cafe everyday and he was the one who approached me and said thank you (thank me?!) for looking after the boys. He also suggested I give him a shout when an away game local to the Midlands came about. A quick look on TWTD at the fixture list: Derby away seemed like a good shout. Promotion party I joked. A bit premature perhaps, but what a day that turned out to be. True to his word, Conor (first name terms you know) went out of his way to arrange me and my Dad (also a regular on here) tickets when there were no tickets. At one of the most requested games of the year, we were sat amongst friends and family of the players - Kayden’s partner and boy in the row behind me - and it was glorious.

To summarise then. This team, these players have a place in my heart. And they do for most of us. And I’m not suggested the feeling is any greater for me than it is for you, but being up close to them, seeing the hunger in their eyes, and being touched by their kindness and generosity has given this season an extra shine for me, whatever happens tomorrow.

But of course, if IT does happen, and once the dust settles, you can be sure that I’ll be dropping Mr. Chaplin a text, emphasising the importance of their Loughborough summer camp and the absolute necessity to repeat it for the season ahead.

Thanks for reading

[hallamblue]

What a lovely story from the Loughborough Town fan . Brilliant ! Thanks for that Tang

[Mauswara]

That was a good read. The build-up to this match has brought back to mind the only time I was fortunate enough to see Town secure promotion live.

1968, 1-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers. Standing a few rows back on the east stand with my Dad, we'd been up to see a fair few home games that season, I were only a nipper.

I think his joy at 90 minutes was the happiest I ever saw him.

COYB. Enjoy your day today.

[Bluemike]

Another Brilliant read Tang, thanks for that. It is so good to see such positive feedback where Kayden is concerned, he has had a rough ride in days gone by but has commited himself to the club and always gives his all, Chappers as we know is at the very heart of everything to do with the club in the community, I don't see too many of these guys wanting to depart the scene any time soon.

[Charnwood]

Loved reading that Tang. It’s a shame I’d not met the fella from Loughborough as it was just down the road from where I lived for 20 years in Woodhouse Eaves before moving to Spain, we could have travelled to games together.

I’m not sure which manager started pre season training at Loughborough University but it was a while back as I used to go and watch them before we moved to Spain. As best I recall it was probably Paul Lambert. Anyway it’s a super location with probably had best facilities if it’s kind in the UK.

I’m with you Mike I don’t think we’ll have many players looking to leave although there may be a few released. Probably soon be time for a new discussion topic on who stays and who goes.

[LizinSpain]

Both great reads. It's been a hard 20 years but I have a full box of tissues ready for full time and hopefully as husband free house so I can sing and do a happy dance to my hearts content!! Wish I could be there but couldn't get a ticket (the flight back would of been a minor detail as I would of walked if I had to!!!) The futures bright, the futures blue & white!! #coyb #ipswichtilidie #loveofmylife

[Cabanas Blue]

Both great reads. It's been a hard 20 years but I have a full box of tissues ready for full time and hopefully as husband free house so I can sing and do a happy dance to my hearts content!! Wish I could be there but couldn't get a ticket (the flight back would of been a minor detail as I would of walked if I had to!!!) The futures bright, the futures blue & white!! #coyb #ipswichtilidie #loveofmylife

Loveofmylife Maria and John I hope ?

[shabba]

Absolutely love this!

[LizinSpain]

Both great reads. It's been a hard 20 years but I have a full box of tissues ready for full time and hopefully as husband free house so I can sing and do a happy dance to my hearts content!! Wish I could be there but couldn't get a ticket (the flight back would of been a minor detail as I would of walked if I had to!!!) The futures bright, the futures blue & white!! #coyb #ipswichtilidie #loveofmylife

Loveofmylife Maria and John I hope ?

ITFC came first and I'm sure they'll be there for me after.............................!!!!