WOW!! Just WOW!!

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hallamblue
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WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by hallamblue » Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:26 pm

Ashton: No Specific Plans for Land Behind Sir Alf Ramsey Stand
Tuesday, 29th Mar 2022 20:56


Blues CEO Mark Ashton says Town have no hard and fast plans for the land behind the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand which was purchased earlier this month.

The news that the club had bought the land on which the former Office Outlet and Better Gym retail units stand was revealed a fortnight ago with supporters intrigued how the club would be utilising it.

“There are no specific plans,” Ashton said when asked about it at this evening’s Fans’ Forum. “What happened was that it was very clear that the land had become available so myself and Mike O’Leary talked about that.

“It was probably the one piece of land surrounding the stadium that we could acquire and the only piece of land that we would be able to acquire for the next 10, 15, 20 years.

“So we spoke to the ownership group and they were fantastic and they said, ‘Yes, let’s get it under the club’s control’.

“I think in the short term we’ll look at how best we can use it to drive revenue and maybe support matchday activities etc and then in the medium to the long term, we’ve already developed really good relationships with both the Borough and the County Council and we’ll enter into almost a masterplanning exercise where we can look at all of the land around the stadium and how best we take it forward to enhance all stakeholders.

“At this moment in time, we have the keys and and there’s amazing space in there, the units are huge.


“We’ve got car-parking front and rear, it protects the back of the stadium so when we’ve got games that are on broadcast we need somewhere to park the broadcast trucks. Had we not acquired that land we would have had nowhere to park the broadcast trucks.

“It protects us, it increases the value of the football club because it’s land that we can use to develop and support it.

“Short term, I think we’ll find some sensible uses while we develop big medium and long-term plans for it.”


Asked about other potential developments over the next few months including Ed Sheeran’s shirt sponsorship and the adidas kit deal, Ashton said he couldn’t say anything on those fronts but revealed the club has ended its deal with their concourse catering supplier and will be looking to bring some of its media activities in-house as well.

“There’s so much to tell, there’s such a good story to tell,” he added. “There are so many good people working really hard behind the scenes at the football club and over the coming weeks and months we will start to drip that information out when we legally can.

“We’ve said that we’re going to invest in the infrastructure of the football club, I can tell you tonight that we have served notice on Sodexo and we will be bringing the concourse catering in-house this summer. That’s an investment for the football club.

“Nothing to do with the external company, we want to take control of our own destiny and the owners, investors, the board will spend time in putting that in place.

“I think it’s highly likely that in the next 12 months we will exit the iFollow deal with the EFL and will build our own platform, I think it’s highly likely you’ll see Town TV.

“You will see from next season Ipswich Town offer its own matchday commentary. You will see the digital world brought to Portman Road. We will take this football club forward in all areas.

“It’s frustrating for me at times, and for my team and some of my colleagues, because they want to tell the fans everything. But we are bound by some commercial and confidentiality agreements but I’m telling you, there’s some really exciting announcements to come for this football club over the next couple of months, so please, please, please watch this space.”

Some of the work which has been promised over the season is already under way, he continued: “The Tannoy system, they’ve actually started work. They’ve been working on the South Stand, North Stand is next and by probably the end of April, all the stands will be completed and then be balanced. We’ve made that investment, that work is happening.

“We’re investing in water heaters etc all around the stadium. Just a handful of what needs to be done has been pointed out.

“It’s like painting the Forth Bridge, we’re just going to have to keep going and going and going. We will do it all but it’s just going to take a bit of time.”

Ashton revealed that the club has sold 2,000 season tickets since they went on sale, 41 per cent of those to people who didn't have them this season.

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marko69
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by marko69 » Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:42 pm

GOD, thought Mark Ashton had been slapped by Will Smith or something! :shock:

What is the "wow" part, Hallam?

hallamblue
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by hallamblue » Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:14 am

We’re dumping ifollow for our own TV channel … think that’s pretty astute and thinking big for a provincial Club tbh marko … but agree an Ashton slap would be pretty remarkable too :lol:

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Bluemike
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by Bluemike » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:56 am

He's the best thing to happen to this football club for bloody decades

hallamblue
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by hallamblue » Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:25 am

Yes Mike, he IS….I was joking as in keeping with Marko’s comment… :D

I’m SO excited with this Club and what’s going on…..

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marko69
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by marko69 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 9:18 am

hallamblue wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:25 am
Yes Mike, he IS….I was joking as in keeping with Marko’s comment… :D
:lol: My comment was mainly due to the “wow, just WOW” Will Smith moment still fresh (prince) in my head……., AND……. (My lazy arse fault)……. Was too long to read at that time o night! :lol:

While the club is going in a positive direction, it’d be a bit tw*t-ish to be negative about Mark Ashton. I opened the thread and thought it was a “wow” post about buying land and doing nowt with it. 🤦‍♂️ :lol:

“STOP BUYING LAND, ASHTON…… WE NEED A PROLIFIC STRIKER! WOW DUDE! JUST WOW!”

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Bluemike
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by Bluemike » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:34 am

I just hope this TV station thing means all games will be accessible to watch ?

shabba
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by shabba » Wed Mar 30, 2022 9:40 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:34 am
I just hope this TV station thing means all games will be accessible to watch ?

Doubt that will be possible / it’s bigger than that in terms of what the football league rules are - ie a club cannot broadcast a 3pm game.

I’m also actually concerned about if the club could show games on the non 3pm sat slots? I’m keen to pay to watch town on tv by whatever means and would be happy if more of my money for that goes to the club but I’m unsure if any other clubs do that now via their non iFollow platforms?

It’s the biggest take out I had from that fans forum. I support the idea the club ‘direct sells’ as it’s the future and something football clubs are a little behind on compared to other businesses.

hallamblue
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by hallamblue » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:42 pm

If you want a real feel good factor , watch this …..

I have to say this is the first time I’ve really now bought into Mark Ashton . I can’t tell you how positive I now feel about him and what’s going on at our Club. I am now totally reassured and get the distinct impression some really big things are going to be happening at ITFC over the next 2-3 seasons, and I Can’t wait …..,

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... ark-ashton

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Bluemike
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Re: WOW!! Just WOW!!

Post by Bluemike » Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:46 pm

That was a fab listen, he is pretty articulate and you can just feel how excited he is about the future too.

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