We’re not a big Club in League One

[hallamblue]

We’re a MASSIVE Club in League One- get used to it !

“We have taken 39,876 fans to 22 away games so far this season. That is an average of 1,813 Town fans per away game. When you consider that the 21 teams to come to Portman Road so far this season have a combined total of 15,180 fans at an average of 723, you realise how well supported we are away.” ( EADT)

[marko69]

We’re a MASSIVE Club in League One- get used to it!

[Shed on tour]

In terms of support yes. However, as Ashton has said on several occasions it is what happens on the pitch which is the most important thing at the end of the day and despite us being the bigger club we have failed to beat these so-called smaller clubs on too many occasions this season.
As I said on the other thread hopefully with the manager we now have and the ownership in place things will improve and the future will be a lot brighter.

[marko69]

Yep, with McKenna & ownership getting full 22/23 season ——>> that should be the key for the door back to the Championship.

McKenna just needs to find the formula to breakdown the “park the bus” tactics of teams coming to Portman Road viewing the club as the “scalp”…….., which Ipswich will always be in League One.

[Ricco]

Big club in small pond means success is easier, big club in small pond doesn't mean success is easy.

Shed is spot on, there's no point having 100,000 to evey home game and 10 champions league trophys in the cabinet from 20 years ago if you can't do the bussiness on the pitch now. It's on the pitch that matters and we've not managed to field 11 men that says 'big club' for over 20 years now.

[marko69]

……we've not managed to field 11 men that says 'big club' for over 20 years now.

Here is another angle, Ricco. Maybe other people have taken the “shine” off the club. Roy Keane saw the club as huge, (his words)….. but signed the wrong players and was arguably the catalyst to the past, well , 15 years anyway. But Mevans….. whilst being a saviour was also a guy who had zero ambition for success after being stung by Roy & Fannypad Tammy.
It has been sooooooooooo mediocre since 2011 that fans seem to have accepted it.

Praying KMcK relights the passion for some fans.

[Ricco]

Here is another angle, Ricco. Maybe other people have taken the “shine” off the club. Roy Keane saw the club as huge, (his words)….. but signed the wrong players and was arguably the catalyst to the past, well , 15 years anyway. But Mevans….. whilst being a saviour was also a guy who had zero ambition for success after being stung by Roy & Fannypad Tammy.
It has been sooooooooooo mediocre since 2011 that fans seem to have accepted it.

Praying KMcK relights the passion for some fans.

Yeah I'd say that's compatible, maybe I should make room to blame others rather than purely Evans!

Though I'd disagree about Priskin, he's scored more Premier League goals than Lionel Messi!

[Blue Wilf]

We certainly are but you would also think that Sunderland, Portsmouth and now Derby - relegated today, would all have a similar 'big club' tag...

[marko69]

Though I'd disagree about Priskin, he's scored more Premier League goals than Lionel Messi!

[marko69]

Portsmouth

M A S S I V E club.

[Blue Wilf]

however they have won the league twice and the cup twice... ie double what we have historically managed so yes, I think they will indeed consider themselves 'big'

[Charnwood]

For me there will be a number of “Big Clubs” in League One next season including Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Bolton Wanderers & Ipswich Town with Pompey next in line. That’s potentially 25% of the clubs in the League assuming neither the Owls or the Black Cats win the Play Off Final. That would present a huge challenge to win one of the two automatic places next season from a league which seems to get harder and harder each year.

It certainly won’t be a walk in the park of a forgone conclusion with or without Mr McKenna.

[rossi]

For me there will be a number of “Big Clubs” in League One next season including Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Bolton Wanderers & Ipswich Town with Pompey next in line. That’s potentially 25% of the clubs in the League assuming neither the Owls or the Black Cats win the Play Off Final. That would present a huge challenge to win one of the two automatic places next season from a league which seems to get harder and harder each year.

It certainly won’t be a walk in the park of a forgone conclusion with or without Mr McKenna.

Absolutely. Achieving even a play-off place next season is going to be much harder for us than many anticipate

[hallamblue]

Derby are down now aren't they ? Id make them very strong candidates for an immediate return tbh ...they've done really well under Rooney ... its the points deduction that's sunk them

[Bluemike]

It all depends if they can keep hold of the likes of Tom Lawrence etc.

[mendipblue]

Derby are down now aren't they ? Id make them very strong candidates for an immediate return tbh ...they've done really well under Rooney ... its the points deduction that's sunk them

They only have 5 players contracted for next season so far. So a big overhaul of in's and outs to come, this does not make them strong candidates in my book.

[Andym]

Derby are down now aren't they ? Id make them very strong candidates for an immediate return tbh ...they've done really well under Rooney ... its the points deduction that's sunk them

They only have 5 players contracted for next season so far. So a big overhaul of in's and outs to come, this does not make them strong candidates in my book.

Ahhh, but they are a big club….

[marko69]

Derby are down now aren't they ? Id make them very strong candidates for an immediate return tbh ...they've done really well under Rooney ... its the points deduction that's sunk them

They only have 5 players contracted for next season so far. So a big overhaul of in's and outs to come, this does not make them strong candidates in my book.

Ahhh, but they are a big club….

MASSIVE. Certainly the biggest club in Derby.


Actually, this might be the biggest club in Derby.

[hallamblue]

Well if that’s the case Mark Ashton has an extreme case of delusions of grandeur then Cuz he constantly refers to this club as a “big/ massive club”

[Bluemike]

If he'd have come in and send we are a small run of the mill League one club there would be uproar, he cannot win.

[marko69]

IIIIIIIII….. pswich, Ipswich…TOOOOOWN
USED TO BE FANTASTIC….
BUT THEY’RE OK NOW!

[hallamblue]

If he'd have come in and send we are a small run of the mill League one club there would be uproar, he cannot win.

Well Clearly he wouldn’t be saying that would he. Not sure WTF I’ve said wrong now !!!!!

Seems I CANT WIN ……I was paying Ashton a f**king compliment !!!!!!

[Bluemike]

? I wasn't having a go I was merely saying in a roundabout way I like the fact he sees us as a big club.

[Tangfastic]

It's official.

"This football club generates pressure because of the size of the name. That's what it should be, that's big club syndrome.

"That's not a problem. If you play for this club or you manage this club then you have to manage that expectancy level. You should actually thrive on that. Go and express yourself and do the things that got you here in the first place.

We have to handle the way teams play against us and the way they raise their games. That's what you call big club syndrome. That's what this club is - it's a big club in this division. You have to handle that."

Paul Lambert , December 2019.

There's even a name for our sickness - Big Club Syndrome.

[marko69]

Its 100% a thing.

[Ricco]

Ok, so now we've all amiably agreed on League One, who wants a say on whether we'd be a big club in the Chamionship?

[marko69]

Wouldn't say a big club as such but at their level amongst the likes of Nott’m Forest, WBA, Stoke City, Blackburn, Middlesborough etc etc.

Cheltenham, Morecambe, Fleetwood, Crewe etc etc? , no.

[Bluemike]

I believe the Championship is our correct level for where we are in the grand scheme of things, the last Four years have been massive under achievement while the days of Robson and the top division are long gone, possibly forever.

[Ricco]

I think it might correspond a lot to what we were first exposed to (interesting phrasing). I think if people grew up in the Robson era it might be hard to take and accept that Ipswich are anything but decent Premier calibre, whereas perhaps those growing up with current League 1 Ipswich will be thrilled when they're doing well in the Championship.

I grew up when Ipswich were top division strugglers, so for me I always saw Ipswich with the likes of Leicester, Crystal Palace, Notts Forrest etc, maybe in the 15-30th biggest clubs in the system. Finishing above that is great and anything below is dissapointing (or disastrous in our current 55th position!).

Recent years take the shine off of things, but looking at the club matching Sheffield Wednesday's attendances at 21,500 is so encouraging, we've not had that many fans in for 14 years. Just goes to show how damaging Evans and the self proclaimed mesiah McCarthy was.

[Bluemike]

I grew up with us winning trophies and kicking the arses of Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, St. Etienne, Barcelona etc etc so yes this is very hard to comprehend.