We need a rallying cry! - A focal point to get behind

I have just read this blog on TWTD and I agree with every word so I decided to paste it straight onto this forum. A good read imo and would like to get your thoughts on what us fans do to protest our anger at what is going on at our beloved Portman Road:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any Town supporters living in blissful ignorance that this season might still end up with a top half finish or that the unnecessarily ambitious January transfer attempts will bear fruit or that Paul Jewell is the man to spearhead a five-year rebuilding strategy (if such a thing really exists at ITFC) need a wake up call. Urgently.

But what about those of us who arrived at this realisation some time ago? These ranks have swelled week on week since November, but as yet have failed to mobilise their united concern/anger/frustration sufficiently to trouble those with power to initiate the change needed. Grumbling in the stands or on the internet is hardly going to prick the ears of Marcus Evans.

Are the supporters of our club too disillusioned, too disparate in opinion, or demographically diverse to unify in a common purpose any more? There is no way significant, much needed change will occur when the supporters do not sing as one, or if they don’t agree its needed in the first place.

But why is this? Is it because we have no one to rally behind? Who is ‘Mr Ipswich Town’ - the figurehead to fight for the supporters who unifies all stakeholders in the club? Right now there isn’t one in the boardroom, there isn’t one in the dugout, and there isn’t one on the pitch. Of most concern, there doesn’t appear to be one in the stands either.

The figureheads for football clubs in the past were the chairmen. Typically rich, well-to-do locals done good, their agenda was to give something back to the area that nurtured them to their fortune.

The last notable example of this is Wigan supremo Dave Whelan. But since the swathe of foreign ownership and multi-millionaire takeovers, clubs in the top two tiers have largely had faceless corporate backing. “Football is big business” or “There is no room in football for sentiment” - phrases typical of this new era of club ownership, which should make us all shudder.

However some of these takeovers see an intermediary appointed to bridge the gap between the aloof millionaires and the supporters. See Peter Kenyon, first at Manchester United then at Chelsea, or Garry Cook at Manchester City. See Simon Clegg at ITFC.

But these guys aren’t supporters either. They’re not motivated in the same way, they’re paid first and foremost to protect the investment and try to yield returns for their bosses. Why do they care what the supporters think if it ultimately has a cost or puts into doubt revenue (high ticket prices anyone?)?

So in ITFC’s hour of need, who do we the fans turn to? Marcus Evans PLC? A faceless individual and/or entity who graciously deems us worthy of a few paragraphs on the website twice a season? Or how about their appointed figurehead? The former Olympics bigwig CEO with a military background who was supposed to drill our club into shape on and off the pitch? Or the current managerial incumbent whose last club appointment ended in abject failure, who is statistically worse than his predecessor? Or maybe the Supporters Club, appointed in almost complete secret from the masses that actually have a right to steer their agenda. Who take out pages in the matchday programme to criticise their own?

Who could it be? Well the Supporters Club for one need to step up and take their responsibility seriously. If they could properly manifest a presence that allows supporters to understand their agenda and how they can get involved that would be a start. If they are not fit for purpose, there should be enough people who care to pool supporters as a group vocal enough to seek real answers from the club’s owners on their capability and intent.

Or how about an ex-pro or manager? Could one of our former heroes from a time of success use their stature to ask the tough questions to the Evans regime? There are many with ITFC in their blood and knowledge how the professional game works to be able to translate supporter concern to those in charge. It’s a tragic shame Sir Bobby Robson never got to exert influence as ITFC honorary president.

But what about the man who awarded him that position, David Sheepshanks? Chairman of the PLC board, leading the FA academy build at Burton, whose tenure as chairman has been made to look a shining beacon since the Evans era turned sour.

We desperately need the right kind of someone (ie not the local newpapers) to come forward and try and unite the terraces, web forums and Twitter feeds. As the famous protest song goes - the people united will never be defeated. Now is the time for Town fans everywhere to unify to try and save our beloved football club, because it seems that we are the only ones who can

 

You need to thank your lucky stars that theres three really bad teams below you this season or it would be curtains for your lot, and thats not a dig at your team its a FACT!

 

I think we knew that some time ago Chippy but your comments are noted. I think the focal point we need JWM is PJs backside leaving Portman Road closely followed by Clegg MBE.

 

I personaly think that you are half right.
Its not PJ that needs to go but you have to get rid of Clegg !
The turning point in our rise was the appointment of McNally, he is the one who sacked Gunn, appointed Lambert & has over seen the quality signings we have made.
Get the right cheif exec in and i think your fortunes will change, but i dont think that will happen mid season, like you pointed to its more likely PJ will get the push, but this would leave you no further forward than when Keano was in charge.
The wrot starts from the top !