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Why I support Ipswich Town

Discussion in 'Ipswich Town' started by Bigalreigned, Jan 6, 2019.

  1. Bigalreigned

    Bigalreigned Well-Known Member

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    With all the (understandable)negativity around the place at present I thought I'd reflect on why I love the Club and hopefully inject a bit more positivity!

    I am one of the very lucky lucky ones,I was taken to Portman Road at the age of about 7 (back in the early 70s)Bobby Robson had been manager for a few Seasons (and don't forget it wasn't all plain sailing in his early years) and the Club was slowly growing into a force to be reckoned with.Exciting young players,Wark,Beattie,Woods were establishing themselves and we were starting to buzz.

    Heartbreak was a big part of the experience even then,I remember leaving Stamford Bridge after Clive Thomas "robbed" us of a place in the 1975 FA Cup Final close to tears.It was all compensated for three years later.A dramatic Semi Final against WBA (still up there as one of the most memorable games I've ever been to) and the even more memorable Final.As a 14 year old to see your team triumph at Wembley is magical.

    As if we thought it couldn't get any better Sir Bobby then went on to build a new team capable of competing not only with the best in England but the best in Europe.We got new heroes.Butcher,Thijssen,Brazil.etc became household names.Our best ever Season saw us competing for an unbelievable Treble but we had to settle in the end for "just" the UEFA Cup and a great trip to Amsterdam for the second leg of the Final.

    With Robson's inevitable move on to "better" things the Club went through a period of decline but I never lost the faith and was eventually rewarded with promotion under Lyall decline again (the low point being a particularly painful defeat against Man U!)

    We then nicked Colchester's up and coming manager and another trip to Wembley for a brilliant play-off final with Burley's swashbuckling heroes and return to the Premiership.More highlights included a trip to the San Siro and the maintenance of our proud unbeaten home record in European competitions.

    When Evans took over he seemed to be the wealthy savour we needed but it is pretty apparent he is now bored/disillusioned with his plaything and is looking for a way out.

    Only in the last couple of Seasons have I not woken up on a match day anticipating the game.I still have a Season Ticket but it's largely because of the social element of attending with my dear Dad who introduced me to Portman Road all those years back.Even recently there have been(just about) enough reminders as to why I'm still addicted e.g. Lankester's goal against Millwall,but ffs will someone please sort out our defence!

    Hope for the future?You've got to live in hope that we can bring some semblance of success back to Town even if it might not be for a Season or two.The positive is that with Klug behind the scenes we will still see good young players emerging and I think it says something about ,at least,that part of the set-up that the likes of Jason Dozzell and Richard Wright feel Ipswich is the best place for their sons to learn their trade.

    We may be down (to all intents and purposes) but we've got to believe we can get through it and start enjoying our football again!As you can see from the above it's always been a roller coaster ride following Town and if we are at a low now things can only get better (don't we know a song about that?)
     
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    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
  2. YorkieLancsHampyLondoner

    YorkieLancsHampyLondoner Well-Known Member

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    There are at least one hundred years of reasons why I’m a Town fan. My maternal grandfather was born in Handford Cut in the 1920s and went to see Town as a boy. Perhaps his grandfather was a Victorian Town fan attending at the dawn of the club. On my father’s side too, rural Suffolk Ipswich Town fans for generations.

    The Second Division championship season was my first without ‘grown ups’ and what a wonderful group of players we had for the inaugural Premier League season - Forrest, Stockwell, Thompson, Lineghan, Wark, Johnson, Williams, Milton, Youds, Whitton, Palmer, Mason, Kiwomya, Marshall, Guentchev, Yallop, Baker, Whelan. That side will always have a special place. Not because of what they achieved but simply because it was ‘my time’.

    Growing up in the 80s, we were still a first division side when my first matches against the likes of Chelsea and the England manager lived in our Town.

    So there has been so much to be proud of - not just the Ramsey and Robson era, but in my 40 years those matches in the 80s standing on a milk crate and then the Lyall, Burley, Royle and even Magilton sides too. Kids who played football in my back garden going onto play for Town and then England. Seeing Town beat the classic Man United side and the likes of Klinsmann who had not long before lifted the World Cup diving on the Portman Road turf in celebration of a Spurs goal.

    Seeing photos and footage of George Best in a Town shirt in the 70s, the great Pele alongside many of our own in Escape To Victory, Johan Cruyff battling against Roger Osborne in the European Cup. We have been in the most esteemed company in world football. But we have also had our own world class talent - Beattie, Wark, Muhren, Butcher, Ramsey and Robson - and our own outscoring the great Jimmy Greaves ( OK, he only played half the season ) to beat Spurs to the title. My parents postponing their wedding on the day that Town lifted the FA Cup.

    We have watched as the life, heart and soul has slowly been sucked out of the club over the last decade. But we will continue to watch because for those of us who have the club in our blood, there is simply no alternative.

    Town WILL be back. The only shame of it is that a generation has been missed - Wayne Rooney’s entire career whilst Ronaldo, Messi will never tread the turf at Portman Road. But please, let’s get back to the promised land before the great Harry Kane hangs up his boots and let’s not wait any longer to begin that work. The minimum requirement is to be rubbing shoulders with the best, if not producing some of the best ourselves. And it doesn’t matter if we’re not there at any given time. It’s the hope, the expectation, the ambition and the feeling of being a part of one of the most extraordinary football clubs in the history of the game that really counts. The only thing that scares me now is that flame being extinguished for good.
     
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    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
  3. Westlake33

    Westlake33 Well-Known Member

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    Essentially just made a bad decision as a kid! It was the 94/95 season, I lived in Bristol, every .... at school supported Man Utd ( I was born in 86 ) and my favourite colour was blue........along comes me watching some form of the Ipswich 3 Man Utd 2 game and me thinking ' Woah quality I'll support them ' and that pretty much, was that. That said, I lived near Bristol, didn't have sky....... ( good parents I hate that organisation .... ) so that's how I started supporting Ipswich. Though, 95/96 (through Gazetta football Italia ) I fell in love with the Ac Milan team. Back 4 of Maldini/Baresi/Costa Curta + Panucci. Weah + Baggio. Just a sublime side. Was so upset when they bottled the Uefa cup quarter final second leg in Bordeaux ( 2-0 up first leg, lost 3-2 on Agg / that Bordeaux side contained Zidane + Dugarry no less - sidenote - Dugarry played for Milan 96/97 ) The for me came the disaster of 97/98. Weah + Kluivert was meant to be a match made in heaven, they said Inzaghi + Del Piero wouldn't be able to play together - punditry at it's finest!!!

    99/2000 was the season I really started to follow Ipswich's results very very closely - the internet age was alive and kicking - we were one of the first households I can remember to have the internet with my friends etc - 33.6kb. PHWOAR! I remember the upgrade to 56kb.... lightning! ( that said, with the amount of sodding adverts the internet now has on every damn website it was probably quicker back then when you take everything into account....... ) I always remember being in my bedroom for the play off second leg. We drew 3-3 ( we all know this ) and I was in my room, gutted. It hurt. I thought we'd lost on away goals! Ceefax displayed 'extra time' - surely not I thought!? Yes, yes indeed ( away goals DID back then count at the end of extra time I believe ) and we did it! Unreal!

    00/01 was an interesting year for me at school, aged 14 / 15 with an Ipswich Town pencil case I was laughed at. Mocked. We were down right!? My face that Monday when we beat Liverpool at Anfield in English with the biggest **** of the year who'd given it large to me for two months before. AV IT. I was hooked.

    What sealed the love for ITFC was my first game, fa cup 2003 at Bramall Lane for my birthday. Went up with a friend to stay at his cousins ( a blade ) and he said he'd organise tickets! So was sadly in the home end............ what a game! 3-0 down......... out of it........... 3-3 ( 3 goals in around 5 minutes ) then the Paul Peschisolido dagger in the hearts right at the death with Tom Hark erupting everytime the Blades scored. I couldn't have dreamed to go to a more exciting game that than.

    So in my case, I picked. Did I pick the best team.......... haha well no. However, I DID pick a team where winning means something that Man Utd and co fans will NEVER EVER understand. Take Watford away 14/15......... the winner on 95............ Ipswich 3 Derby 2 04/05 was an absolute thriller.............that Darren Currie miss at Elland Road still haunts me.............. as does that Reading equaliser 04/05 on my birthday weekend which absolutely ruined my night / kicked out of a club and a massive blazing row in the street with my girlfriend at the time.

    Would I change any of my memories for being a Liverpool / Arsenal fan? Would I bollox. I love being a part of the South West supporters club, I love sharing posts/ ideas / everything with you guys - we're a real club and I want us to be as successful as possible - we all do.

    Great topic Big Al.

    C O Y B
     
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    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
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  4. Nuggets

    Nuggets Well-Known Member

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    I didn’t come from a football-obsessed family. My mum doesn't like football, and only grudgingly watches England during international tournaments. My biological dad is a Manchester United supporter, who I haven't had contact with since my childhood years when he left the family. My step dad was more interested in F1 than football. So from my family, my granddad is an Ipswich Town supporter, and he was very insistent that me and my younger brother should support Town rather than Manchester United! "It's his local team", "most of his family supports Ipswich", and "he wouldn't want to be known as a glory hunter for the rest of his life'. All the usual arguments a family member will employ to get a young grandson into the lesser-fancied football side. I decided to support Ipswich and that rested heavily on both the respect I have for my granddad and the fact he took me to my first football game, the 3-0 victory over Port Vale in the 1999/00 season, when I was only nine years old. Despite the young age, I vividly remember walking up the steps into the Cobbold Stand for the first time and walking out to the explosion of sound and seeing the stadium for the first time. Having that childlike glee and anticipation to walk out to our seats, impatiently waiting as my granddad queued for drinks. Hearing thousands of people chanting and singing, back when we had one of the loudest match-day experiences in England ... well I was sold on Ipswich from that point on. My granddad used to go with a friend, and whenever that friend couldn't go, I would be the first choice substitute! I saw a few Premier League matches and managed to convince my mum to let me watch the late night 1-0 win over Inter Milan at Portman Road too ... on a school night!

    The second reason for choosing Ipswich is that I was born in Ipswich and I live in Stowmarket. They are my local club and have been with the exception of when I lived in Stoke for three years at university, and I still managed to catch a couple of games when I was back from term-time, unfortunately that period was around the Keane / Jewell years! Now I don't necessarily think Ipswich is a particularly nice town anymore. The town centre is unfortunately dying the same slow death occurring across the country with boarded up, vacant shops, rising crime, and cuts to services leaving a tired, dirty looking town. But it's still home and there is still some element of character and charm about the town. The state of the town is almost symbolic of the current Ipswich Town side. I imagine what a successful Ipswich Town will do the club? If we get promoted to the Premier League, I like to think the town would be rejuvenated slightly.

    As for the future of the club, I'm not optimistic, unfortunately. I think we're lucky in that we've got a thriving academy, which is producing some promising players, and our massive £100m odd debt is only owned to one person / company. However, the lack of investment in the playing squad and in Portman Road itself (a tired looking stadium these days for people who haven't been able to go to home games lately), is one part of the problem. Other aspects are the lack of leadership, forward-thinking initiatives, and supporter engagement from the current ownership. A succession of poor managerial appointments and an outdated structure that gives too much power to these poorly-appointed managers are also concerns for me. I sometimes wonder how young kids going to their first Portman Road match treat and regard the atmosphere these days? Are they still wide-eyed and taken away by the sight, sound, and spectacle of Town matches? Or do they detect the embittered gallows humour of Portman Road these days? Do they notice the periods of matches where the stadium is relatively quiet and reflective? Do they look at this current squad, and the players and performances of the past few seasons, and think 'is this good football? This isn't the type of football I usually watch?'

    Football occurs in cycles though, even in contemporary football where money usually talks loudest. If we do go down to League One, and I think we're all resigned to that probability, I do have faith that sooner or later we will return. Hopefully relegation will serve as the catalyst for real, beneficial long-term change.
     
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  5. Scowey

    Scowey Well-Known Member

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    I remember getting a Man Utd pencil case as a present at my 7th Birthday party and wondering why my school friend thought I would have wanted it. I may have been born in Ipswich, but I lived in the Northern territories of Suffolk where we rub shoulders with Naarfolk folk and Naarwich fans on a daily basis. In fact I'd very nearly become a Norwich fan.. I even owned a Green & Yellow sweat band as a 5 year old. My Primary & High schools were typically 45% Town fans, 45% Naarwich, 10% Manure and other outliers like Leeds :emoticon-0112-wonde

    My Dad has always been an Ipswich fan and although he had become more of a 'casual' fan then than he was in his youth.. Where he went to see us quite regularly, but hadn't been in years, he decided to take me to a game when I was 7 (I think) and we sat behind the dugouts as we beat Charlton 3-1 and I remember the noise and emotion when Jason Cundy scored a towering header in front of the North Stand and that was that for me.

    Every year I got the Kits for Birthday and Christmas (Full Kit ****er) and pretended to be Bobby Petta, Ulhenbeek, Mathie etc. in my back garden. It was always interesting through my school years as the Ipswich/Norwich debate swung over the years as each peak for one side was accompanied by the other's decline, but I've always liked Blue and once you've seen Ipswich play at Portman Road there isn't any turning back. I couldn't imagine showing any level of interest in any other club

    My love for the club did wane a little around 2005 for a year as I hadn't kept up with who we were signing etc. and as the names on the radio were different I couldn't tell whether the goals scored should be celebrated or not.. But once Magilton was appointed I got back into it.. My family finally got some Internet that worked and I went back to watch us again after a couple of years off. The football since has been what can only be described as a "mixed bag" but I do love the feeling of walking up to Portman Road as the noise levels gradually increase and the chants start to become recognizable. It's probably a nostalgia thing as the excitement you get as a kid isn't there, but the memory of it is.
     
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  6. stretchyboy

    stretchyboy Well-Known Member

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    I have no affiliation with the town, or even the county. Was born a stones throw from Selhurst park, which i think was the first game i went to. I have Palace v Blackpool in my head, but i was only about 4 or 5 so don't really remember it.

    But i vividly remember cup final day in '78. I was 6 years old and i remember turning to my big brother and saying "i hope Ipswich win". And from that day onward, I've stuck with them through thick and thin. I never went to many games at PR in my younger days, as i didn't know any other town fans, and it was a bit of a trek for me to go up there on my own. I did though go to a number of the London away games (i do have one very funny story one boxing day away to Arsenal at Highbury, well funny to me).

    We then moved when i was 8 to Wimbledon (well, Tooting, which was a ten minute walk to Plough Lane, and i ended up going to see them regularly, so they have always been my 2nd team. I think my first town game was away to the Dons on a Friday night. Think it was 1-1. My first home game, was against Reading, another 1-1 draw, but it was the point we needed to get into the play offs. I remember there being a pitch invasion, and thats when i had the buzz for this. Throughout the 90's i would go up to PR occasionally, but not as much as id like to have done. But it was tricky, living in South London, and no one you know supported Ipswich (in fact, even though my mates all loved footie, they were never ones to go to games).

    As Troy mentions above, i still get that excitement on match days when im going to PR, the walk from wither the car park or the station, the noise, the people wearing the shirts, seeing the floodlights in the distance getting closer, the statue of Sir Bob...and then you turn a corner and you see thousands of Town fans outside the ground, all with their names on their shirts.
    Doesn't matter how sh!t the team is, or how toxic it's supposed to be, i loved it, and still do. Maybe because i don't go to that many games, it's still a novelty for me. I now go with a couple of footie mates (Fulham and Arsenal/Boreham Wood fans), and we go to other games as well as Town games.
    But nothing beats the thrill of watching your team...for me, doesn't matter what division they are in, i'll always be a Tractor boy, and i'll always go to games when i can
     
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  7. Castro Sito

    Castro Sito Well-Known Member

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    Like you Stretchy it all started for me with the 78 cup final. 6 years old and decided I preferred the colour blue.
    That and I had relatives in Stowmarket who later took me to a few games during BR era. Definitely lost its magic since then.
     
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  8. fieldmarshall

    fieldmarshall Well-Known Member

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    Buggered if I know sometimes.
     
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  9. Bigalreigned

    Bigalreigned Well-Known Member

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    <laugh><laugh><laugh>
     
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  10. stretchyboy

    stretchyboy Well-Known Member

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    No need to get all gay about it
     
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  11. itfcptc

    itfcptc Well-Known Member

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    My family have followed them since the beginning, I started going as a 5 year old in the mid 90s and loved it. Then the late 90s started getting half season tickets before having a season ticket for 7 years until I left to go to Uni and haven't returned to the area. Still made about at least 10 games a year though up until Roy Keane was appointed and since then everytime I have been it's been either like watching paint dry or an embarrassment. The last game I went to and genuinely enjoyed was Magiltons last game in charge. I enjoyed the win over Arsenal and the playoff semi against Norwich but the football we played in those games was crap.

    I wouldn't chose another club and since the mid 90s supporting them I genuinely enjoyed every minute (except for 1 poor season under Royle) until literally the point ME came to the club, since then it's pretty much been a slow death culminating in where we are now.

    I cannot stress the differing levels of joy between the pre-ME era and the ME era, which is probably why I haven't made as much of an effort to spend my cash paying to see us. It's such a shame because we've lost a whole generation of fans because of it.
     
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  12. canary-dave

    canary-dave Well-Known Member

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    I have read these posts with interest, one thing that stands out for me is that a lot of Norwich fans moan about Delia not having much money and wishing for a rich owner to take over the club.

    I would say to them, look at Ipswich and be careful what you wish for

    Good luck for the rest of the season, if ME backs Lambert he might just save you!

    <cheers>
     
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  13. YorkieLancsHampyLondoner

    YorkieLancsHampyLondoner Well-Known Member

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    Hope you are on the mend Dave. Happy new year.
     
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  14. Bigalreigned

    Bigalreigned Well-Known Member

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    Good to hear from you Dave,all the best!
     
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  15. canary-dave

    canary-dave Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Hampy, I have an operation this coming Monday to take a biopsy from an area in my bladder that they are not happy about, then I will have six weekly sessions of heated chemo pumped round my bladder for an hour each time.

    Happy days <yikes>
     
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  16. YorkieLancsHampyLondoner

    YorkieLancsHampyLondoner Well-Known Member

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    Each session Dave, just think to yourself - ‘at least I’m not at Portman Road’.

    All the best for your op and chemo, I hope it does the trick!
     
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  17. fieldmarshall

    fieldmarshall Well-Known Member

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    Happy New Year Dave, I hope all goes well.
     
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  18. Alhare

    Alhare Member

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    Interesting thread Bigal!

    I was only newly born when Town were conquering Platini's St Etienne side and going on to win a major European trophy. I came late to the party.

    I dont really know why I support Town; common sense would have been for a 9 year old to fall in love with the Man U with Giggs being just on the scene in time for lads my age to be swayed. so glad I didn't.

    I moved to Woodbridge when I was 8 but I didn't come from a football family so my first real experience of it was Italia 90 and I recall backing Cameroon! BUT, you know why? cos they were the underdogs giving one to the big boys (potentially England too... but for Lineker...). which is a quality you ned to be a ITFC fan...

    Then I fell in love with Ipswich and football; Ipswich had beaten Man U, John Wark came to my school and answered my question(!) and I felt I had a genuinely good team to support right on my doorstep, which appealed to my sense of authenticity; why would you support a team miles away in a city you have nothing to do with...? we all know plenty of people that do!

    My first games were with my dad (a armchair southend fan) and always in the north stand as that's where the local newsagent had tickets for. how ticket buying has changed...im glad I was in there with the big boys though in the early/mid 90's, very raw for a new fan of a young age but infectious. first game we lost 5-1 to George Grahams Arsenal. Wrighty got a hatrick, it was a cold grey day and yet the feeling of the noise when we scored our miserable consolation was enough to make me feel like I was a fan-i had no sense of, 'hmmm, maybe I've backed the wrong horse here, lets follow Arsenal instead.' that's too easy, too obvious, not authentic.

    I was a new fan when we lost 9-0 to Man U but I listened to the whole sorry affair on the radio (no Sky, my parents were also anti sky!) and then I watched the whole thing on MOTD because at least I got to 'see' my team play, however badly! you don't do that type of self flaggelation unless youre a true fan! I t never once crossed my mind to jump ship.

    My first Derby was the famous pass which Bryan Gunn let in and the feeling as we sang in the north stand was brilliant.

    I went to a lot of games in my late teens before Uni when Burley rebuilt our side and Sheepshank had his '5 year plan'. I remember collaring him as he loaded some plants he'd bought at Notcuts where I did the sweeping for beer money (back when sweeping up work paid for beer...) and asking if he was going to sell Tarrico. he said 'not unless they take telephone numbers.'!! Incidentally, Mick Stockwell was a plant buyer from there in those days!

    ITFC was a thrilling club to support in the Burley days, almost too good to be true. we were beating everyone! Leeds away! Stewart's hatrick at Soton...glorious with lots of our own players.

    Then the sadness of the next season. I couldn't understand how we could expect to compete with a central defence comprising Venus and McGreal. the world was going a bit barmy at that stage; money was losing relvance-evrythng was 'Loadza Money'; property, invest In this, that, every one's a winer, yeah! our boom to bust combustion seems to relate the way the economy went. 5th to relegaed. what a bunch of ****ers. only ITFC could contrive that!

    Since then its been pretty hard going (Joe Royal aside) and living away games impossible to reach.

    As I type were drift at the bottom of the Championship. However, we have a new manager I believe in, some new signings which, however modest, make me excited because they are at 'my club' and **** me, our new striker has scored on his debut, we have a bit of a legend at centre half (not seen that since Warky graced out team) and were 1-0 up and about to potentially win our first game In what seems like years and I'm just over the moon and happy about it. And that's why I'm an ITFC fan.
     
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