Blue Army

Mid table, end of season, who says it can't be fun?

What must be one of the strangest seasons in the history of Ipswich Town football Club reaches its conclusion on Sunday afternoon. The famous Suffolk punch on the badge hardly managed a trot at the start of the season, never even reached a canter mid term but suddenly is in full gallop approaching the final game. The match against the ‘Sky Blues’ on Sunday, two sides with a recent history of mediocrity at best and nothing to play for between them would probably command a sub 20k...(read more)

The new manager may be signed but is he set in stone?

As one of the most dull and mundane seasons in living memory for most Town fans was meandering towards a finish of complete mediocrity, we are suddenly given a ‘hit’ of more excitement, controversy and speculation than you can shake a stick at in the space of four days. The excitement of an ‘Old Farm’ derby that lived up to expectation for the ‘Blue’ contingent at least and having some controversy of its own was followed by what in some eyes was the controversial sacking of Jim Magilton culminating...(read more)

Missing. Does anyone know the whereabouts of my beloved team?

Their name is Ipswich Town FC and they loved to hear their name shouted by thousands of passionate fans. They would respond by playing attractive flowing football, ripping opposition defences to shreds and scoring goals for fun, especially at home with their family in Portman Road. They have been missing since the end of last season and I am now concerned that they may be lost never to be seen again. If anybody knows of their whereabouts or have heard rumours of a side fitting their...(read more)

Jim........ Magilton or Bowen?

Another three games, five more points and while the likelihood of a playoff place is more remote than a Highland Crofter’s Cottage you still couldn’t book a holiday in May with total impunity. After a gutsy performance and excellent result at ‘The Madeski’ the fare dished up at Portman Road against Burnley was at least more palatable than recent at home. That was not in a small way due to the introduction of one Giovanni dos Santos. His substitution halfway through the first...(read more)

It's alive! But is it a Monster?

I couldn’t bring myself to make a posting after the Southampton game. It would have been very reactionary and not very rational such was my disappointment both on the night and for some days after. One gameless Saturday and one commendable midweek performance later a certain amount of rationality has been restored. This season has not been memorable on a footballing front with few exceptions to date but may well be more remembered for off the field activities around Portman Road. One things...(read more)

Hot Stuff!

Impartial viewers of Saturday evenings live on Sky game at QPR must have been left wondering what’s going on at Portman Road? Only lost one in the last nine, two points off the playoffs with twelve to go and just gave the richest club in the Championship (if not the country) a footballing lesson. So they want to sack the manager? Okay they don’t know the full story. If Town had consistently performed half as well as they did at Loftus Road we would probably be in a top two position. That...(read more)

Can You Protest Every Week?

Whether by a direct result or by pure coincidence, Wednesday’s much publicised though subsequently rather low key demonstration by the ‘Anti Magilton’ lobby seemed to have the desired effect within the ground. Two goals (okay we only actually scored one ourselves) three points and most importantly something approaching an ‘atmosphere’ at Portman Road made Wednesday evening a slightly more pleasurable experience than recent home games. The football, though not the prettiest I’ve experienced...(read more)

Anyone Can 'Talk The Talk'

Throughout the course of the season many Town players have given their views on the promotion credentials of the club. Almost everyone from the keeper via defenders and midfield to the strike force have aired an opinion. “It’s just a blip” “We need to kill teams off” “It’s only a matter of time” “We need to beat the sides around us” Just a few of the clichéd statements given by players to the media as a supposed reassurance to us the supporters that a happy end to the season is still...(read more)

No Gain Without Pain.

Normal service has been resumed sooner than possible with another inept performance at home to a Plymouth side that at best could have been described as struggling pre hostilities last Saturday. The difference between last season’s home form and that of this term is difficult to quantify or qualify for that matter. The popular consensus of management and some player’s opinions is that teams come to Portman Road to defend and make life difficult for us. How dare they! In fact four of...(read more)

Would You Like Some More Of That?

The visit to Stamford Bridge was a refreshing interlude to what at times has been a dull and mundane season. More than that though I think it has given fresh impetus to the final third of the campaign. Coming at a time when Town have seemed to consolidate a top half finish at worst, the six thousand travelling fans lucky enough to obtain a ticket were treated to some Premiership quality performances and a cracking atmosphere at the ‘Shed end’. Chelsea actually turned up aswell, in...(read more)

Are you up for the Cup?

A second consecutive away victory against rival playoff contenders would for most sides be an ideal preparation going into a fourth round FA Cup tie against top Premiership opposition. The problem is it’s only the second time this season that town have managed two away victories on the trot and three on the bounce is rarer than lips on a chicken. Can anyone remember the last time? (Answers on a post card please) so statistically any sort of result at Stamford Bridge looks unlikely to...(read more)

Roots Hall or Stamford Bridge?

I can’t make my mind up. No seriously, a trip to Southend may not be on many Town fans itinerary at any time of year and even less so in January while the prospect of a day out in the capital and a visit to one of the top Premiership sides in the country is mouth-watering enough to send the salivatory glands of any ‘football head’ into overdrive, there is one other question that needs to be asked. Do we want to progress in the competition or have a fast fix with a taste of the Premiership for a...(read more)

A Record Breaking Run Of Inconsistency.

Win one lose one draw one. Yes you’ve got it, the Christmas programme of results mirrors the season to date exactly. Won nine lost nine drawn eight. In essence the form of mid table mediocrity as defined as you will see in any side any season. The draw at the Ricoh against a sky blues side with very similar statistics was on reflection of play probably two points lost rather than one gained while the Boxing Day defeat at home to Birmingham was less likely to clear the Christmas Day hangover...(read more)

Tell Me Why? I Don't Like Mondays

When your only consolation approaching 5pm on a Saturday is the Budgies loosing and the only thing that makes facing workmates on a Monday morning is the poor performance of other local rivals its a sure sign that your own team is not giving you an awful lot to crow about. Being an 'Essex Blue' when things aren't going well at Portman Road I can find myself with the albeit mostly closet supporters of Colchester and West Ham right in my face at every avaliable opportunity. Thats without the...(read more)

A Tale Of Two Cities

Yes I was at Carrow Road last Sunday and no I don’t want to talk about it. Highlight of the day? Breakfast at a Little Chef on the Norwich ring road, enough said. Wednesday evening saw my prediction of a low attendance and subdued atmosphere following a poor result against the ‘Budgies’ to be more than accurate. Town’s smallest crowd for two seasons saw the visit of Bristol City and conceding to the visitors in five minutes did little to raise the morgue like volume of support within Portman...(read more)