Fans confirm it. A special club that is Ipswich Town

LAST week said a great deal about Ipswich Town fans.

And they stood up to the test superbly – as I expected them to.

We had banner headlines calling for the head of Jim Magilton, we had fans trying to stir-up protests and if you believed what you were reading in certain quarters Ipswich Town was at its lowest ebb.

Okay, life was far from wonderful at Portman Road and results should have been better with no tangible improvement in the 13 months since Magilton had access to – and subsequently spent – Marcus Evans’ £12million on strengthening his squad.

But what was the depth of feeling being portrayed by the media?

Was it all as bad as was being said, and was the average Town fans about to mutiny and tear up his or her season ticket if the manager was not replaced?

Of course not – Town fans are not made that way.

They are made – in the main - of good old Suffolk stock.

And there is nothing wrong with that, and it is one of the ingredients in this special club of ours that has led to Ipswich Town overachieving to such an enormous extent.

For a rural town of 120,000 to have won UEFA Cups, FA Cups, Football League championships is unparalleled in world football.

And fans’ unique ‘feel’ for their club was reinforced during the home contest against Nottingham Forest.

As far as I could tell there was not a single boo, not a single protest at anyone connected with the club from Marcus Evans down.

This was the litmus test, and hopefully a more level headed approach will be adopted from now onwards.

Yes, everything in the garden is not rosy.

And yes, Magilton’s position will only remain secure if he finishes the season off well.

But too much heed is paid to the noisy minority – the message board scribblers who rejoice in anything negative, the phone-in merchants who are seemingly only appeased by a 5-0 victory and the unrealistic who expect a club like Ipswich from sleepy Suffolk to be a permanent member of the Premier League.

It ain’t going to happen. Mr Evans’ money gives Town a fighting chance of reaching the top flight – and on past experience the Blues will sample life among the big boys two, three possible four years every decade.

There is no Alf Ramsey or Bobby Robson running the club right now, but there is a manager giving his all to bring the good times back.

Yes, he has the support of his players – although relations have been rocky with some over the last three years – and he has the financial and personal backing of Evans.

Not a sure recipe for success but a jolly good one.

And if the good time do return no set of fans in the world will enjoy it more – or deserve it more – than those who add much to the special club that is Ipswich Town.