The media's sweet

Roy Keane and his Ipswich Town signings

mark.heath@archant.co.uk — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:12:00 GMT

WITH Ed Upson signing a new one year contract and Shane Supple about to follow suit there is just one outstanding issue to be sorted from the 13 players whose Ipswich Town contracts expire on June 30. And faced with a head against heart decision, young midfielder Liam Trotter is set to be ruled by his head and accept a longer Scunthorpe deal than the one-year offer believed to have been made by Blues boss Roy Keane. The former Northgate School pupil will have a much better chance of playing first...(read more)

Roy Keane secret for success with Ipswich Town

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:36:00 GMT

SO what do we make of the Roy Keane appointment now that the dust has settled?

He has certainly increased interest in Ipswich Town and revitalised optimism among Blues supporters.

Replica shirts are being worn with pride again, and many are already counting down the days to the first game of next season.

And the signs are that Ipswich Town could soon be back on the glory trail again.

Mr Keane has made a favourable impression since his arrival at Portman Road, belying his ‘Mr Angry’ image although being ultra professional from the word go.

Banner headlines accompanied his decision to dispense with the services of seven players – ‘Keane wields the axe’ they roared.

Jim Magilton would have made similar decisions with 13 players out of contract, but the reaction would have been much more tempered.

This over-egging of the Keane reputation is something Ipswich Town will have to get used to.

Okay, he did not make wise decisions in some of his earlier days in football walking out on the Republic of Ireland squad on the eve of world cup finals and leaving Manchester United in a bit of a huff to join Celtic. And then departing Sunderland when the going got a little tough.

But reports coming out of the Stadium of Light confirm Keane as being a mellow individual off the field, and one that works very hard on the task in hand.

His brief is to take Ipswich back to the Premier League after their longest absence from the top flight for half a century.

He will make changes – he will ensure that players’ confidence is high and that they go into every game with that little bit of extra steel that was already evident in the wins over Cardiff City at Coventry City at the end of last season.

But whether he proves a success remains to be seen. It may be that Magilton would have been the best bet to stay with.

But at the moment that does not hold water, and lo and behold and glory be the signs are that the Blues are set to give their followers some much deserved cheer.

What the summer holds Ipswich Town-wise

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:03:00 GMT

ALWAYS a strange week this one.

From where I sit there are no press conferences to attend, no four pages of Ipswich Town match previews to fill on Friday and again on Saturday.

And no game to anticipate at the weekend.

And it must be the same for supporters as they go into summer hibernation with around 13 Saturdays before the start of the 2009/10 Coca-Cola Championship season.

Work-wise it has been a good campaign. No rain-offs, no snow-offs and not too much really cold weather.

Plenty of wins away from home to make all the motorway miles worthwhile, and no navigational problems whatsoever.

You will recall that once BBC Radio Suffolk’s Bryan Knights was designated a non-traveller, yours truly took over the navigational hot seat in Her Majesty’s Press (Ipswich branch) official (well camouflaged) vehicle.

And after ending up in an assortment of superstore car parks, negotiating roundabouts a dozen (well three anyway) times and generally living in dread that we would not find our way home the 2008/09 campaign will go down as highly efficient on the travelling front.

Not a Sat-Nav in sight either – just using the odd map and on the homeward journey the stars.

So what do we all do now? No footballers/managers to praise or criticise, no long Sunday mornings bashing computer keys for all their worth to fill Monday’s paper, no relaxing days off during the week to make up for regular Saturday duties.

For a start four weeks of holidays will be taken – plus an assortment of lieu days – leaving one more week to give a welcome break during an international week in October/November.

Speedway meetings and cricket games will need to be covered and the summer bat and ball sport will play a big part in your correspondent’s schedule over the next three months as chairman of Ipswich and East Suffolk CC and a willing wicket roller and grass cutter to chief groundsman Dave Little.

The dogs will come up to Chantry Park and many hours will be spent during the summer (on afternoons off and Saturday mornings) sitting on tractors and rollers.

Great stuff – and with a son to see in Auckland and a daughter to come home from a gap year – all good.

But don’t run away with the idea that a football correspondent’s life in the close season is a doddle.

A back page story still has to be found most days, and when there is little coming out of Portman Road because it is basically closed down it can be a tad difficult.

By early August, Roy Keane will have waved goodbye to a goodly number, welcomed a talented few and it will be lift-off time for a 2009/10 season that will be nothing if not electrifying.

Ipswich Town's new era - suggest you keep your feet on the ground

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:56:00 GMT

SO the Blues are now at the embryo stage of a new era.

Since the last blog, Ipswich Town have installed Roy Keane in place of Jim Magilton as manager.

The highly capable Simon Clegg has also arrived at Portman Road to front the show – and Marcus Evans has gone up several notches in the estimations of most Town fans.

It’s been all change, and at a stroke the Blues are now the most high profile club in the Coca-Cola Championship.

One has to feel for Magilton, as one has to feel for every discarded manager.

There has never been a more passionate person at the helm as far as Ipswich Town are concerned, and the genial Irishman was desperate to do well for a club that he loves.

I said from day two that he was born to manage, and am confident he will end up taking charge of another club – and learning from his mistakes with Ipswich to become a big hit.

Magilton would have got things right, and would have taken the Blues up. But it might have been some while hence.

Evans quite rightly decided that three years was long enough particularly as the £12million he had earmarked to strengthen the playing side had not brought the planned results.

You will know that I was an advocate of keeping Magilton into next season for a number of reasons – two being that clubs that change managers willy-nilly - Newcastle and Norwich spring to mind – are the ones that struggle and that Magilton will have been better value once rid of his ‘rookie’ tag.

And he may have proved to be the better option.

But fans are in love with the club again at the moment and there is renewed interest in season tickets.

There is no dispute however that Keane’s appointment is a gamble.

It is bringing huge initial benefits with the cost of ridding the club of Magilton etc and bringing in a big name replacement – along with a number of new players no doubt – being partly overridden by the extra sales of season tickets. But will it last?

We have replaced like with like with the main difference that Keane is a proven managerial winner.

First impressions have been great, and here’s hoping he is a success – he has already received more media support in some quarters than Magilton had in three years!

Keane’s appointment has taken homely Town headlong into the 21^st century with The Times signalling the ‘end of civilisation’ at the decision.

Evans has done things correctly and after weighing up his options over 16 months he is now a significant way down the road to make Town a ‘Global brand.’

But for the time being it’s best to keep your feet in the ground.

Stick with Jim - and here's why

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:11:00 GMT

OH dear, oh dear it must be the long season.

Having confirmed to my sister that Sunday tea would be a good time to meet up over Easter, I now find myself on the way to Bristol City for an overnight stay.

So it will be a mid-afternoon leave for the west country, and be bright and fresh in the morning to relate the goings on at Ashton Gate in the penultimate away Ipswich Town game.

I am sure the trip will be a pleasant one – as was the journey to Sheffield United last weekend that included a full English breakfast (cereal, the works, then fruit, toast and coffee) at the Ram Jam Inn on the A1.

And my apologies to Reading who since our last visit have updated their press facilities and now offer one of the best in the business. Full marks to the Reading club.

Finding the press car park near Bramall Lane took almost as long as getting to the steel city as it was around a one-way system that was clogged up with traffic and the relevant street name signs were hidden from view.

But get there we did with the King navigation still proving far better than my erstwhile radio colleague Bryan Knights’ efforts in previous years.

Talking of the radio had an enjoyable chinwag with Heart radio commentator Mark Scott and summariser Mick Stockwell on the air after the 2-0 defeat against the Blades.

Mark might be a little envious of my so-called dancing on a night out in Blackpool, but he does a fine job and it is always interesting to put Ipswich Town affairs to rights after games.

It is amazing how fluctuating it has all been. A win at Reading and everything in the garden is rosy, followed by a bad defeat at Sheffield United and Jim has to go!

The 2008/09 campaign has been that sort of event.

I have to admit that there are genuine reasons why Ipswich Town should consider waving goodbye to their current manager.

But like Jim I have Taurus the bull as my star sign, and I know how stubborn and determined to succeed that makes him.

Review the Reading game and yes we have talent and tactics to beat the best in the division. Review the Sheffield United game and we have nothing of the sort.

Football is like that, and getting worse.

Lose one game and it is all woe. Win the next and all is well.

Stick with Jim is my feeling for what its worth. Give him one more year to build on what has been (and was always going to be) a difficult first few years in a highly demanding job.

Five key players were missing at Bramall Lane – and it showed leading to genuine concerns about the strength of an expensively assembled squad.

The drifting out of the scene of the likes of Matt Richards, Dan Harding and Billy Clarke (when Town have struggled to find left-sided balance this term) is a concern about man-management and ‘talent spotting’ skills.

And then we have the current demise of Jaime Peters, Liam Trotter and a few others who were around the scene when Ipswich were doing as well as they are now – without the cash and without the number of players.

Joe Royle ended up with no alternative than have kids on the bench. Jim has much more going for him.

He is not guaranteed to succeed I am afraid. But his heart is in the right place – so give him another chance.

Home Ipswich Town games best avoided

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:38:00 GMT

FOUR more away games in the Coca-Cola Championship – where has the season gone?

The journey to Reading is one that will hold no problems for yours truly in his capacity as head navigator of Her Majesty’s Press corps (Ipswich branch).

With two daughters at the town’s university the A12 (occasionally A120/M11), M25 and M4 route has been accomplished many, many times.

It has to be said that this has been achieved with varying degrees of success depending on the state of play with the M25.

Sometimes it takes two hours, sometimes it takes four hours.

For the trip to the Madejski Stadium it should be much nearer the former being a Saturday and the lack of commercial vehicles on the road.

Molineux presented no problems apart from a short delay on the M6 around the Spaghetti junction area, and the burger and chips and oxtail soup before the kick-off at Wolverhampton were splendid.

Reading’s press box is unique being situated along the top of the main stand with journalists sitting in one long line stretching from the half-way line to the corner flag at the visiting supporters’ end.

There is (or there was anyway before their stay in the Premier League) no extensive media centre as such – just a small room with an urn of hot water for tea and coffee.

You are presented with a voucher to take to a nearby kiosk if you want a pie of pastie!

Car parking is excellent with a massive area behind where the adjacent hotel stands although even if you leave at 6pm there is still a longish queue to exit via the one road linking you back to the nearby M4.

So, after returning to Suffolk at around 8pm it means just three more trips – with two overnight stays.

Sheffield United can comfortably be accomplished on the day – an easy run compared to the nightmare journeys into and around London.

And that leaves Bristol City with a Sunday afternoon trek down the M4 for the Easter Monday afternoon match and Cardiff for what will be the final regular league match at Ninian Park.

This should be some occasion with the likelihood that there will still be something hanging on the game for the home side before their move to their brand new stadium situated just yards from the current one.

Then it will be a lengthy summer break until the first week in August with no world cup, no European Championships and no Olympic or Commonwealth Games.

It will be the Ashes that will occupy us most during the close season, and for yours truly hopefully a jaunt to see eldest son who is now running a PE department in the midst of Auckland, New Zealand.

By the way, Ipswich Town have five home games as well, but if they are anything like the last one they will be best avoided!

What the future holds for Ipswich Town

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:32:00 GMT

LO and behold a rare spare few minutes to keep you informed of the progress of Her Majesty’s Press (Ipswich branch).

The wheels will be turning again this week with trips to Wolverhampton and Reading, which are two of the easier journeys negotiated from Suffolk in the Championship this campaign.

Although circumstances dictate that in print Ipswich Town must still be given a chance to gain promotion in reality the odds are stacked around 50-1.

Norwich City manager Bryan Gunn - a very decent man – has as much chance of leading the Canaries to a respectable position by the end of the campaign.

It will need a purple patch, a 22-point gain from ten games to give a chance of a top six finish. And when you have accrued just 50 points from 36 matches this ain’t likely to happen.

So where does this leave us all?

Jim Magilton: Described by some as ‘dead man walking’ he needs to at least lift his side up to within striking distance of the top six by the beginning of May to have a good chance of leading the Blues next season.
Town’s out of contract players: Tommy Miller and Alex Bruce are good bets to stay but the other 10 whose current deals end on June 30 must be having sleepless nights. In a strange quirk of fate staying down will help – and not hinder – the hopes of most.

Town’s loyal supporters: They won’t really miss out. Okay, okay, Hull City and Stoke City have done better than expected after their rise to the Promised Land last summer, but who wants to be in line to be another Derby County? Much better to be a big fish in a small pond many might say – a division where you can win something and not one where you sole objective is to avoid the bottom three places.

Marcus Evans: He came onboard at Portman Road to get Ipswich Town into the Premier League. As a successful business man he could see that his initial outlay and his taking responsibility of Town’s £40million-odd debt would be small beer to the £60million revenue the club would accrue on just one year in the top flight.

He is wise enough to know that Rome was not built in a day, but he would expect to see promotion in 2009/10 and may well make his summer decisions accordingly.

One thing is for certain – Town have a much better chance of going up with him than without him.

Having never witnessed a Town win at Molineux I am not optimistic about a result at Wolves, and Reading is another ground where Ipswich do not have a good record.

But don’t rule out anything in this division.

And two defeats – or even two draws – this week, and the spotlight turns to 2009/10.

Fans confirm it. A special club that is Ipswich Town

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:55:00 GMT

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.

Magilton needs to start flying!

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:16:00 GMT

YOU will no doubt be having sleepless nights wondering how Her Majesty’s Press (Ipswich branch) has been faring on their most recent manoeuvres.

Well – all good really.

Okay the last three journeys – into deepest London, deepest Yorkshire and then deepest Wales – have produced mixed results, but the trips have been top-notch.

Holding a navigator’s licence can be a perilous occupation when negotiating the streets of the capital and I stuck to my told and trusted methods to locate Stamford Bridge.

But there were no problems, and I felt like a tour guide as we swept along the embankment with the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben among the attractions.

A car park was located on the map and this was situated near Earls Court. All well and good - until I had to dip into my pocket for the £20 parking fee.

And although the stadium looked a couple of hundred yards away it still involved a walk between terrace houses and along cobbled streets before Stamford Bridge appeared.

Barnsley is a good trip as the Ram Jam Inn is just over half-way in as you journey up the A1. The meal was splendid as usual, and we found the ground without any problems going in off the A1 and progressing along some country-type roads.

Full marks for the navigator yet again, who could stand down for the long haul to Swansea.

The train took the strain – and how marvellous it all was.

While the snow and ice played havoc with the M4 the journey through the west country went as smoothly as you can imagine with Bristol appearing to be under six inches of snow one side of the Severn tunnel and Wales having no snow at all on the other side. Amazing.

A rickety little train took us onward from Cardiff Central to Swansea where we arrived in time to buy ITFC player liaison officer Wolf Powell an early Friday evening gin and tonic.

A tasty meal and good company at a hotel - situated beside a wide sandy beach and near Vetch Field and the local jailhouse - followed before a filling all-English breakfast in the morning.

A bracing walk along the front followed – and then the game.

And then a trip home in the dark that was only hindered by a delay at Paddington Tube Station and at Colchester Station where a dozen police were called to deal with troublemakers and led to a 30 minute delay on the 11.30pm back to Ipswich.

Life was certainly seen in those three trips, and the next sortie is to Loftus Road. With the trains playing up and road transport necessary it will be another torturous London journey most probably around the north circular and in off the A 40.

But the navigator is in good spirits – we are really flying. And for Jim Magilton’s sake hopefully he will be as well.

On the road to success with Ipswich Town

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:58:00 GMT

FROM the sublime to the ridiculous sums up the recent travels of Her Majesty’s Press corps (Ipswich division).

Chelsea’s desire to please matches their desire to win trophies, and there can be no complaints at all about the way the Premier League giants welcomed their Coca-Cola Championship opponents in the FA Cup fourth round.

And as far as the media was concerned it was a three-course hot meal before kick-off followed by a glass of the best red wine after the home side’s 3-1 victory.

And unlike some Championship clubs, Chelsea were happy to assist with post-match interviews and led the Ipswich press contingent to the corridor outside the changing rooms and in the tunnel to conduct interviews.

All very helpful.

And when the written tasks were complete it was mountainous hike for yours truly to fulfil my obligations to the good people of Heart radio who give live commentaries on every Town game.

While the main press box is tucked in just behind the dug-outs, the TV and radio gantry is up in the Gods at the top of the main stand.

It was enough to give anyone a nose bleed, and quite eerie as by 5.45pm the stadium was empty apart from Mark Scott, Mick Stockwell and Kelly McCormack from Heart carrying on their good work.

Three days later – and after a trip to London to say goodbye to eldest daughter as she began a gap year world tour – it was up the A1 to the delights of Oakwell.

With no disrespect to Barnsley working conditions were as different as chalk and cheese with a temporary building housing the ‘media centre’ and a cup of tea for sustenance.

But the Yorkshire outfit are also a friendly crowd – and with the Blues winning 2-1 it was an enjoyable evening ‘up north’.

Don’t run away with the idea that this business is easy as I spent two hours tapping away on a lap top on the journey home and then had an hour’s more work on the home computer before bed eventually beckoned at 2.45am.

Life is getting taxing if you are a local written media man covering Ipswich Town these days with manager Jim Magilton having a grouse and currently unwilling to cooperate fully.

But such is life, and these things happen in the sport reporter’s world. It’s a shame because the Blues boss can be such good helpful company.

The next Town trip is at Swansea and ah yes the trains have been booked and what a wonder that will be. Four single tickets have seen the price come down to £54 for a two-day return. Bring it on.

Ipswich Town players don't grieve!

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:03:00 GMT

IT’S been a while what with Christmas and everything. I hope you all survived the pleasantries and wish you all a healthy and peaceful 2009.

And a successful one as well.

Me, well it was great to be honest with not too much travelling over the festive period with no Ipswich Town game on January 1 this year.

The old fella clad in a red suit and carrying a huge sack did me proud and Rudolph and his mates must have been relieved when they reached the King household to deposit my load.

Despite reaching a reasonably good age I have never had so many parcels to open, and there was some great stuff to enjoy.

The New Year was not so great with eldest daughter spending time in Oxford hospital and the sad death of a close family member.

Said daughter is off travelling next week and with youngest daughter at univ and sons working away in Auckland and Chobham respectively Mandy and myself will be ‘empty nesters’.

A new phrase to live through - after many years of having children around the place.

But anyway, going back to what 2009 might bring I had a lengthy debate the other day on the merits or otherwise of being a winner.

We should all be competitive. To not be so reduces ones impact on life.

You must want to win, and however talented a footballer might be he will not go any further than a local league if he does not want to succeed in every game – be it football or snap.

You have to accept losing (this is important) but you do not have to enjoy losing.

If part of a team your weekend should be ‘ruined’ if you lose, while it should be made if you win.

I hasten to add that this is does not follow if you are a supporter.

To have your weekend ruined if Ipswich Town lose – and the nearest you get to the outcome of the game is by watching from the stands – is silly.

Okay, if you are unable to play on Saturday afternoons then support others by any means. But don’t go into one if they lose.

You had no control over it!

And however much they want to win – and they have to be winners to get this far in the game – to professional players the glamour soon goes and it becomes a job of work to them.

If you have a bad day at work it doesn’t ruin your weekend – so why should it ruin a professional footballers’?

They hurt but they don’t grieve.

Which brings me on to Saturday’s trip to Selhurst Park. Can anybody out there let me know the most fail-safe way of getting there from the A12?

Apart from a couple of years travelling with Mick Mills – he knew the complicated route spot on – the journey has always turned into a nightmare. Roll on a midlands team as far away from London as possible.

E-mail elvin.king@archant.co.uk with your route to Selhurst Park and as navigator of Her Majesty’s Press (Ipswich branch) pressmobile I shall be eternally grateful. And so will John Wark who is a travelling companion on this occasion.

Jim's walk out. What really happened!

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:10:00 GMT

Well, it all blew up at last week’s press conference with the written press - with Jim Magilton handing out a few home truths before storming off.

You will no doubt have seen a transcript of proceedings on the Evening Star website, and it does not make good listening.

So what really happened?

Read on.

The s*** hit the fat big time when a story was printed about the meeting the Blues boss Jim Magilton had with eight of his more experienced players.

There was nothing wrong with this, as the meeting took place.

But what caused the skin and fur to fly was a quote from an unnamed player in effect stating that this had caused a rift in the squad.

The implication was that those not included in the meeting were upset, and the article also implied that if they didn’t like it those ‘on the outside’ would be free to leave in the transfer window.

The manager denies this saying that he has many meetings with differing players and that he wanted to get across a passion and desire message to certain players, saying that messages can get lost in big groups.

And the players have backed the manager up, and presented a united front going out of their way to try and confirm to concerned fans that all is well behind the scenes at Portman Road.

The bottom line is that these stories surface when results are not going well.

If Ipswich had been in the top six last week’s fun and games would not have happened.

It is not my job to pick sides, but if pushed I would have to admit to having sympathy with the manager.

And the action from the players back up Magilton’s claim that there is no unrest.

And from what I have heard from players in one-on-one interviews the manager has the continual backing of his players.

Okay I am presented with players to interview – the days have gone when I could ring up and speak to who I wanted – but unless they are accomplished actors there is no dissent in the camp.

A couple of wins will make all this squabbling go away.

A couple of defeats this week – and it could happen – could make it worse.

The manager has decided not to speak to the press before the Birmingham game – Bryan Klug and Richard Naylor are doing the honours instead.

And this is probably wise.

No need for a tin hat tomorrow morning then!

Happy Christmas to you all.

Can Town break the habit of a season?

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:53:00 GMT

Ho, Ho, Ho Christmas is on the way and we could all do with some timely festive cheer.

If the defeat at Carrow Road was bad enough to take, last Saturday’s home reverse against Cardiff City was even worse.

Not only was the weather dreadful, so was the football dished up by the Blues, and the weekend was not a joyous occasion for Ipswich Town followers.

And it was also a turning point for many fans.

Even those who have been standing by the management of Jim Magilton are now starting to waver.

Many are close to joining those who have been calling for the head of the manager ever since Town got off to a bad start with the opening two home matches of the season lost.

‘Magic’ was a huge fan’s favourite during his playing days and I well remember sitting in the players’ coach as it left Home Park, Plymouth on the final day of the 2005/06 campaign after the genial Irishman had played his last game.

Town fans waited behind before leaving for their long journey home to wave banners bidding farewell to the elegant midfielder.

And they loved it when the former Northern Ireland international was named manager a few weeks later following the departure of Joe Royle.

But it has all gone wrong two and a half years later, and Magilton’s popularity levels are at their lowest ebb.

He has been left wondering a number of things including how come his players have not been producing their best form regularly.

But things are not as bad ‘behind the scenes’ as some reports may infer.

The mood in the dressing room is obviously not as buoyant as it would be if the Blues were flying near the top of the table.

And when points are being dropped there is always talk of rifts and training room fights and someone sleeping with some else’s wife. It just goes with the territory and a general rule of thumb is to divide what is written by two to get somewhere near the truth.

A couple of good wins will soon stop the rumours being bandied about, but the 64,000 dollar question is will Town break the habit of the season and be able to stick two wins together at any time?

Fingers crossed they will to give us some Christmas cheer. But I would not put too much money on it!

What is wrong with the Tractor Boys?

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:59:00 GMT

Okay nobody died, but what a dreadful Sunday it was last weekend.

We have not been accustomed to losing at Carrow Road in recent years, and this heightened the pain when the Canaries won 2-0 against the Tractor Boys in the Coca-Cola Championship.

It was not just the defeat but the manner of the defeat, although I will say that if Lee Croft had not swung his foot perfectly to achieve one-in-100 accuracy Jim Magilton and his chastised men could easily have left Norfolk with an acceptable point under their arm.

You will note in the second paragraph the two words Tractor Boys, and it led me to wonder where we stand these days with this ‘nickname’.

Ipswich Town are universally known as the Tractor Boys; the two words appear in every programme notes when the Blues are playing away. And every national match report.

But the phrase is never used in the match day magazine produced so professionally by Steve Pearce and his team at Portman Road.

The club might not like the tag – giving visions of a rustic, backwater image instead of a slick cosmopolitan approach – but at the end of the day it is not going to go away now.

It is so ingrained in the footballing world that Ipswich Town will universally be known as the Tractor Boys when referred to by the media outside of Ipswich.

In the Evening Star I only occasionally refer to the club as Tractor Boys – using Town or Blues.

But should I follow the example of my fellow national journalists?

I currently toe the Ipswich Town party line, but what is wrong with Tractor Boys?

It is a slight on the good people who live rewarding and uncomplicated lives in this part of the world to imply that there is something to hide in Ipswich and the immediate area.

Ipswich Town is a unique football club; one to be proud of having achieved much, much more than it’s geographical and population position suggests.

The club should be proud of its roots, which I suggest is one of the reasons we have seen level headed stewardship and management over the many glory years.

In fact, I am proud to have been involved in the creation of the Tractor Boys name for the Blues.

While covering Earl Soham Victoria in the Carlsberg Pub Cup in 2000 the chant came out of the Kop end at Anfield when the village pub team were winning their semi-final.

Debenham resident Claude Chapman was the man behind the idea and it continued to Wembley Stadium when Earl Soham Victory tasted cup glory just weeks before Town beat Barnsley at the magnificent venue in the First Division play-off final.

I likened Town to Tractor Boys and from a headline in the Evening Star the nickname was borne, leading to some wonderful moments at Portman Road and away from home with a rendition of ‘One (two, three etc) nil to the Tractor Boys’ from ecstatic Ipswich supporters.

Let’s face it, Ipswich Town will now always be known as the Tractor Boys. So why not within the corridors of Portman Road as well?

A Norwich City double would suit this Ipswich Town fan

elvin.king@archant.co.uk — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:41:00 GMT

SO what does the weekend hold for us?

A strange one indeed, and one that will be made or ruined by the result of the skirmish that takes place at Carrow Road Sunday lunchtime.

The shadow of Christmas is looming larger and larger – I have to say I agree with a former colleague who says Santa should take a leaf out of the FIFA world cup book and call once every four years – and Saturday will be spent by yours truly shopping.

I shall be doing my impression of a well-ladened mule carrying the bags for my one-love and only letting go of the handles when it comes to handing over my hard-earned cash.

Hopefully, all can be accomplished on the day and that a few refreshment stops will be allowed along the way to keep me from buckling.

Football will take a rare Saturday back seat although Match of the Day will hopefully become a welcome relief after what is bound to be an exhausting day.

Bumped into the swarthy and well-tailored Fabian Wilnis while ensuring my bank had enough funds to cope with my up-coming shopping spree, and he reminded me that in Holland it is now St Nicholas Day when Dutch children receive their ‘Christmas’ presents.

Fabian’s family is coming to Ipswich in late December for Christmas – so will get the best of both worlds!

Sunday sees a certain amount of trepidation with the journey into that county just north of Suffolk.

It will be football matters again and just crossing that bridge at Scole prior to the ‘Welcome to Norfolk’ (Yes you are!) sign turns the blood cold.

It will hopefully be a quick in and out – and if three points can be brought back to Suffolk then so much the better.

I don’t see why not - although the best team does not always win derby games.

To be fair, the Norwich City staff are always welcoming and helpful, but there is too much hype in the game to allow someone as keen to see the Blues win as me to enjoy – until the score gets to 3-0 in Town’s favour.

The journey back on the A140 will see the King laptop in frantic action to meet the 5pm deadline for six pages of copy for Monday’s Evening Star.

I will hardly notice when that infamous Scole bridge is passed again.

But my senses will tell me, and what a wonderful double it would be – a completion of the Christmas shopping, and three Ipswich Town points.