| Dear National Media 16:03 - Feb 27 with 5833 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
You are no doubt already in the process of finding the most fitting words for the imminent obituary of Ipswich Town.
An historic and wonderful football club, one that has tasted European and domestic glory, is amongst a handful of clubs that have been ever presents in the top half of the English league pyramid over the last half century.
Even the European powerhouse that is Manchester City were recently of the third tier, as were Nottingham Forest, a continental giant themselves once upon a time. Look at the list of those eight or so clubs that have failed to drop down into what is now League One over that time and you will see that we are by far and away the smallest club in there.
Instead of celebrating our achievements such as punching well above our weight consistently for so long, we will instead be taunted with the same five words that have lazily been bandied about by the media this season. Careful What You Wish For.
I’ve thought long and hard on these words and the thought of relegation that once scared the life out of me, now oddly excites me. I’m starting to think that relegation just might be the closest thing to what I actually wished for.
You see, the football that I grew up and loved is unrecognisable from the game nowadays, summed up poetically by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa refusing to be substituted in the Carabao Cup Final on Sunday. The thing about supporting a club whose greatest days are behind them is that you have a far greater affinity for days gone by than perhaps fans of clubs like Bournemouth, whose memories are filled with terrible players letting their team down at terrible stadiums, rather than the wonderful times they are currently enjoying.
Ipswich Town had some of the finest players in the world in the 1970’s, players that still tell stories about going into Bobby Robson’s office for a pay rise after being one of the standout players in a successful season, only to come out thinking they were lucky to remain on their current wage. We’ve gone from that to players paid ten times what the manager is, able to undermine their own managers with ease.
You see the thing that Ipswich fans are nostalgic about and the things we remember most fondly are the likes of George Burley, Kevin Beattie, John Wark and Alan Brazil developing from mere children at the club to world class performers. Passing football, goals, entertainment, trophies, dreams of success and developing our own. Those are the things of which we are rightly proud of and those are the things that we, well at least I anyway, dream of.
There is no doubt at all that Mick McCarthy did a phenomenal job in the first half of his near six year reign at Portman Road. It was never pretty, but we were hard to beat, had an incredible team spirit and rose from relegation certainties to Premier League hopefuls. In the space of a couple of years we had gone from staring into the abyss of the third tier to hammering promotion rivals Brentford away at Christmas to rise to the top of the table.
Anyone who suggests Mick did not work wonders in those early days is allowing the events that followed to corrupt the facts. But there can equally be no denying that in the second half of his time in charge of Town that many things deteriorated both on and off the pitch, a large proportion of which was his doing.
Almost every manager receives criticism from a small minority of fans, a lot of it unjustified. Almost every manager reacts with professionalism and dignity and gets on with the job in hand. During the most dire, turgid and uninspiring football that I have ever seen Mick continued to get let off very easy on the basis that we all understood that resources were few and far between and that we were operating on one of the smaller Championship budgets.
When results were arriving there were few that could argue with the style of play being something of ‘needs must’ given our inability to go out and pay the sort of big bucks that ‘bums off seats’ players command. But once the results started to dry up, the tension between the fans and Mick grew and this evolved into not only shutting up shop at home to the top teams in the division, but playing eight defence minded players at home to teams in the relegation zone, who had not picked up an away point all season.
With poor results and football that was almost unwatchable, including multiple runs of home matches without scoring and waiting until the 60th or 70th minute to have an effort on goal becoming a frequent occurrence, the patience of some supporters finally wore thin. This small fire that had started to burn was regularly exacerbated by McCarthy’s comments and snide digs at the fans. A man whose incredible man management had galvanised the entire club and caused us to fall in love with him, was telling supporters that if we sang for a player to come on he was less likely to involve them, frequently failing to recognise that it was a tiny percentage of supporters acting like ‘numbskulls’ or choosing to use an 87th minute goal at our deadly rivals, which put us in front, as an opportunity to tell his own fans to ‘f*** off’.
The marriage of Mick McCarthy and Ipswich Town can be split into the early years where every day was an adventure, we fell in love, we were constantly excited and hopeful for the future and the latter years, where we felt out of love, constantly fought with each other and stayed together a lot longer than should really have been the case.
Just because we entered into a new relationship, that ended badly and abruptly, doesn’t mean we made the wrong choice to part ways with Mick. The failure to get it right the next time around has no bearing on the validity of the earlier decision to part ways.
Which brings me back to what did I wish for?
The Premier League honestly doesn’t appeal to me. In 1993 Forest went up and finished 3rd and in 2000 we went up and finished 5th. I think that Wolves (in 8th) may become only the third or fourth team in 25 or so years to get promoted and finish in the top 8 — I have a feeling that Blackburn might have done something similar as well.
The most depressing time I had supporting Town was in 2002 when we got relegated with big name players who’d come in on big salaries, in some case double their team mates who got us promoted, helping to rip the soul of the club apart. Fast forward a decade and players like Michael Chopra, Jimmy Bullard (the permanent signing incarnation) and many others came in with big names, took a huge amount of money and added barely anything to the cause.
Everything I hate about modern football is summed up by the Premier League. The same six teams have a chance of winning things and that’s about it, bar a once in a million years occurrence like the Leicester City fairy-tale. I can honestly say that I’m not desperate to see an entire team of players most of us have never heard of come in on eye watering money with no consideration for whether it’s Ipswich, Huddersfield, Brighton or West Brom that they are playing for, as long as the wages are right.
Would I like to stay in the Championship? Absolutely, but you know what. After 18 successive seasons here, with three playoff failures, I am actually looking forward to something new.
Whilst not what I’d have thought I’d have wanted, League One represents a real chance for the club to move forward using its own young players, ridding the books of expensive flops, providing a realistic chance of being able to play attractive winning football, having players that can be real match winners in the division and visiting some new stadiums and teams.
The more I think about it the more I am excited. Of course, I could feel very different in 5 years’ time if the novelty has worn off, but somehow I don’t think I will.
In Mick’s final days we were a mid-table side getting 12,000 into the ground according to ticket sales, with no more than 8,000 being inside the stadium. Despite being on course to be one, if not the worst Championship side ever this season, we are getting 16,000 — 18,000 fans supporting the team now, singing for the entire 90 minutes. That should be what you are focusing on. How can a club almost double its support with the worst team most of its fans have ever witnessed?
Almost everything I value about being a supporter of this fine club seems like it really could happen next year. No guarantees, but for the first time in quite a while I am hopeful about the future of my club, when the lazy, uninformed journalist will assume it to be to complete opposite.
I’m realistic enough to know that Ipswich will likely never win another European title. Maybe we will never win another top flight title. But for me, whether it’s the Premier League, Championship or League One, I just want to turn up to watch players trying to win, giving everything for the shirt and if they are one of our own then even better.
After the darkness comes light. So before you run the usual piece about how we’d have never gone down with Mick, ask yourselves why only 8,000 people could be bothered to watch us when we had an outside chance of the playoffs last season and why 18,000 of us are singing our hearts out in the headlights of our lowest league status in near living memory.
What's the real story here? A plucky little club that has achieved success it had no right to, consistently, finally succumbing to what almost every other club not named Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham or Liverpool has, yet its magnificent supporters back the club superbly home and away.
Almost entirely the opposite of what you'll likely say that we hounded out Mick McCarthy. The truth is that never has a group of supporters been more patient with such poor football for so long and this season, never has a group of supporters defied belief in their support of such an awful team.
We may be going down. But we are a wonderful club, a wounded club, finally learning how to be great again.
[Post edited 27 Feb 2019 16:09]
|  |
| |  |
| Dear National Media on 04:31 - Feb 28 with 1988 views | TractorWood |
Great post. I totally understand your logic but my frame of reference is different. I'm in my 30's so even seeing us in the Prem is a painfully distant memory. The actually glory days were at least 37 years ago, which is an absolute eternity in footballing terms.
To me the glory days are so long ago and football such a reflection of modern life ie instant gratification, sack the manager when they lose a few games, our successes are fading to little more than pub trivia.
Something that annoyed me the other day was a show on ITV called 'When English football ruled Europe' and it discussed how brilliant English teams were in the late 70's and earlier 80's. Not one mention of ITFC. |  |
| |
| Dear National Media on 08:42 - Feb 28 with 1941 views | Kropotkin123 |
| Dear National Media on 04:31 - Feb 28 by TractorWood |
Great post. I totally understand your logic but my frame of reference is different. I'm in my 30's so even seeing us in the Prem is a painfully distant memory. The actually glory days were at least 37 years ago, which is an absolute eternity in footballing terms.
To me the glory days are so long ago and football such a reflection of modern life ie instant gratification, sack the manager when they lose a few games, our successes are fading to little more than pub trivia.
Something that annoyed me the other day was a show on ITV called 'When English football ruled Europe' and it discussed how brilliant English teams were in the late 70's and earlier 80's. Not one mention of ITFC. |
Shows like that generally have little interest in objective narrative and more interest in underlying the existing dominant teams. Something they can package and shift to people that want to hear that the team they support is great and always has been. |  |
| |
| Dear National Media on 08:51 - Feb 28 with 1938 views | witchdoctor |
| Dear National Media on 20:38 - Feb 27 by SpruceMoose |
Well obviously. Some people are still obsessed by him though. They're a cult and will take any opportunity to froth at the gash about him. They're the Town supporting equivalent of those Tea Party members guffing about Benghazi. |
yep..there is a cult obsesed with him..one of it’s number started a thread ystdy which included the tern.....yawwwn...numbskull...them you mean? |  | | |
| Dear National Media on 08:58 - Feb 28 with 1931 views | Leaky |
| Dear National Media on 08:51 - Feb 28 by witchdoctor |
yep..there is a cult obsesed with him..one of it’s number started a thread ystdy which included the tern.....yawwwn...numbskull...them you mean? |
Hey Witchy you still go to the Brewer's Arms pre match |  | | |
| Dear National Media on 09:14 - Feb 28 with 1917 views | braveblue |
| Dear National Media on 17:11 - Feb 27 by tpsontour |
An alternative narrative is that in his six seasons, Mick won 15,18, 22, 18, 13 and 16 matches, securing four top half finishes in his five full seasons. He was the longest serving and most experienced manager in the Championship with multiple promotions and international and World Cup management on his CV. He came closer than anyone in years to getting us promoted.
Since Mick left the building, Klug has won us 1 match, Hurst 1 and Lambert 2. This season we have 3 wins from 36, 2 immediate Cup exits to lower league opposition and a 0-3 derby defeat. As our 17 seasons in the Championship end, we will be in League One for the first time since 1957 for an unknown length of time. As it stands, the Budgies will be going two divisions above us for the first time since 1938.
We will have no more than half the current squad that cannot currently win a game next season in League One. We will have £7 million less TV money and only be allowed to spend 75 per cent of our much reduced income, 60 per cent in subsequent seasons.
Those supporters and the local media who glibly campaigned for Evans to 'roll the dice' and bin McCarthy in favour of a 'progressive young manager', ignoring Evans' track record of hiring duds before McCarthy, can, if they like, declare themselves happy despite the catastrophic consequences this season and deride the 'be careful what you wish for brigade' and national media.
League One may even be an enjoyable novelty next season. Or if may not if our downward momentum is not arrested. And if it turns into a prolonged stay like the Championship (it took Sheffield United six seasons to get back up), how much fun will it be then? What will the crowds be? Could Evans reach the point where he pulls the plug financially?
There's a lot at stake in terms of the entire future of the football club by dropping down to the third tier and only time will tell how damaging this chain of events will prove. |
Can’t you just give up on MM. After 5 years in charge we were in a terrible state as a club. He took us to our lowest finish in 50 years!!! As the OP states, the decision was correct. Mistakes afterwards were typical Evans. | | | |
| Dear National Media on 10:32 - Feb 28 with 1892 views | tpsontour |
| Dear National Media on 09:14 - Feb 28 by braveblue |
Can’t you just give up on MM. After 5 years in charge we were in a terrible state as a club. He took us to our lowest finish in 50 years!!! As the OP states, the decision was correct. Mistakes afterwards were typical Evans. |
Finishing 12th with 60 points after 17 wins is not a terrible state as a club. That is what MM left behind.
Being 24th with 3 wins all season is a terrible state as a club and a consequence of i) supporters and the local media making it untenable for Evans to renew MM's contract and ii) Evans then make a dud appointment in Hurst.
As Evans had already hired duds in Keane and Jewell ii) was entirely foreseeable and many of us warned at the time another dud on the cheap was the most likely outcome, albeit Hurst was even more spectacularly awful than due diligence on him might have suggested.
You may not like MM as a person but you're having to twist the facts to blame him for us falling off a cliff after his departure. It's like blaming Alex Ferguson for Man Utd no longer winning titles when he left them with league winners or Sir Bobby for our demise after he left |  | | |
| Dear National Media on 16:53 - Feb 28 with 1829 views | witchdoctor |
| Dear National Media on 08:58 - Feb 28 by Leaky |
Hey Witchy you still go to the Brewer's Arms pre match |
no mate...haven’t been in there much at all lately... | | | |
| Dear National Media on 18:45 - Feb 28 with 1790 views | judespiveyg |
Excellent post, in my short time as an Ipswich Town fan I've seen Keane's underachievers, Jewells mercenaries, Mccarthy's top blokes and whatever this shambles of a team is and yet other than the summer of 2015 I've never been more excited for a new season.
Guys like Downes and Kenlock are finally getting game time and are playing a style of watchable football which Town fans have been deprived or a long time. Of course I hate watching us lose but given the improvements evident from recent weeks I am more than confident we can be one of League Ones best teams.
COYB |  |
| I survived Ipswich 0-0 Burton |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Dear National Media on 19:02 - Feb 28 with 1784 views | BloomBlue |
Great post.
The trouble is it's been so long since we won anything the world has forgotten us and even when we had that successful season in the Prem it was immediately followed by relegation and all the press could about was how we imploded in one season.
People outside of Ipswich don't consider us winning the play-off or playing in Europe the season we was relegated as 'successful'. Those outside of Town see our last meaningful moment as 1981
The press also love a prediction which comes true, and a lot of so called experts predicted we would be relegated if we sacked MM, and that could come true. |  | | |
| Dear National Media on 20:51 - Feb 28 with 1752 views | WD19 |
This looks like a good post. Can someone please tell me what he said to save me reading it? |  | | |
| Dear National Media on 23:44 - Mar 1 with 1654 views | Freddy |
Top post, saw it first on tractor boys they must have copied it off here but no credit given to Wark | | | |
| Dear National Media on 06:34 - Mar 2 with 1621 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
| Dear National Media on 23:44 - Mar 1 by Freddy |
Top post, saw it first on tractor boys they must have copied it off here but no credit given to Wark |
Charming! Lol.
Have you got a link? Would be interested to see if they’ve changed or added anything or just nicked word for word.
Not really fussed about ‘credit’. But it’s a shame others don’t feel obliged to confirm something isn’t theirs if they end up getting credit themselves | |
| |
| Dear National Media on 11:57 - Mar 2 with 1577 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Dear National Media on 18:38 - Feb 27 by clive_baker |
Well said that man.
Football is a journey, not a destination. The game never finishes. There's no end point. Next season really could be quite a ride in terms of this clubs journey, and we need to embrace it for what it is.
Outsiders might look at this and think "that's because you're going down, you would say that", but a friend of mine is a Man City fan, born and bred Mancunian and I've often expressed in the past how wonderful it must be for him to see the worlds greatest wearing a City shirt, and he's been quick to tell me to be careful what I wish for. Real fans priced out of watching their side, the sense of realisation that they have a squad of players only there for the pay cheque, an increasingly soulless, global and corporate club that's moving ever further from the community that it was born out of. His favourite city memories are "penniless City". Dickov. Goater. Horlock. 3rd Tier. Proper away days. Gillingham at Wembley.
How refreshing and honest would it be to see an Ipswich side with a strong contingent of academy bred talent wearing the badge for the 1st team, with a proud manager living and breathing what a community club should stand for. No egos, just a group of committed footballers doing their best for the badge on the front. Dozzell, Downes, Bishop, Nydam, Morris. There's 5 names right there that have not only graduated through our academy and been deemed promising enough for professional contracts, but have also been involved in England squads. Dylan Crowe is another. Lankaster has made a great impression this season. Woolfenden, Kenlock, Emmanuel. This squad has enormous potential in the right hands, and I really do believe we owe it to Paul Lambert to give him the chance to hit reset this summer and take real ownership, with a full preseason under his belt. Move on the ridiculous list of loanees we have currently and shape a side we can be really proud of, with a clear strategy and direction. We've got a proper manager in Lambert, I really do believe that, and we need to stand by him.
It's the emotion you capture so perfectly in your post, and outlook for next season that has got my old man asking me when the season ticket information is out for next season, such is his desire to sign up again after a 5 year sabbatical.
Only time will tell, but I sense after years of short-termism, in losing our championship status, we might just be getting back our club.
Bring on Southend away with a 1,500 strong Town contingent singing our hearts out. Jason welling up as Andre bangs in the winner. Up or down, follow the Town.
COYB |
1500 at Southend next season?
If we’re doing well, we can double / triple that. |  |
| |
| Dear National Media on 13:19 - Mar 2 with 1553 views | mo_itfc |
| Dear National Media on 11:57 - Mar 2 by ITFC_Forever |
1500 at Southend next season?
If we’re doing well, we can double / triple that. |
I don't know...
1500 is over 10% of their capacity! Would they give us much more? | |
| |
| Dear National Media on 14:42 - Mar 2 with 1531 views | Freddy |
| Dear National Media on 06:34 - Mar 2 by WarkTheWarkITFC |
Charming! Lol.
Have you got a link? Would be interested to see if they’ve changed or added anything or just nicked word for word.
Not really fussed about ‘credit’. But it’s a shame others don’t feel obliged to confirm something isn’t theirs if they end up getting credit themselves |
You'll find it on tractor-boys.com , think it's just copied & pasted | | | |
| Dear National Media on 12:47 - Mar 4 with 1473 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
| Dear National Media on 14:42 - Mar 2 by Freddy |
You'll find it on tractor-boys.com , think it's just copied & pasted |
Thanks Freddy. | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
