| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage 09:09 - Apr 12 with 13477 views | tpsontour |
Evans knows you're miserable now
IPSWICH PAY FOR DECAY AND NEGLECT
Neil Ashton
THE glory days are long gone.
Outside the ageing main stand at Portman Road, ground staff are sweeping away another season of misery.
Chip papers float like kites, plastic cups rattle along the gutters and rainsoaked ticket stubs remember visits from Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and local rivals Norwich City.
It will be a good while before Ipswich Town fans hurry excitedly down Sir Alf Ramsey Way for another Old Farm game.
Years of decay, neglect and dreadful decision-making means the Tractor Boys, beaten 2-0 at Brentford in the week, could be relegated from the Championship at home to Birmingham tomorrow.
This is the death of another great club, with Ipswich steeled for their first spell in the third tier since 1957. Back in those days it was called Division Three (South) and when they left they never thought they would be back.
In 1992, with John Wark sent for the first photoshoot in his tassled Umbro shirt, Ipswich were founding members of the FA Premier League.
The decline has been sharp. Fans trade on memories, relying on parents to pass down stories about Bobby Robson's Uefa Cupwinning team of Terry Butcher, Arnold Muhren andFrans Thijssen in 1981.
The 2000 play-off final, when George Burley's progressive side beat Barnsley 4-2 to reach the Premier League, is cherished by another generation of Suffolk folk.
What has happened since is a chronic story of club mis-management, skewered by the catastrophic ownership of Marcus Evans.
If you didn't know otherwise, you would think it was deliberate sabotage.
Beyond the vanity appointment of Roy Keane, Evans has tried all different types. Paul Jewell was given a go because of his CV at Wigan, Mick McCarthy's success in the Championship was another attraction, and people were saying all the right things when Paul Hurst was at Shrewsbury.
Hurst, who won a single game, was fired after 149 days.
McCarthy, a decent and respectable chap, did his best under testing financial circumstances. The fans could not stomach the football but McCarthy finished 14th, ninth, sixth, seventh, 16th and 12th without spending a cent.
Evans (left), caving in to fan fury at the end of last season, has been regretting the decision to get shot of him ever since.
He eventually turned to Paul Lambert, still getting jobs even though he has won 19 games in three years.
Ipswich are heading down because they are anchored to the foot of the Championship on just 27 points.
Next season, just like Sunderland, Portsmouth, Leicester, Norwich, Forest and Leeds before them, they will have to press reset.
Some in the Ipswich dressing room have shown little or no aptitude for a relegation scrap at a club with fine football principles and history.
It brings to mind the famous dressing-room line from defender Rufus Brevett when West Ham were condemned in 2005.
He said: "You'll care about it when the fixture list comes out next season."
For Ipswich, winners of the old First Division in 1962 and the FA Cup in 1978, that means some pretty grim trips.
League One football means visits to Burton, Fleetwood, Gillingham, Oxford, Shrewsbury andAccrington.
They will also enter the Checkatrade Trophy for the first time, with group games sorted out after a mid-June draw that can be easily missed.
First they have to get Birmingham out of the way.
The die-hards will turn out in force, with another 15,000 expecting another 90 minutes of torment.
This club's decline is staggering because 62 years of history will be wiped out when relegation is eventually confirmed this season.
With apologies to their long-suffering fans it means that John Cobbold's famous quote gets yet another airing.
Cobbold, chairman when Ipswich had decent teams under Ramsey and Sir Bobby, joked: "The only crisis at Ipswich is when we run out of red wine in the boardroom."
If only.
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:28 - Apr 12 with 5880 views | Mullet |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:25 - Apr 12 by chicoazul |
I've always thought it was quite a funny term. |
"Tractor boys"
"Old farm derby"
What's next? We keep singing that song Blue Action will have to rename themselves the Trailers.
Magilton was right.
These people using such hate speech should get in the sea. We are not some yokel take on the religious parades of Glasgow either. We're more important than that. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:30 - Apr 12 with 5883 views | itfcjoe |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:20 - Apr 12 by Mullet |
He's a budgie isn't he that bloke?
History being wiped out?
Also anyone using the term "Old Farm derby" in anything other than a derogatory fashion should be dealt with. |
He's a Palace fan |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:38 - Apr 12 with 5847 views | factual_blue |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:30 - Apr 12 by itfcjoe |
He's a Palace fan |
So Simon Jordan wrote that for him. |  |
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| Unfortunately there's more that's..... on 10:43 - Apr 12 with 5825 views | Bloots |
....correct in there than there is that's wrong. |  |
| Enduringly lovable, intelligent and thunderingly exquisite. |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:43 - Apr 12 with 5833 views | Menton |
Doom, doom, bloody doom.
Whoever you blame we’re patently not good enough for this league so we’re going down. It’s not great but it’s not the end of the world. This is a game and it’s what happens to lots of teams each season. I’m actually looking forward to being competitive again. All this hand-wringing is tiresome really, |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:46 - Apr 12 with 5810 views | Kropotkin123 |
Surprisingly well written from a national newspaper looking in. There will always be things they don't quite get right (bad as we've been, we believe the players have tried). But on the whole, far more accurate than say SJ having a go at Evans. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:47 - Apr 12 with 5799 views | BlueNomad |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 09:38 - Apr 12 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
I wondered that - but expect its more a generalisation based on is not putting up a fight rather than any particular insight into attitudes in the dressing room |
I think he is using Hurst's comments about some players not buying in to his ideas when he arrived.
Shame the article didn't mention our 2001-02 European tour. We were the highest ever promoted club in Premier League history (ie pst-1992 when the world began apparently). That was a bit of a highlight for me. |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:55 - Apr 12 with 5773 views | monty_radio |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:21 - Apr 12 by chicoazul |
Please do tell us what in this factual, simple article needs contextualising. |
Although you definitely wouldn't get any level of reflection in such a piece, it does need a certain context, namely: that Evans knew nought of football, but did not surround himself with anyone who did.
In themselves the appointments Keane and Jewell were neither vain nor without sense to someone who had no background info into any deeper issues with them i.e. no football context. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:55 - Apr 12 with 5771 views | ElderGrizzly |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:21 - Apr 12 by chicoazul |
Please do tell us what in this factual, simple article needs contextualising. |
I should have said, a lot I agree with but it has an agenda too given his links to Simon Jordan and why it is written in a more dramatic/artistic licence style than was necessary |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:57 - Apr 12 with 5763 views | jjblue84 |
My confiscated TWTD blog post pales into insignificance compared to this!! |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:59 - Apr 12 with 5744 views | Bluefish |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:43 - Apr 12 by Menton |
Doom, doom, bloody doom.
Whoever you blame we’re patently not good enough for this league so we’re going down. It’s not great but it’s not the end of the world. This is a game and it’s what happens to lots of teams each season. I’m actually looking forward to being competitive again. All this hand-wringing is tiresome really, |
We were good enough for this league consistently but some went out of their way to force the change that ensured we no longer were good enough. They all have itfc blood on their hands now so they prefer to not talk about it anymore |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 11:02 - Apr 12 with 5738 views | BlueNomad |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:59 - Apr 12 by Bluefish |
We were good enough for this league consistently but some went out of their way to force the change that ensured we no longer were good enough. They all have itfc blood on their hands now so they prefer to not talk about it anymore |
Sounds a bit like Brexit! | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 11:06 - Apr 12 with 5721 views | No9 |
Not really a very good bit - is the bloke a budgie etc. etc.
Firstly it was not Marcus Evans that put ITFC into administration
Secondly how does this bloke know ME's been regretting letting MMC go?
It looks more like ME has now realised football in not an easy monsy game & needs his attention - eve if it is only to put it into a sellable shape. | | | |
| "Mexit"..... on 11:11 - Apr 12 with 5690 views | Bloots |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 11:02 - Apr 12 by BlueNomad |
Sounds a bit like Brexit! |
....the most vocal thought that it would be a good idea at the time, without really knowing what the consequences would be, despite people warning them.
Now that it's gone ahead and proven to be the unmitigated disaster that some predicted, those that wanted it are refusing to accept they were wrong and are now desperately looking to try and take something positive out of it. | |
| Enduringly lovable, intelligent and thunderingly exquisite. |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 11:11 - Apr 12 with 5692 views | Garv |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 09:59 - Apr 12 by mr_bean |
No idea, but the implication is that the players haven't been putting in the effort on the pitch.
I haven't seen much to suggest that the players haven't been up for the fight. They've just not been collectively good enough! |
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I'd suggest watching Chambers' interview with iFollow after the Norwich game and you might feel different. Maybe it was just the emotion of the game but it was quite telling. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 11:22 - Apr 12 with 5656 views | m14_blue |
Usual sensationalist rubbish that typifies modern football reporting. I don't mind Ashton and I know he has papers to sell but come on....
'This is the death of another great club'
'62 years of history will be wiped out'
A few paragraphs later he's talking about how we're following in the footsteps of Sunderland, Portsmouth, Leicester, Norwich, Forest and Leeds. Are they all dead now then? Leicester seem to be doing ok recently.......
It's rubbish enough without the ridiculous hyperbole. | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:20 - Apr 12 with 5563 views | FenboyBlue |
There's a narrow column full of Ipswich cut 'n' paste cliche work in this morning's London Metro. Can't find a link online, not worth it anyway. Thankfully Colin Murray has written a bigger article on the parallel decline of Bolton on the next page which has taken priority. Ipswich & Bolton going down in parallel. Remember when we used to be arch-enemies in the play-offs ? |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:24 - Apr 12 with 5547 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:20 - Apr 12 by FenboyBlue |
There's a narrow column full of Ipswich cut 'n' paste cliche work in this morning's London Metro. Can't find a link online, not worth it anyway. Thankfully Colin Murray has written a bigger article on the parallel decline of Bolton on the next page which has taken priority. Ipswich & Bolton going down in parallel. Remember when we used to be arch-enemies in the play-offs ? |
Give it 12 months and we still might be.... if Bolton manage to stay in business long enough. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:31 - Apr 12 with 5511 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
Can anyone remember 1957? Is it true we never thought we would return to that level? Since the 1970s perhaps, but did we then?
Also is "Some in the Ipswich dressing room have shown little or no aptitude for a relegation scrap at a club with fine football principles and history." actually true. We certainly seem to have capitulated far too often but has that been down to a poor attitude from certain players? I haven't seen it that way myself. |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 13:37 - Apr 12 with 5424 views | BryanPlug |
[content removed at owner's request] |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 13:37 - Apr 12 with 5423 views | Bluesquid |
"If you didn't know otherwise, you would think it was deliberate sabotage."
If i remember rightly from that Turnstileblues blog (which is unavailable) with interviews with various ex-employees, there were those that thought it was no accident that the club is in the mess it's in. | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 14:55 - Apr 12 with 5351 views | jontysnut |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 10:20 - Apr 12 by Mullet |
He's a budgie isn't he that bloke?
History being wiped out?
Also anyone using the term "Old Farm derby" in anything other than a derogatory fashion should be dealt with. |
'trading on memories' is a dead give away |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:23 - Apr 12 with 5287 views | monty_radio |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:31 - Apr 12 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Can anyone remember 1957? Is it true we never thought we would return to that level? Since the 1970s perhaps, but did we then?
Also is "Some in the Ipswich dressing room have shown little or no aptitude for a relegation scrap at a club with fine football principles and history." actually true. We certainly seem to have capitulated far too often but has that been down to a poor attitude from certain players? I haven't seen it that way myself. |
I can only remember from 1959, but the Suffolk old-timers back then were just enjoying the ride. Many would have remembered us as amateurs of long-standing and would have never have said that we weren't going back to the Div 3(S) that we'd only attained a dozen or so seasons before, having only ever played other regional worthies such as Cambridge City for as long as they could remember.
There must be several hundred around in the Town in their late eighties who can remember being taken along to play the likes of Clacton Town and Gorleston. Don't imagine they thought that Div 2 was our divine right when we finally arrived there. [Post edited 13 Apr 2019 11:00]
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:43 - Apr 12 with 5269 views | PJH |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 12:31 - Apr 12 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Can anyone remember 1957? Is it true we never thought we would return to that level? Since the 1970s perhaps, but did we then?
Also is "Some in the Ipswich dressing room have shown little or no aptitude for a relegation scrap at a club with fine football principles and history." actually true. We certainly seem to have capitulated far too often but has that been down to a poor attitude from certain players? I haven't seen it that way myself. |
Although my first memory of ITFC goes back to 1954 or 1955 I do not have any recollection of whether it was expected that we would go back to the third tier.
Certainly from the mid 1970's until the mid 1980's I came to the conclusion that we would not even be going back to the second tier.
I cannot recall even thinking that when we were bottom under Paul Jewell that we would actually go down.
The first time that I can honestly say that I thought we might get relegated was last July and that was even before Waggy and Garner had gone.
I have seen every league game this season and although there have been loads of poor individual and team performances I have seen no evidence of lack of fight. [Post edited 12 Apr 2019 17:55]
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:53 - Apr 12 with 5253 views | peterleeblue |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:43 - Apr 12 by PJH |
Although my first memory of ITFC goes back to 1954 or 1955 I do not have any recollection of whether it was expected that we would go back to the third tier.
Certainly from the mid 1970's until the mid 1980's I came to the conclusion that we would not even be going back to the second tier.
I cannot recall even thinking that when we were bottom under Paul Jewell that we would actually go down.
The first time that I can honestly say that I thought we might get relegated was last July and that was even before Waggy and Garner had gone.
I have seen every league game this season and although there have been loads of poor individual and team performances I have seen no evidence of lack of fight. [Post edited 12 Apr 2019 17:55]
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You sir have my every bit respect. |  | | |
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