| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage 09:09 - Apr 12 with 13476 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 17:57 - Apr 12 with 1202 views | PJH |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:53 - Apr 12 by peterleeblue |
You sir have my every bit respect. |
Thanks but what for,for being born in 1951? |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 18:57 - Apr 12 with 1150 views | PositivelyPortman |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 09:15 - Apr 12 by JackSted |
A bit overdramatic but I respect him for addressing the McCarthy issue properly unlike the usual BCWYWF sheep [Post edited 12 Apr 2019 9:16]
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Apparently MM didn’t spend a cent??? |  |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 19:15 - Apr 12 with 1132 views | Leaky |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 17:57 - Apr 12 by PJH |
Thanks but what for,for being born in 1951? |
I too was born in 1951 unfortunately. My father moved from Ipswich to St. Neots in 1954 for 10 bob a week more in wages. So Inever got to Portman Road until !962, have been a life long fan through good & bad. Though we are in . Division 3 as I call it I will still support the Town |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 19:56 - Apr 12 with 1110 views | PJH |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 19:15 - Apr 12 by Leaky |
I too was born in 1951 unfortunately. My father moved from Ipswich to St. Neots in 1954 for 10 bob a week more in wages. So Inever got to Portman Road until !962, have been a life long fan through good & bad. Though we are in . Division 3 as I call it I will still support the Town |
1962 was not a bad time to go to Portman Road especially if it was on or before April 28th.
I have memories of specific games in the late 1950's and up to 1961 but my real memories start from 1961/62 when I saw 20 of the 21 home league games. | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 06:54 - Apr 13 with 1012 views | shamboy |
Did no one spot the one factual error? Mr John was Alf Ramsey's Chairman, but is was Patrick who made the famous 'white wine' quote. |  | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 07:07 - Apr 13 with 994 views | Benters2 |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 19:56 - Apr 12 by PJH |
1962 was not a bad time to go to Portman Road especially if it was on or before April 28th.
I have memories of specific games in the late 1950's and up to 1961 but my real memories start from 1961/62 when I saw 20 of the 21 home league games. |
Didnt go a lot when Keane was in charge though did you?
I went to every home and loads of aways.
#superfan. | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 07:38 - Apr 13 with 964 views | dissboy2 |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 13:37 - Apr 12 by BryanPlug |
[content removed at owner's request] |
agree, the rag should try writing a piece on it's own form and history! | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 07:44 - Apr 13 with 950 views | Benters2 |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 07:38 - Apr 13 by dissboy2 |
agree, the rag should try writing a piece on it's own form and history! |
Yeah its crap now they have made da honeyz wear the bra. | | | |
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| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 08:50 - Apr 13 with 914 views | bluesatin |
You can't wipe history out it is there for ever. | | | |
| Sun on Evans-If you didn't know otherwise you would think it deliberate sabotage on 09:44 - Apr 13 with 866 views | christiand |
Quiet a few generalisations for all relegated sides, but if you look more closely I think there are signs that we buck the trend and we have crumbs of comfort for next season. Neil Ashton looks the most unhappy man on 'The Sunday Supplement' most weekends, not sure he gets excited about anything really. Perhaps writing about sides getting relegated is where he gets his enjoyment and zest for life from? [Post edited 13 Apr 2019 9:48]
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