| Previous Ipswich owners 12:43 - Apr 27 with 2146 views | surreyblue |
I was talking to a colleague today about how things have changed at Ipswich since the new ownership, and how there were such great hopes when Marcus Evans bought us that quickly fizzled out.
It struck me that I didn't really know about the ownership structure before then. Obviously the Cobbold family were heavily involved, but they are typically referred to as Chairman and on the board rather than owners. And I have no clue who Marcus Evans bought the club off - Sheepshanks was Chairman but he didn't own the club.
Can any of our resident historians shed a light on this? |  | | |  |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 12:47 - Apr 27 with 2081 views | Pendejo |
Cobbold family were owners / majority shareholders for many years and I believe their shareholding got transferred to whoever became chairman???? |  |
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| Previous Ipswich owners on 12:52 - Apr 27 with 2040 views | Freddies_Ears |
The club turned professional in 1936 with a share issue (IPO), I think around 3,000 shareholders. I recall that Paul's were one of the larger investors, with business and family links to the Cobbolds. The Cobbolds ran the club.
Debt built up for many reasons, followed by a period of Administration back in 2003ish. We exited Administration with a further share issue, and Ipswich Town plc was born.
Marcus Evans bought the club in late 2007ish, when there was a risk of another Administration, so no windfall to shareholders. He actually only bought 87.5% as previous chairman David Sheepshanks wanted to keep historic shareholders involved. | | | |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 13:02 - Apr 27 with 1961 views | PhilTWTD |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 12:47 - Apr 27 by Pendejo |
Cobbold family were owners / majority shareholders for many years and I believe their shareholding got transferred to whoever became chairman???? |
There were a tranche of shares which were known as the 'Chairman's shares' which were controlled by the incumbent. |  | | |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 13:23 - Apr 27 with 1823 views | Churchman |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 12:52 - Apr 27 by Freddies_Ears |
The club turned professional in 1936 with a share issue (IPO), I think around 3,000 shareholders. I recall that Paul's were one of the larger investors, with business and family links to the Cobbolds. The Cobbolds ran the club.
Debt built up for many reasons, followed by a period of Administration back in 2003ish. We exited Administration with a further share issue, and Ipswich Town plc was born.
Marcus Evans bought the club in late 2007ish, when there was a risk of another Administration, so no windfall to shareholders. He actually only bought 87.5% as previous chairman David Sheepshanks wanted to keep historic shareholders involved. |
The Cobbold family were involved with the club right from its formation in 1878. The drive to turn the club professional in 1936 was prompted by a threat of a breakaway club being formed by Leonard Thompson (local business man) and general desire for professional football in the county. It was the Cobbolds who appointed Mick O’Brien, the club’s first professional manager who had to leave due to an ‘indiscretion’.
JM Cobbold ensured the survival of the club through the war despite no games being played and despite he and his brother’s death (he died in the Guards Chapel V2 attack in late 1944).
After the war John (Mr John) Cobbold joined the board and later became Chairman and was succeeded by Patrick. Blanch, their mother, was President for decades.
Basically, majority shareholding passed from Chairman to Chairman so it stayed in the family so to speak until John Kerr took over in the 1980s. He was followed by Sheepshanks and we know the rest.
During the Cobbold eras I’m not sure how much of their own money went into the club. Other than hospitality, not a lot is my guess. It was the era of maximum wage, limited facilities and that didn’t change hugely when the maximum wage was abolished early 60s. Clubs were relatively simple in structure. The big change was abolition of shared gate receipts in 82 and then of course the Premier League.
Debt hit hard when the Pioneer was built, Robson left, team sold, gates plummeted, Hysel, then Hillsborough. Whatever was budgeted for ceased to add up.
The other directors back in the day? I’m guessing but their presence was more about expertise and contacts than anything else (my grandad knew one of them).
Sheepshanks? Well the above post takes that story. |  | | |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 14:10 - Apr 27 with 1649 views | ArnieM |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 13:23 - Apr 27 by Churchman |
The Cobbold family were involved with the club right from its formation in 1878. The drive to turn the club professional in 1936 was prompted by a threat of a breakaway club being formed by Leonard Thompson (local business man) and general desire for professional football in the county. It was the Cobbolds who appointed Mick O’Brien, the club’s first professional manager who had to leave due to an ‘indiscretion’.
JM Cobbold ensured the survival of the club through the war despite no games being played and despite he and his brother’s death (he died in the Guards Chapel V2 attack in late 1944).
After the war John (Mr John) Cobbold joined the board and later became Chairman and was succeeded by Patrick. Blanch, their mother, was President for decades.
Basically, majority shareholding passed from Chairman to Chairman so it stayed in the family so to speak until John Kerr took over in the 1980s. He was followed by Sheepshanks and we know the rest.
During the Cobbold eras I’m not sure how much of their own money went into the club. Other than hospitality, not a lot is my guess. It was the era of maximum wage, limited facilities and that didn’t change hugely when the maximum wage was abolished early 60s. Clubs were relatively simple in structure. The big change was abolition of shared gate receipts in 82 and then of course the Premier League.
Debt hit hard when the Pioneer was built, Robson left, team sold, gates plummeted, Hysel, then Hillsborough. Whatever was budgeted for ceased to add up.
The other directors back in the day? I’m guessing but their presence was more about expertise and contacts than anything else (my grandad knew one of them).
Sheepshanks? Well the above post takes that story. |
Didn’t Town original play their games somewhere near / Broomhill Rd Ipswich? |  |
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| Previous Ipswich owners on 15:00 - Apr 27 with 1575 views | chicoazul |
John Cobbold was one of the greatest men to have ever lived. We all owe him so much. Nerdy/Elephantintheroom wrote a very good blog about him a while back on TWTD if you can search it out. |  |
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| Previous Ipswich owners on 15:07 - Apr 27 with 1547 views | Freddies_Ears |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 14:10 - Apr 27 by ArnieM |
Didn’t Town original play their games somewhere near / Broomhill Rd Ipswich? |
Only up to 1888. Portman Road was a rugby ground ( and cricket before that).
We were formed as Ipswich Association Football Club in 1878, as pupils leaving Ipswich School wanted to carry on playing football but couldnt find a club to join. I am guessing the land roughly where the lido is, at Broomhill, will have been where we played ( it's a bit hilly up there otherwise). Happy to be corrected, but I think the land was owned by the Sherringtons, 3 brothers, 2 if whom definitely played for the club and were instrumental in its formation. The other brother, Charles, is the famous one, being a Nobel Prize winner; I am not sure whether he ever turned out for the club though. Many of the early games were played at and against Ipswich School... | | | |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 15:12 - Apr 27 with 1519 views | oldburian |
| Previous Ipswich owners on 13:23 - Apr 27 by Churchman |
The Cobbold family were involved with the club right from its formation in 1878. The drive to turn the club professional in 1936 was prompted by a threat of a breakaway club being formed by Leonard Thompson (local business man) and general desire for professional football in the county. It was the Cobbolds who appointed Mick O’Brien, the club’s first professional manager who had to leave due to an ‘indiscretion’.
JM Cobbold ensured the survival of the club through the war despite no games being played and despite he and his brother’s death (he died in the Guards Chapel V2 attack in late 1944).
After the war John (Mr John) Cobbold joined the board and later became Chairman and was succeeded by Patrick. Blanch, their mother, was President for decades.
Basically, majority shareholding passed from Chairman to Chairman so it stayed in the family so to speak until John Kerr took over in the 1980s. He was followed by Sheepshanks and we know the rest.
During the Cobbold eras I’m not sure how much of their own money went into the club. Other than hospitality, not a lot is my guess. It was the era of maximum wage, limited facilities and that didn’t change hugely when the maximum wage was abolished early 60s. Clubs were relatively simple in structure. The big change was abolition of shared gate receipts in 82 and then of course the Premier League.
Debt hit hard when the Pioneer was built, Robson left, team sold, gates plummeted, Hysel, then Hillsborough. Whatever was budgeted for ceased to add up.
The other directors back in the day? I’m guessing but their presence was more about expertise and contacts than anything else (my grandad knew one of them).
Sheepshanks? Well the above post takes that story. |
The Cobbolds did put any money into the club as such as John explained to a crowd of us on Wolverhampton railway station. If he put money in then he would have the say on how it was spent and as his real knowledge of football was close to zero it would be the worst thing to happen to the club.
He guided the club in all non football matters but I would imagine if Bobby has suggested buying the ilk of a Chopra or Thatcher or a Bowyer he would have made it quite plain that there are standards to be observed, os something similar. | | | |
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