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2011/2012 Match Reports

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:40:15 +0100

2011/2012 season Match reports

Norwich 1 Stoke 1 (Premier League)

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Premiership/article706532.ece

Peterborough v Ipswich (Championship)

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Peterborough-7-1-Ipswich-Daily-Mirror-match-report-Lee-Tomlin-hattrick-Lee-Martin-and-Tommy-Smith-sent-off-article788615.html

Ipswich Town 0 Hull City 1 (Championship)

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/206130/Ipswich-0-Hull-1-Matty-Fryatt-shuts-up-knockers/Ipswich-0-Hull-1-Matty-Fryatt-shuts-up-knockersIpswich-0-Hull-1-Matty-Fryatt-shuts-up-knockers

Ipswich Town 2 Leeds United 1 (Championship)

JASON Scotland proved a bogey-man for Leeds yet again.

Scotland thundered in a leveller for Ipswich who came from behind to halt a four-game losing streak.

The 32-year-old striker has netted 10 of his 11 Ipswich goals at Portman Road since signing from Wigan.

And the 25-yard belter was the third goal he has netted against Leeds after banging one in for them when Town beat Leeds last year and a couple for Swansea when they met the Yorkshire side.

“I love celebrating in front of our fans but hopefully I can take it to away games and score away from home as well, said Scotland. “I always seem to score against Leeds and at home so it was good to happen again.”

Ross McCormack put Leeds in front before Keith Andrews made it three goals in three starts since signing on loan for Ipswich from Blackburn with a deflected shot to secure a win for the Tractor Boys after four straight defeats.

Scotland, who is being targeted by Birmingham and Coventry, said: “We had a rubbish week when we conceded seven and five so we are chuffed to bits to get three points.

“These past 10 days have been difficult and everyone was walking round with heads down so this was the game to bounce back. We knew we had to find a performance to give ourselves a lift.”

The old tag of ‘Dirty Leeds’ could be applied once more as Simon Grayson’s side had a third player sent off in five league games when Aidan White was shown a straight red card after tangling with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

But defender Darren O’Dea who was on loan with Ipswich last season, refused to use the dismissal as an excuse.

“I know how tough it is to play here yet it was as comfortable as it can get.

“We were holding on and we had chances to win the game but mistakes cost us.

“It was a catalogue of errors leading up to that sending off anyway and we can’t keep doing that.”

Leeds had a strong claim for a late penalty when Carlos Edwards brought down Max Gradel but referee Andy D’Urso waved away the claim.

O’Dea said: “Even their player (Carlos Edwards) said it was a penalty you can go on about referees but it was our own downfall.

“We were under pressure last half hour but we had chances to win and in this league a mistake can change the game

“It is not going to be a sob story we will just get on with it.”

Although they lost O’Dea is convinced they can turn things around and added: “If we play like that away from home then we will be there in the mix at the end we just need to put away our chances and cut out the silly errors.

“The quality we have in the squad is probably second to none but we need to get the points to go with the performances.”

Standing Up For Respect and Decency

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:25:11 +0100

“What I know most surely about morality and the duty of man - I owe to football.”
Albert Camus

HOW heartening it was to see so many people make a stand against the rioters and looters this week.

Everyday folk appalled by the scenes on our television, and for some in their homes, businesses or neighbourhoods, reacted in a variety of ways from helping in the clean up, acting as guardian angels, or making tea for the coppers who eventually got to grips with the mindless thugs and criminals engaged in these despicable activities.

For me, the courage and dignity of Muslim Tariq Jahan whose son died in his arms after a hit and run in Birmingham as three young men died protecting their neighbourhood stood out.

I have no doubt his impassioned speech hours after losing Haroon, his 21-year-old son, prevented further bloodshed.

To a lesser degree, and clearly not connected to the incidents which blighted out streets, Elizabeth Edwards’ appeal in the club programme, and read out at half-time, was a courageous stand against the mindless, offensive and let us be honest, criminal behaviour, which pervades Ipswich Town games and many of our football grounds week in week out.

Liz, the chair of the Official Supporters Club, made it clear that the decent follower of football, and the Blues in particular, are fed up with witnessing and listening to the bad language, homophobic and racist chants and disgusting behaviour of a minority of people who claim to be Town fans.

She called for a return to the respectful attitude and behaviour for which Ipswich Town is famed and respected for, virtually the world over.

While there is no doubt the majority of Town, and indeed football, fans agree with her, sadly her call has been met with derision in certain quarters and when the message was read out at half-time some in the North Stand booed, although that reaction was countered by a round of applause from the other three stands.

In the interest of fairness I looked and asked around other Town fans and made a rare visit to the TWTD website in order to research the reaction to Liz’s heart-felt, and sadly much-needed, plea.

Clearly many Town fans back her but the negativity on that particular site to her request for Ipswich fans to show basic respect for football, fellow supporters and the opposition didn’t particularly surprise me.

It served only to show that many people, not all, who use that forum, are not representative of true Blues supporters, football fans in general and decent human beings. Little wonder the more sensible Town fans prefer to get their information, vent their feelings and generally follow the club, elsewhere – and there are increasing alternatives.

Decent fans, and we are not just talking Ipswich here but fair play to Liz and the official supporters club for making this stand, are fed up with the boorish behaviour of yobs purporting to be supporters, using a football match as an excuse to swear, air racist or homophobic views, show aggression and just generally act in a cowardly manner fuelled by safety in numbers, alcohol or drugs or just sheer childish stupidity.

I took my son to his first game in pre-season friendly and even though I had asked to go into a ‘family enclosure’ we were sat a few rows in front of a bunch of morons whose bad language and abuse shamed the club as much as the booing when the game was abandoned due to a Colchester United player’s injury.

It is my hope that Liz’s message is followed up by tougher action by stewards and officials at the club, that decent supporters dob in those who ignore the regulations in place and a serious crackdown is enforced – not just at Portman Road but throughout the country.

This is our game – let us reclaim it for the decent supporter.

Here is Liz’s message in full.

This is the first time I have ever asked Simon Clegg to agree my column before it is published. Read on and you will understand why.

I am proud to be an Ipswich fan – I am proud of our heritage and historic success, and I am proud of the way, as fans, we have kept loyal despite it being the best (or worst) part of a decade since we played in the Premier League.

Like many other fans, I follow Town home and away, not discriminating between the glitz of the Emirates and the somewhat more historic ‘charms’ of Selhurst Park. I also go to a lot of other games, around the world, both club matches and internationals.

And there is one thing that I always notice about following Ipswich – that makes us stand out from most others. It’s a simple thing, but it’s vital, and it is called respect.

Respect means knowing not to cross the line between ‘banter’ and ‘abuse’. It means avoiding racist, homophobic or obviously offensive chants. It means sitting down in the right seat, when stewards, police or other fans ask you to do so. It means making sure that anyone can happily follow Town, whatever their age, from the youngest to the oldest, from teenager to parent.

Sadly, over the last year or two, but especially recently, I have been getting a lot of complaints - from people who have been going home and away for years and from others who are just getting the habit.

They are all complaining about one, tiny group of antisocial so-called fans. Most of the time, their behaviour is low-level annoying (inane and sometimes abusive chanting) but occasionally it breaks out into more serious stuff, such as letting off smoke bombs, abusing police, stewards and other fans, let alone their ignorant and disgusting booing following the serious injury to Colchester player Andy Bond the other week.

They know who they are, and if you go to away games, especially, you will know who they are too. And, like me, you would be pretty upset to hear some of the complaints that I get.

I never, ever again want to get the kind of phone call that followed the Col U game. One of our most loyal fans, a friend to many of us, who called me straight after the game and said, “Tonight, I am ashamed to call myself an Ipswich fan”.

So, I have a message for that little group. The club are watching every move you make, because they don’t want that kind of fan. As a Supporters’ Club, we don’t want that kind of fan either – your silly childish behaviour, and your style of ‘support’ that is making others think twice about going to games.

Because of you, and your behaviour, we risk losing the kind of policing style that is reserved only for those who know how to behave and respect others. So, I'll give you a choice - either grow up, or stay away.

Let’s make this a season to remember for the right reasons.

Elizabeth Edwards

Chair
Ipswich Town Supporters Club

Posh v Palace Reports in Nationals

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:53:00 +0100

David Ball reveals how pumping iron is helping him get goals

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/205054/Peterborough-2-Crystal-Palace-1-Ball-boy-wants-to-muscle-in/

Check out my match report on Posh's win over Palace

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/204886/Peterborough-2-Crystal-Palace-1-Rocket-man-McCann-blitzes-Palace/

Sex Pictures Blackmailer Jailed

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:21:12 +0100

A WELL-KNOWN scrote in the village has been banged up for two-years after trying to blackmail a woman he secretly photographed while she was engaged in a sex act.

25-year-old Mark Linnemoller, of Kingsland, admitted threatening to spread the pictures around the village unless gave him £2,000.

His victim, who can’t be named for legal reasons, found poorly written letters on her doorstep and was sent demanding text messages.

The woman went to meet the hapless blackmailer in a pub car park as arranged but he failed to show.

Instead he sent more texts and the police, unsurprisingly, tracked him down via the mobile which belonged to his mum.

Linnemoller admitted blackmailing the woman but insisted he did not realise how serious the crime was.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the letters he sent had the message ‘naughty, naughty’ and telling her he had photos of her committing a sex act of a ‘very young man’ and he wanted £2k.

In mitigation Paul Forshaw, defending, said Linnemoller was ashamed of his behaviour and had pleaded guilty at his first hearing last month.

It has been reported that in sentencing, His Honour Judge John Devaux said: “This is not one of those cases where the defendant has a genuine sense of grievance, where perhaps the victim has misbehaved towards the defendant in the past.

“Nor is this a case of the victim owing money, nor are you (Linnemoller) a man of hitherto good character.

“It’s an aggravating factor that the demand was repeated - you sent texts and a further blackmail letter.”

The judge gave Linnemoller credit for his early guilty plea and reduced the sentence from three years in custody to two.

Linnemoller is no stranger to prison after previously being convicted of committing a burglary while the family were at the home-owner’s funeral and stealing a charity box.

Why U's Should Not Expect Too Much

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:36:30 +0100

WHILE much of this season will see me covering Ipswich Town, Norwich City, West Ham and Peterborough United, I do hope to cover some COLCHESTER UNITED games, because if I am it means they are doing well. But unlike many U’s fans I don’t let my heart rule my head and my expectation levels will be somewhat lower than theirs.

As unpalatable as it may be for many Col U fans promotion, or even the play-off places, is probably beyond them.

Given the resources, and let us be brutally honest here, their poor attendances and owner Robbie Cowling’s prudent approach to budgeting, means the harsh reality is a top 10 finish would represent a decent season for John Ward’s men.

Manager Ward, ably assisted by Joe Dunne (surely destined to be a manager in his own right soon) and the rest of his small but efficient backroom staff, have done wonders to keep the Mighty U’s in a position where expectations are so high among the fan base but the bookies are not ruled by the heart and many see them as bottom half finishers even after decent close season results.

While an unbeaten pre-season has many positives, losing is habit-forming so better to go into a new campaign with a winning mentality, or at least the very least knowing how hard you are to beat as a team, it can also bring a false sense of security and raise hopes so easily dashed.

No – better the U’s go into the campaign as underdogs looking to punch above their weight and proving the likes of me and the bookies wrong.

I would love to be more optimistic but my fears for the U’s lay mainly in the size, or rather lack of, their squad.

Ward and co have added to a smallish outfit with players they pretty much already know. Karl Duguid is a U’s legend in his own right, he goes back to the old fourth division days, winning and losing at Wembley with the U’s and has proven to be Championship class with Colchester and more latterly Plymouth Argyle, although that didn’t go too well either.

Defender Tom Eastman enjoyed his loan spell with the U’s from Ipswich so much he jumped at the chance to join his boyhood club on a permanent basis, and the commute from his Clacton home is no hardship.

Eastman is a centre half, and not really a full back despite Roy Keane’s insistence that he is (oh how I got the glare when I told Roy that when he was Ipswich boss) and is a player who I believe will thrive at this level and grow to be a formidable presence at the back with the ability to bring the ball out of defence given the chance.

And the U’s are built on pretty solid foundations, with the addition of Michael Rose from Swindon another solid signing. Clearly they would welcome Ben Williams back from his viral infection as soon as possible but Mark Cousins has proved a reliable keeper, which the team trust, (Even Andy Bond who bears the scars from their unfortunate coming together.)

That incident took the gloss off a night where, and I appreciate it was just a friendly, Colchester looked a better organised side and had the better of Ipswich in midfield where they stifled the Blues and allowed few opportunities.

Conversely, the U’s didn’t really look to threaten, despite the best efforts of John-Joe O’Toole, who can be a real presence in League One if he can find consistency to go with his talent.

With Kem Izzet and Anthony Wordsworth capable of supplying the ammunition for Ashley Vincent and Steven Gillespie, and Kayode Odejayi in particular, the U’s do possess a goal threat but all too often lapses of concentration prove costly and they end up playing catch up.

To be serious contenders the U’s need to add at the right time and their ability to trade in the loan market, especially in the second half of the campaign, could prove to be a vital factor.

More importantly though will be the ability to handle the expectation, which as expected, will be just what we have come to expect.

Let’s hope I’m wrong and I should have listened to my heart.

Let me know how do you think the U's will are this season and comment below?

Farewell To A Legend

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:19:52 +0100

OK, legend maybe over-egging it somewhat, and farewell is not totally accurate, but outgoing Ipswich Town communications director Terry Baxter (in the middle of the motley crew above right) will appreciate the irony of the headline.

The green-fingered, media-mogul wannabe, popped into the Portman Road media centre before Town's pre-seaon loss to Wolves to bid farewell to his old mates in the Press pack and their hangers-on, before embarking on a not-so-new career.

He will know that however good a job he has done over the past eight or so years at Ipswich Town as their spin doctor, legend is all too often over-used and he does not really fall into that category.

And as he is staying on at the club as communications chief to the ITFC Trust, which does a brilliant job at so many levels, it is not really farewell either.

So such a misleading headline will come as no surprise for a man that knows that an over-zealous sub and an egocentric editor will distort the most decent of reporter’s work, as he has often had to deal with the aftermath.

Terry and I go back a long way in relative terms.

I can recall interviewing him in the White Hart, when it was a decent hotel/bar, when he was the Ipswich Town commentator for Radio Suffolk before Brenner Woolley had the dubious honour of taking over, and him telling me about the honour and trepidation he felt about following some Aussie whose name I have forgotten.

We have been on a few foreign trips together with the Blues and I was even consulted about his appointment by Alesha Gooderham when she was looking for someone to pretty much replace her, not sure if she actually took any notice but he got the job anyhow.

And what a brilliant job he did too. I should know because during the eight years or so we worked together, or should that be sparred together, he readily admits I was probably the biggest pain in the neck to him. He often told me that dealing with me was the most difficult part of his job, although he always sugar-coated it by saying he also respected me as a journalist above everyone else he had to deal with – you decide if that was a load of old bollocks or not.

Considering he was working primarily for David Sheepshanks, a tough taskmaster who was totally devoted to doing his best for the Blues, and then the ultra-secretive Marcus Evans whose motives are still very much in question, it seems difficult to imagine I was that much of a pain.

Certainly since I left the EADT things have been easier for him, what with a local editor in each pocket and no one prepared to go in where it hurts in pursuit of the truth or being first with decent non-groin strain stories, any more - perhaps that is why there has been no rush to appoint a replacement.

What I do know is Baxter is totally loyal to Ipswich Town and no matter what his personal views on certain matters were he always, without fail put the club first.

We worked on some very difficult stories regarding the club, at all times day and night, but Baxter was professional and dedicated throughout – and if that meant being economical with the truth or denying the outright obvious, he would do unflinchingly.

If he was not going back to radio then there is no doubt he could enter the diplomatic corps, or politics, and be successful.

But I can understand his reason for leaving. Baxter is old school Ipswich and the club is not what it was in many, many ways, and while things do need to change for so many reasons, it is such a shame that the old ways are being irretrievably lost.

So, Ipswich Town’s loss is definitely Radio Suffolk’s gain but I can’t help wondering if he will ever say it as it really is.

A Fan's First Dilemma

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:47:44 +0100

SUPPORTING the right team as a child can be a complicated affair these days.
Getting it right is important because and you can't, or shouldn't, change it and the team you support so often defines you in life.
Certainly when first introduced and that seemingly innocent icebreaker is asked. Which team do you support then? Followed by - how come?
Say Manchester United and you are from - let's say - Ipswich and you will be labeled a glory-hunter and respect is lost.
Say Ipswich and people will nod and ask whatever happened to them, they used to be a favourite second team. What happened with Roy Keane?
Say Colchester United and you will gain instant sympathy mingled with bewilderment, especially when you follow up with -'want to come and watch the Mighty U's with me?’
And so it goes on.
But many kids want to support Manchester United or Chelsea because they are the ones they see on telly most weeks, if not days, and have triumphed most often of late. The red Man U kit is as ubiquitous in the Home Counties as it is in the north west, it is, some might argue, more common down south than in Manchester itself.
I will never forget reporting an Ipswich game at Old Trafford when the announcer called for the secretary of the Bristol and Bath supporters' branch to contact the nearest steward - oh how the travelling Town fans mocked.
Even Man City winning the FA Cup hardly made a ripple and Arsenal and Liverpool's popularity is seemingly on the wane. And these days you are as likely to see a Barcelona shirt as a Col U shirt in north Essex.
In my day it was simple - you supported your home team, in my case Newcastle United and while winning the Inter City Fairs Cup back in 1969 had some kudos in the playground -there has not been much to shout about since - FA Cup final defeats aside.
But it doesn't appear to be that simple anymore. My lad seemed bent on being a Man U or Chelsea fan. Chelsea because they play in blue and do well whenever he gets them on FIFA 11. Man U mainly because Wayne Rooney plays for them and he supported him in an England shirt. Rooney also scores all the goals in FIFA 11, but he was put off by seeing him swear into a camera last season and then Barca outplay them for real in the Champions' League final. Oh, and it seems my banging on about band-wagons and glory-hunters has sunk in.
So he went off that idea. Following in his dad's footsteps and joining the Toon Army was a non-starter, and while he flirted with the idea of supporting Colchester United after a visit to their open day, the choice boiled down to one team. Ipswich Town, his nearest club and it helps they play in blue.
He will see Ipswich play 'live' tomorrow night when I take him to the friendly against Col U and I have no doubt he will stay loyal to them (he had better after forking out nearly 70 quid for complete kit with name and number) but I suspect Man U will stay his second team for a few more seasons yet.

But I'm curious. How did you, or son/daughter choose your team?

Learning The Hard Way

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:17:04 +0100

Never go back. Such sound advice if taken as you can’t fail if you don’t take the risk.
The braver, if not always the happiest, thing is to grasp the nettle and give it ago.
Posh fans are delighted Darren Ferguson ignored the negative route and returned to Peterborough United, where he had once fallen out so badly with chairman Darragh MacAnthony. He quit London Road in November 2009 and watched from afar as a relatively unknown, and totally inexperienced Mark Cooper took the entertaining, if erratic, side towards relegation and then as the experienced Jim Gannon was unable to halt the slide back down to League One.

The honourable and talented Gary Johnson took over but his stylish playing approach didn’t always get the desired results and after disagreements with those upstairs he too departed leaving the way open for a Ferguson return.

Okay, so Ferguson was out of work after being dumped by Preston, who were worried he was going to take the Lilywhites down, and offers of work were not exactly flooding in until Barry Fry picked up the phone once more but he still accepted the challenge.

Assurances were given, and no doubt needed for Ferguson who needed to be allowed to weave his magic and get United back to the Championship, which he duly did via the play-offs.

It can’t be easy for a manager to deal not only with a control freak chairman in MacAnthony the entrepreneurial Irishman who has pumped millions into the Cambridgeshire, but also such a garrulous character in Barry Fry who likes to be heard and seen, even while insisting he is not actually in charge anymore.

But the benefit of second time round is you know what you are getting into. Ferguson knows the characters of the club inside out, and is all the better equipped to deal with that, and indeed has most probably taken a good, hard look at himself and what he could or should have done differently.

By winning Posh’s third promotion under his stewardship he has cemented what was already a healthy, respectful and somewhat adoring relationship, with the Peterborough fans who make up for their relative lack of numbers with fervour, loyalty and realistic expectation.

More crucially, Ferguson knows from bitter experience what it takes to not only be contenders in the Championship, but to survive.

There have been no wild predictions of ‘a top six finish’ which marked promotion last time, just a year after going up from League Two.

No, this time the aspiration has to be to finish as high as possible, but in truth fourth bottom will do. The four years remaining on his contract shows that for Ferguson the goal is consolidation, followed by swift progress has to be the target – agreed by everyone from MacAnthony through to the London Road faithful.

Of course everyone will look at Norwich and hope for a repeat of that but realistically the squad is not as strong, or as deep as the Canaries were, and it is unlikely the budget for wages and fees matches what Paul Lambert was able to use at key times during the campaign.

After losing top scorer and talismanic strike Craig Mackail-Smith to rivals Brighton, Ferguson must try to keep hold of George Boyd who has attracted interest from Ipswich and Celtic, while Gabby Zakuani has caught the eye.
Boyd and Zakuani, along with Grant McCann, Tommy Williams and Mark Little, will provide the foundation from which Peterborough must mould a squad capable of competing in arguably the most competitive of divisions.
Five new signings have already been made but none have experience at this level. Nick Ajose is highly-touted but like Craig Alcock and keeper Paul Jones unproven against some formidable names dropping down from the top flight, or already settled in the better quality Championship clubs.Ferguson has secured the loan signings of Manchester United duo Ryan Tunnicliffe, a midfielder and Scott Wootton a centre half, and so what if his dad happens to be the boss at Old Trafford, in football, as in life, you use whatever contacts and leg ups you can get.By the time Posh meet Crystal Palace on the opening day Ferguson hopes to have a couple more signed. Chelsea’s Ben Gordon is on the desired list as cover for Grant Basey at full-back but there are complications, not least that he may be away with the England Under 20s until the end of August.
It is a similar situation with Derry’s James McLean with the title-challenging Irish side wanting to keep him until he end of their season in October, or at least transfer deadline day on August 31.
Dundalk’s Danny Kearns and Kane Ferdinand are also said to be on the most-wanted but deals are some way off as yet.

What may help is the renewed vigour and improved attitude of Lee Frecklington who has been taken off the transfer list.
It is another second chance for him too and, as with 39-year-old Ferguson, one that could also prove well worth given and taken.

Scandal At School

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:03:49 +0100

THE poster by the school playground wasn’t huge but it sent out a big message.

A total of £2,018.75 had been raised at a recent fair at the school, ‘A Record Amount!’ it exclaimed at the bottom, and it was that final line which no doubt prompted many a wry smile by a majority of parents of the schoolchildren.

You see, no doubt the local media will pick up on this eventually, a huge scandal has engulfed the school of late with police investigating claims that almost £10,000 of funds raised by the Parents’ Fundraising Association (PFA) has been stolen.

The chief suspect is the association’s chair who police have questioned and it is understood an arrest is imminent.

Ironically, the chair, who is a popular character and indeed worked hard in all the vents the PFA were involved in, had caused some consternation a couple of years back when insinuations were made against the then treasurer.

I’m told the treasurer had fallen out over a completely separate issue with the head teacher who, along with the chair, pushed for an AGM where the accounts were to be presented.

The treasurer, who had refused to reveal the accounts until they had been independently checked by an accountant, was so upset and dismayed by her treatment at the hands of the pair she quit at the AGM where the accounts were presented – completely in order.

The sad thing about this whole sorry mess is many people had donated many things in good faith for the benefit of the children who do now have a trim trail and other things to help in the classroom.

But also the effect it will have on the chair’s child, if and when, the whole matter comes to the courts.

As usual it is the innocent who suffer.

IF you have a story or gossip you would like to share drop me an e-mail davisds@tiscali.co.uk

Lee Bowyer - Devil Incarnate or Ipswich Saviour?

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:07:43 +0100

Say what you want about Lee Bowyer, and many people say many things about him good and bad, this battling midfielder does what it says on the tin. He can dominate in midfield, he is a ball-winner who plays his heart out closing down the opposition, scraps for every ball, can pick a pass – oh and he can score goals from outside the box on a pretty regular basis.

So why then are many Ipswich fans unhappy, nay disgusted even, at the prospect of Bowyer signing for their club – probably this week?

The puritanical, holier than thou brigade that pervade message boards, point out at his rap sheet, on and off the pitch, shake their heads and groan ‘he is not the sort we want playing for Ipswich player’ yet conversely, as a footballer he is exactly what Ipswich need, and have done for years.

Town have had a soft underbelly for years and one of, admittedly there are many, reasons Ipswich have not been able to return to the Premier League.

Ipswich have not had a genuine, down and dirty, ball-winning midfielder all the time they have been in the Championship.

Matt Holland did the job better than anyone and does not have a bad bone in his body and relied on his incredible engine and outstanding ability to read the game to close down the opposition playmaker.

I lost count of the amount of times when I rated Holland a seven or eight and fans would berate me saying he had done nothing in the game, simply because they did not realise just how big an influence he had been, even in a sometimes in a negative, wonderfully effective way.

He never needed to make foul and stayed pretty clear of injuries to the extent where he set a club record of consecutive appearances.

The nearest to ‘nasty’ player Ipswich have had in relatively modern times was Mauricio Tarrico who did not mind a tackle, however late, but off the pitch was as nice a man as you could wish to meet. No wonder he is such a hit with Brighton fans as a player/coach.

Bowyer is probably the polar opposite of Holland, a captain who epitomized the traditions of Ipswich Town while leading them through a relatively successful period. It is inconceivable to think of Matt in a McDonalds dishing out serious racist abuse, or attacking anyone of any colour or creed outside a night club. You never saw him fighting a team-mate on or off the pitch, and he played alongside Kieron Dyer a few times, nor did he incur the wrath of referees the way Bowyer does.

But you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs and the reason why Charlton, West Ham, Newcastle United and Birmingham City coveted him was for his muck and bullets approach. Yes he is the most booked played the Premier League has seen, 101, which is four more than goals he has scored in nigh on 600 games, but the Premier League and its masters Sky did not invent football and there have been harder, nastier, dirtier, players than Bowyer through the years, although none at Portman Road that’s for sure.

Surely everyone deserves a second chance. Okay it doesn’t always work out, ala David Cameron’s faith in former NOTW editor Andy Coulson, but then again it can as proved so magnificently by John Wark when he rejoined Ipswich from Liverpool and repaid the warm reception afforded by the forgiving Blues fans.

Bowyer, should he sign on his return from holiday this week, has a long way to get Town fans onside but they are a fickle bunch who seem to forgive most things and have accepted Marcus Evans as owner, so if the 34-year-old one-time England player, can boss the midfield, provide the ball for the playmaker, (and take your pick here from those on some fans’ wish-list Dyer, George Boateng, Nigel Reo-Coker or Jimmy Bullard, but more likely Carlos Edwards) and get Town in among the play-off contenders then he will be hailed as big as hero as any that has worn the three-star blue shirt.