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November 2007: Derby LIVE on SuperSport 5 at 14h40: New investor, money for players, debt wiped out, and Derby match this Sunday is LIVE on Supersport 5 at 14h40. Finally SuperSport has done the right thing and showed us live, after dropping us last time.
November 2007: New investor responds?: 1 November 2007 Dear Ed I am writing to thank you for what has been one of the most spectacular and emphatic thank you letters I have ever had in my career! It was great to hear that the majority of people feel that the Club will benefit from being in a stronger financial position going forward. I would particularly like to thank David Sheepshanks, the shareholders and the management for welcoming my interests and support. Your letter has given me one difficulty to which I want to respond to directly and openly. I have a young family and, to date, my wife, kids and I have been able to enjoy a life of relative anonymity. The reason I have never given an interview is that I have never sought the high profile that can come with business success. In writing to you, I want to explain to the fans that, whilst I fully appreciate their curiosity, I hope that they can understand my wish to allow my family to lead as normal a life as possible. I am buying into the Club because I want it to succeed, not because I want to raise my own profile. You very kindly suggested that I should come and receive a cheer from the crowd. I actually believe that the crowd should be cheering David, Jim and the players this Sunday. I believe that people go to matches to cheer the players in their team, not the owners! Certainly, when I come to matches that is what I do! Sadly, and to avoid disappointing you on the day, I cannot be at the derby game this Sunday as I have to travel on business. You will appreciate my business is spread over 35 countries, which means spending a lot of time on aeroplanes. I can assure you that I shall be willing the team on to success just like all the other supporters. Importantly, I fully appreciate what the Club means to the town and the special relationship that exits between the team and the fans. I intend to do everything I can to support these very important relationships. So, please accept my apologies. I am hoping that people will understand that I both wish the Club the very best of good fortune and that they will come to understand my desire to be out of the limelight, and hopefully these two desires can be compatible. David Sheepshanks, our Chairman, plays a great role as our Club's ambassador and I see no need for this to change. Finally, please appreciate that the deal still needs to be formally concluded. It would be presumptuous of me to take any applause until the whistle has blown! Warmest regards and best wishes. Marcus Evans
November 2007: New investor in Town?: Marcus Evans has been identified as the new investor, looking to pump GBP44 million into the Club. This would free all the debt and make available some 10-12 million for players.
August 2007: What a perfect start: Town made a fantastic start to the season with a 4-1 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday. A pity we let in the goal after leading 4-0 and being top of the table for most of Saturday. Town lie third in the League, as a result of "alphabetical difference".
September 2006: Billy the Kid strikes again: Billy Clarke made it two match winners in two games, coming off the bench for the second time in 4 days to score the winner for Town.
August 2006: New loan signing announced: Charlton's 18 year old Simon Walton will sign today on loan. I'm really not sure if Jim is the right guy as our new Manager though - read the comment as per the official web site: The versatile 18-year-old will arrive at Portman Road on Friday and put pen to paper on a loan move from Charlton before training with his new team-mates ahead of the weekend game against Hull. "I first came across Simon when I played against him at Portman Road when he was at Leeds a couple of years ago," explained Jim to the Club website. "He was only 17 I think but he was a tenacious so and so and wasn't intimidated by the more experienced players around him on both sides. Jim - you need to work on the Maths, me thinks!!
August 2006: New loan signing announced: West Ham's Mark Noble will sign a 3 month loan deal with Town on Monday 14 August. Can we sign another 10 players that WANT to wear the Town shirt, as we are appalling at the moment!
August 2006: News just in - Sir Bobby taken to hospital. Doctors have delivered an upbeat bulletin on the condition of former England boss Sir Bobby Robson. The 73-year-old was taken to hospital on Saturday after complaining of feeling unwell at the Ipswich Town v Crystal Palace game. Prior to the game at Portman Road, Robson had been paraded to fans as the club's new honorary president. But just 10 minutes into Town's 2-1 defeat, the septuagenarian was driven to Ipswich Hospital after feeling off-colour. Some reports suggested the ex-Newcastle United and Ipswich boss had suffered a stroke, but that does not appear to be the case.
August 2006: Well, the new season is upon us. What will the new signings, Alex Bruce and Dan Harding bring to the team. We wait and watch with eager anticipation. Also, Sir Bobby Robson, former Town and England Manager, as been appointed Club President of Ipswich Town.
June 2006: Jim Magilton has retied as a player and come back as the new Manager. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and let's see how he goes, but once again, is the Town doing things on the cheap as we don't have money in the kitty, despite being one of the best supported teams in the country? Has the "receivership" year really broken us that much?
May 2006: Joe Royle has departed by mutual agreement. So who is going to be the new Manager? Many names are being bandied around, and already a number have declined the job due to various reasons. Let's hope for a Manager who can get the players to win while scoring goals and playing exciting and passing football.
May 2006: The season is over, and Town have their worst league position in 40 years. Here's to the youngsters standing up and being counted next year.
Last Season: The older news stories from the 2005-6 season can be found here.
Meet ups take place for all live games. Recommended locations in Johannesburg are the Sandton Sports Club (George Lea Park), and Rascals in Kildare Road, Kenilworth, Cape Town. The beers are always cold and very well priced (what else do you need?) Dates and times finalised once the exact TV times are confirmed.
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