The Office (UK): Ipswich Town edition

[exAtyeoMax]

45 minutes ago, supercidered said:

What a smug oily bell sniff. No need to open the door for him, he will just slide underneath it. Couldn't even bring myself to watch the interview.

I managed 10 seconds

[bcfc01]

9 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I'm not sure I'd bother if I were you! Having read a few of their threads this morning they are, in the main, poorly aware of the goings on at Bristol City (although, frankly, who can blame them?!) and in their blissful ignorance determined to enjoy a love-in....which is of course their prerogative.

We are - it seems - 'classic bitter fans' as frustrated as we would be if one of our better players had left. That's a strange logic but hey ho...personally I'm delighted to see the back of him. His departure was certainly my champagne moment. 

I'd forgotten that supporters had voted his leaving as the Champagne Moment of the season in the end of season awards. Wonder why this was the only award not publicised by the club ? At least the local paper printed it.

[cidered abroad]

59 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Not just Wilson and Skuse, but higher earners such as Chambers and Sears, together with making a couple of million on Downes and Dozzell. They’re probably fine FFP wise this year, it’s when there’s no family silver left to sell. 

FFP in League One is different to Championship.

Lge One limit is 60% of turnover on players wages. No limit on transfer fees loss.

Totally different rules to what we are bound by.

@Silvio Dante

[Davefevs]

8 hours ago, Fuber said:

If Ipswich fans want a simple metric as to why we despise Marky-boy, it's the following.

- We were 23rd in this division, when he took reigns as CEO. He was in an advisory position previous to that when Keith Dawe was Chairman, bless that man, who planned and initialised the stadium and training ground plans that Ashton ultimately took credit for.

- At the point MA left we were 20th - however:

- Never connected with fans; no updates or news from the club with regards to general communications when things were not going well.

- Sacked well liked media staff members among others under NDAs (same as he did at Watford).

- Net transfer spending and wages were up £35m and 50% per annum respectively, leaving us in a lack FFP shit-pile having been solvent he previous 3-4 year period with outgoings.

- Signing players with no regard to tactics or playstyle, scattergun recruitment, leading to a bloated squad, and horrific club culture across most levels.

- Inept staffing (fitness), plus managerial appointment(s). Holden, good coach, should never have been named manager after an 8 week search.

Ultimately, in terms of every remit where he had targets to hit as a CEO, and with the level of backing he had. He failed - badly. None too gracefully either, and made a few tongue in cheek comments also, as well as outright lies on multiple occasions.

I find the Tractor Boys forum thread discussing us also ironic, in whereby they claim we have no idea what it was like for them under Clegg.

No shit lads. Pot Kettle Black, etc. Think we have this vendetta against him for fun?

By and large seem confused whereby they seem to think we're the only club ran afoul of by MA. His time at Watford is well documented by the same issues, I.e. disagreeing with managers, not connecting with fans, NDAs to longstanding clubs staff to appoint his own 'people'.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/3995357.oliver-phillips-reflects-on-the-departure-of-mark-ashton-from-watford/

Literally one of the first returns on Google. Not exactly 'hidden'.

All we're saying, is take the man never at face value, with a massive pinch of salt, and don't get carried away.

@Davefevs @Mr Popodopolous Out of interest, Not 100% clued up on the L1 FFP requirements, but where did Ipswich position in regards to the latter for the last couple of season, and what impact would the change in ownership have?

"I suspect it is something we will discover for ourselves in the future. In short, Ashton works with sustaining the books, so our best players may be sold quite regularly to finance the future of the club. I presume with Bristol, he may have been a bit too heavy on his sustainable approach.

However, over the long term, it seems to have improved them."

Oh sweet summer child, if only you knew the complete absolute clusterfudge our finances were now in compared to where they were 3 years ago...

Great summary btw.

Re FFP in Lg1/2 it’s different to Champ.

At it’s simplest it’s 60% of turnover on wages (55% in Lg2). But….the key part is this:

Turnover definition 

Under the SCMP rules, the definition of 'Turnover' is particularly important as Turnover is used to determine the maximum wage-spend. Within a traditional accounting perspective, there are usually only three elements of turnover: 

Match-day Income 

Commercial Income (such as sponsorship) 

TV revenue (and any 'merit payments' based on league position)

However the Football League use a is broader definition of Turnover. Crucially, the FL Turnover figure includes donations from the owners to the club and injections of equity. Loans from club owners are understandably not included in the Turnover figure as these would result in growing club debts

Ipswich’s new owners are taking advantage of the bit in bold…in some respects this can make a “big club” in Lg1 terms a very viable investment to get the momentum building.  Their problem will be that if they get promoted they will have to fall under Championship rules.  Irrespective of what “Mark” says, they will be paying big wages for Lg1. Some players will have taken pay cuts, I don’t doubt that, but not that much….and you can bet their contract next season if promoted will be a sizeable uplift.  That will hamper Ipswich….especially when owner donations don’t count either.  It’s why SL can’t just bung us a £10m striker!

2 hours ago, Selred said:

How do you define successful? I'd say Pato, Wright were successful for example. 

The list I originally compiled I looked at in terms of “real” success on the pitch and financial success, e.g. did they perform relative to their fee.  It was very subjective.  I tried to keep it simple by giving them Green, amber, red for both categories, and looked at which ones were green in both.  Plenty of our signings fell into “middle ground”, so not a true success, nor a sh1t signing either.  But I also wanted to overlay the fact that our CEO says our recruitment team and processes are world class, other clubs ask us how we do it.  So against that high expectation set by our CEO, were the likes of Wright and Pato successful, were the meh, or were they bad.  With Wright (and Matty Taylor and Liam Walsh) I was massively frustrated that we exercised their options and still let them leave for free.  We let both go on loan, there’s little chance we recouped all their wages too, so why extend their contract at a cost.  Things like that make the signing of Wright err towards failure from being an ok signing. That’s where Ashton seriously mis-managed us, stuff like that.  Just wasted money.

Back to Q, all very subjective, but rationale to reach that subjectivity

[Unan]

“Had lots of calls when Ashton was appointed, "Has the snake ruined your club yet?" was a question asked many times... after a very poor transfer window for City when a complete refresh was needed the same as we have done hasn't materialised they have gone very very quiet.  

I believe they replaced Ashton with a cricket guy and the Lansdowns seem to have their attention to the Bristol Bears and there are a lot of unhappy City fans at the moment.” 

[2015]

2 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

“Had lots of calls when Ashton was appointed, "Has the snake ruined your club yet?" was a question asked many times... after a very poor transfer window for City when a complete refresh was needed the same as we have done hasn't materialised they have gone very very quiet.  

I believe they replaced Ashton with a cricket guy and the Lansdowns seem to have their attention to the Bristol Bears and there are a lot of unhappy City fans at the moment.” 

For a club I had so much respect for (Ipswich Town) they now seem to be resembling delusions of grandeur that only Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town fans have.

WE ARE DELIGHTED HE LEFT US

[exAtyeoMax]

19 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

“Had lots of calls when Ashton was appointed, "Has the snake ruined your club yet?" was a question asked many times... after a very poor transfer window for City when a complete refresh was needed the same as we have done hasn't materialised they have gone very very quiet.  

I believe they replaced Ashton with a cricket guy and the Lansdowns seem to have their attention to the Bristol Bears and there are a lot of unhappy City fans at the moment.” 

where's that from?

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Red Exile said:

I'm not sure I'd bother if I were you! Having read a few of their threads this morning they are, in the main, poorly aware of the goings on at Bristol City (although, frankly, who can blame them?!) and in their blissful ignorance determined to enjoy a love-in....which is of course their prerogative.

We are - it seems - 'classic bitter fans' as frustrated as we would be if one of our better players had left. That's a strange logic but hey ho...personally I'm delighted to see the back of him. His departure was certainly my champagne moment. 

Spot on.

I actually quite like Ipswich (Norwich, too) but a large section of their supporters seems completely unable to sort the wheat from the chaff here.

They have been a mess for a few years, moaned like hell about Mick’s brand of football but as he memorably put it, it “went well” after he left..

They are now in the same division as Burton, Morecambe, Cheltenham, Wimbledon, Fleetwood & Crewe so getting super excited about Mr. Scattergun & his insatiable need to always hog the limelight really is quite sad.

They should get promoted this season & having signed the likes of Morsy, Celina & Walton that would be no massive achievement.

It is beyond that where they need to focus, Ashton is like a child who can’t sit still, his need for it to be all about him will undoubtedly see it end in tears.

Of course pointing this out makes me “bitter” & someone who “wants him back” in Ipswich fans’ eyes.

Truth is, the appointments of Pearson, Rennie & Gould make me even happier than his departure did.

[Fuber]

9 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

“Had lots of calls when Ashton was appointed, "Has the snake ruined your club yet?" was a question asked many times... after a very poor transfer window for City when a complete refresh was needed the same as we have done hasn't materialised they have gone very very quiet.  

I believe they replaced Ashton with a cricket guy and the Lansdowns seem to have their attention to the Bristol Bears and there are a lot of unhappy City fans at the moment.” 

It's ironic that they don't seem to question why we barely maneuvered in the transfer market this window.

Championship FFP is much harsher, and Ashton ran us into the ground with awful recruitment. No difficulty. We had no money to spend because of him. Not due to anything Gould or Pearson did wrong.

Honestly, the sheer arrogance on that Forum reminds me of Villa fans, talk of Prem being the end goal. We were in prime position to push on for playoffs three years ago with a Billionaire owner - no question as to why we/MA failed so badly as to leave for a League One club? Really?  - The days of Bankrolling to the EPL are gone. League One FFP rules are much easier than Championship to work around it seems, i.e. Derby, Reading, Birmingham, Sheff Wed, etc, are all examples of clubs that tried and failed.

Sustainability was SLs goal, not Ashton's. Guess who rogered that up completely?

As for the disdain being because we didn't get promoted...? Do they realise how tough this division is? - I'm just glad Ashton didn't get us relegated, I'd have (and many City fans likewise would) taken small increments each season - the issue is the spending completely outpaced any real progress.

I'll reiterate to any Ipswich fans. Don't listed to anything he says. Or at least take it with a huge pinch of salt. The man just lies through his teeth and goes missing when things don't go well - manager eats the farm, but soaks up the limelight when things are.

[slartibartfast]

2 hours ago, ashton_fan said:

Only 3 players cost them money, the rest were freebies and loans. I see Wes Burns was one of the new signings and they got rid of Cole Skuse and James Wilson. Some Ipswich fans are saying they have "the best squad in L1 history" and hope to get 100 points this season, they actually mention our title season and they hope to emulate that. Trouble is they've had no pre-season with most of the players so could take them until Christmas to work out their best eleven.

Are they any kin to our six fingered neighbors ?

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, daored said:

I’m not sure how’s it’s worked out better for us to honest. Appreciate positive from a wage cull but with covid losses and £X amount of millions of players leaving the club for nothing has restricted us in the market in terms of who we can bring in with FFP restrictions. 

Can’t blame Ashton for Covid, but responsibility for players leaving for nothing, on top of a bloated squad, comprising too many average players, consuming a huge wage bill that contributed to ever rising losses, despite the profits from selling the likes of Bryan, Reid, Kelly, Webster, falls squarely on his shoulders. 

As does responsibility for appointing his cronies to the medical team ( look at the job they did last season) and the recruitment team.

Ashton leaving, along with his cronies is why it worked out better for us. Yes, NP cannot bring in exactly what he would like thanks to Ashton’s financial legacy, but this is surely a time when we had to take one step back in order to move two steps forward. James and King are the experienced midfield additions we’ve needed for along time and young players like Pring and Scott show we’ve an academy able to produce players able to compete at championship level, with good signs there are more to follow, so not everything is a bleak as some would make out.

[Unan]

Another apparent quote from a City fan. Either the most dense City fan or an Ipswich fan trying to put 2+2 together and making 5.

 

”asked a BC supporting friend about this. His take was that the fans who don't like him thought he was smarmy and didn't keep his promises. He did recognise that the reasoning was more down to economic and operational restrictions rather than anything that Ashton was specifically responsible for.  

At the time I equated it to MM - he did the best that he could with the resources that he had, it's just that wasn't always in line with some of the unrealistic expectations of some fans”

Edited September 2, 2021 by Marcus Aurelius

[Phileas Fogg]

I can understand the Ipswich fans optimism in a way. Ashton sounds like he knows what he’s talking about. Ipswich, rightly so, view themselves as a big club. To have someone like Ashton come in and talk in a way lots of their fans probably feel is befitting of their club goes down well I imagine.

We, by contrast, are about in the right position - middling Championship. There was less appetite amongst supporters for someone to come in and talk up our club as Ashton will with Ipswich.

On paper they’ve signed some good players for that level. For a club who’s been stagnating like Ipswich having 18 signings, lots of which look very exciting, will get people enthused about the club again. 

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Another apparent quote from a City fan. Either the most sense City fan or an Ipswich fan trying to put 2+2 together and making 5.

 

”asked a BC supporting friend about this. His take was that the fans who don't like him thought he was smarmy and didn't keep his promises. He did recognise that the reasoning was more down to economic and operational restrictions rather than anything that Ashton was specifically responsible for.  

At the time I equated it to MM - he did the best that he could with the resources that he had, it's just that wasn't always in line with some of the unrealistic expectations of some fans”

Do any sensible fans expect a CEO to not talk like a CEO, dress smartly etc?  I don’t want a CEO to sound like a Harry Redknapp, or dress like Tony Pulis.  To think that is why fans don’t “like” him is bonkers.  

[DaveF]

I wonder what the odds of LJ being their manager by the end of the season are?

[ExiledAjax]

2 minutes ago, DaveF said:

I wonder what the odds of LJ being their manager by the end of the season are?

Will be pretty low so long as Sunderland are top.

[exAtyeoMax]

I tried to warn my Ipswich Town fan friend on Saturday about Mark Ashton…he just said the club couldn't get run any worse than it had done before. 

[Phileas Fogg]

8 minutes ago, DaveF said:

I wonder what the odds of LJ being their manager by the end of the season are?

I can’t imagine he would want to work under that system again. He’s been brave to take the unforgiving Sunderland job and has got them looking pretty good so far.

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I tried to warn my Ipswich Town fan friend on Saturday about Mark Ashton…he just said the club couldn't get run any worse than it had done before. 

That is their standard response isn’t it?  

 

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I can’t imagine he would want to work under that system again. He’s been brave to take the unforgiving Sunderland job and has got them looking pretty good so far.

Very pally still I’m led to believe.

[slartibartfast]

14 hours ago, Midlands Robin said:

Ah yes, the traditional follow up interview while things appear to be going well.

In three months when the situation still looks dicey it will be Cooks face in the interviews.

It's a cut and paste job for every interview he gave us (and to a certain extent Geoff T ) !

[Phileas Fogg]

11 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

That is their standard response isn’t it?  

 

Very pally still I’m led to believe.

I am interested to see how Sunderland recruit now he’s not working with Ashton. From what I can see, still a reasonable turnover of players but far more sensible signings.

[Midlands Robin]

I've had a family connection to the Ipswich area on my mums side and my Great Uncle was a season ticket holder at Portman Road for over 50 years until ill heath prevented him from going anymore. He saw them through the 50's all the way to the turn of the millenium so had seen the good and the bad. It's dissapointing to read their forum and see some of the responses. Things like calling us knuckle draggers and the constant accusations that this whole thing is born out of spite or the fact we are jelous of them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We need to remind ourselves, we are talking about a CEO here. Football staff always move on and around the industry and there's abolutely nothing strange about that. If this had been about anyone else other than Ashton then it would hardly raise more than a few pages on the forum, mostly posts wishing the new person good luck and thanking the old one. The fact that we are still having conversations about Mark Ashton shows what a negative effect he had on our club.

SL rarely talks about the internal running of the club and frequently defended Ashton while he was here in interviews but it was very evident through some of comments he made about the positive impact of Gould's arrival and the improvements he'd seen compared to what had gone before that even our owner may have finally lifted the wool from his eyes and seen the situation for himself.

When people change in high profile roles they occasionally take a member of staff with them. Look at Brian Clough and Peter Taylor for example. If this has been a successful partnership then it makes sense. When Ashton moves however, he seems to take the same people with him. This isn't about keeping a winning team together but more about one man shielding himself from any external factors. The same with sacking many of the current staff at his clubs. A new person in role isn't going to challenge the effectivness of his decisions as easily as one who has been in post for a while.

Ipswich's new owners have created a similar situation to that which Ashton had at City. He's in sole charge with what appears to be very little oversight. We've all seen what can happen with that. Ipswich may well see short term improvements but they won't last. Much like when Pulis walked out on us for Portsmouth, Ashton walking out for Ipswich was one of the best things that could have happened to us as a club in the last few decades. Like Pulis, if he had stayed, by the time Ashton had been found out by the board it would have been far too late.

As a result of all of this, our club has been set back at least 5 years in it's progress. It feels like we are back at the start of the 16/17 season but this time without the bulk of a promotion winning team within our squad. Time will tell how we progress and how quickly but Ipswich need to realise that they have a rotten apple at the heart of their fruit basket They may not see it at first because of all the ripe, good looking stuff at the top but eventually, all of that will have been eaten or sold and all you're left with then is a pile of stinking mush at the bottom and no way of getting rid of it.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Midlands Robin

[CyderInACan]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Mr. Scattergun & his insatiable need to always hog the limelight

The best book Roger Hargreaves never wrote. 

[Davefevs]

47 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said:

I've had a family connection to the Ipswich area on my mums side and my Great Uncle was a season ticket holder at Portman Road for over 50 years until ill heath prevented him from going anymore. He saw them through the 50's all the way to the turn of the millenium so had seen the good and the bad. It's dissapointing to read their forum and see some of the responses. Things like calling us knuckle draggers and the constant accusations that this whole thing is born out of spite or the fact we are jelous of them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We need to remind ourselves, we are talking about a CEO here. Football staff always move on and around the industry and there's abolutely nothing strange about that. If this had been about anyone else other than Ashton then it would hardly raise more than a few pages on the forum, mostly posts wishing the new person good luck and thanking the old one. The fact that we are still having conversations about Mark Ashton shows what a negative effect he had on our club.

SL rarely talks about the internal running of the club and frequently defended Ashton while he was here in interviews but it was very evident through some of comments he made about the positive impact of Gould's arrival and the improvements he'd seen compared to what had gone before that even our owner may have finally lifted the wool from his eyes and seen the situation for himself.

When people change in high profile roles they occasionally take a member of staff with them. Look at Brian Clough and Peter Taylor for example. If this has been a successful partnership then it makes sense. When Ashton moves however, he seems to take the same people with him. This isn't about keeping a winning team together but more about one man shielding himself from any external factors. The same with sacking many of the current staff at his clubs. A new person in role isn't going to challenge the effectivness of his decisions as easily as one who has been in post for a while.

Ipswich's new owners have created a similar situation to that which Ashton had at City. He's in sole charge with what appears to be very little oversight. We've all seen what can happen with that. Ipswich may well see short term improvements but they won't last. Much like when Pulis walked out on us for Portsmouth, Ashton walking out for Ipswich was one of the best things that could have happened to us as a club in the last few decades. Like Pulis, if he had stayed, by the time Ashton had been found out by the board it would have been far too late.

As a result of all of this, our club has been set back at least 5 years in it's progress. It feels like we are back at the start of the 16/17 season but this time without the bulk of a promotion winning team within our squad. Time will tell how we progress and how quickly but Ipswich need to realise that they have a rotten apple at the heart of their fruit basket They may not see it at first because of all the ripe, good looking stuff at the top but eventually, all of that will have been eaten or sold and all you're left with then is a pile of stinking mush at the bottom and no way of getting rid of it.

Yours and @Fuber’s post resonate so much with my own view.  I have nothing against Mark Ashton as a person (although I don’t like some of his traits), but the evidence I have built up shows (imho) that he is not that competent at some aspects of his role(s).  As you say surrounds himself with people to protect him / keep the ones who might challenge one step further away.  It’s a common trait of a weak leader.  I think he’s a decent football business administrator, one who should’ve stayed as COO, focusing on the non-football playing side…but COO doesn’t command £540k salary does it?

I agree that he will probably get relative immediate success at Ipswich, but I fully expect plateau followed by a fall, by which point he will have already identified his escape route.

He really screwed my club over.  He was allowed to by SL and JL in the main, but also LJ for failing to call him out.  Someone else said they would’ve liked to see LJ without Ashton.  We can watch from afar to see how it pans out at Sunderland.

[Mr Popodopolous]

The only thing I would say is that- no fan of Ashton that's for sure.

19 players=a hell of a lot and too many tbh. However the plan might be "Strike while the iron is hot, fill up now- build not just a team but the basis for a squad moving forward over the medium term. Takeover=new money, no £39m limit at this level but salary limits combined to owner topup in circs, Cook and his ability..." 

All that and being ones with cash at the time Covid means it is tight for many- frontload some of the costs, at a time of a relatively lower market and certainly below the PL.

If it leads to the churn we saw here which I potentially wrongly blamed LJ for at the time ie by February 2017 when we had a mass of ins and outs from 2016 onwards- in January and Summer 2022 then I'll take all that back but if it's this it could have some merit over time. Because they surely on a player for player basis have one of the best squads in League One, on paper anyway. With a reasonable number who can either step up to or who have experience at this level ie the Championship.

It could be a smart plan if the idea is to build a squad now that can last for the next 5 years or the basis of one at least.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Mr Popodopolous

[Midlands Robin]

33 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

The best book Roger Hargreaves never wrote. 

[Richard Head]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Yours and @Fuber’s post resonate so much with my own view.  I have nothing against Mark Ashton as a person (although I don’t like some of his traits), but the evidence I have built up shows (imho) that he is not that competent at some aspects of his role(s).  As you say surrounds himself with people to protect him / keep the ones who might challenge one step further away.  It’s a common trait of a weak leader.  I think he’s a decent football business administrator, one who should’ve stayed as COO, focusing on the non-football playing side…but COO doesn’t command £540k salary does it?

I agree that he will probably get relative immediate success at Ipswich, but I fully expect plateau followed by a fall, by which point he will have already identified his escape route.

He really screwed my club over.  He was allowed to by SL and JL in the main, but also LJ for failing to call him out.  Someone else said they would’ve liked to see LJ without Ashton.  We can watch from afar to see how it pans out at Sunderland.

 

2 hours ago, Midlands Robin said:

I've had a family connection to the Ipswich area on my mums side and my Great Uncle was a season ticket holder at Portman Road for over 50 years until ill heath prevented him from going anymore. He saw them through the 50's all the way to the turn of the millenium so had seen the good and the bad. It's dissapointing to read their forum and see some of the responses. Things like calling us knuckle draggers and the constant accusations that this whole thing is born out of spite or the fact we are jelous of them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We need to remind ourselves, we are talking about a CEO here. Football staff always move on and around the industry and there's abolutely nothing strange about that. If this had been about anyone else other than Ashton then it would hardly raise more than a few pages on the forum, mostly posts wishing the new person good luck and thanking the old one. The fact that we are still having conversations about Mark Ashton shows what a negative effect he had on our club.

SL rarely talks about the internal running of the club and frequently defended Ashton while he was here in interviews but it was very evident through some of comments he made about the positive impact of Gould's arrival and the improvements he'd seen compared to what had gone before that even our owner may have finally lifted the wool from his eyes and seen the situation for himself.

When people change in high profile roles they occasionally take a member of staff with them. Look at Brian Clough and Peter Taylor for example. If this has been a successful partnership then it makes sense. When Ashton moves however, he seems to take the same people with him. This isn't about keeping a winning team together but more about one man shielding himself from any external factors. The same with sacking many of the current staff at his clubs. A new person in role isn't going to challenge the effectivness of his decisions as easily as one who has been in post for a while.

Ipswich's new owners have created a similar situation to that which Ashton had at City. He's in sole charge with what appears to be very little oversight. We've all seen what can happen with that. Ipswich may well see short term improvements but they won't last. Much like when Pulis walked out on us for Portsmouth, Ashton walking out for Ipswich was one of the best things that could have happened to us as a club in the last few decades. Like Pulis, if he had stayed, by the time Ashton had been found out by the board it would have been far too late.

As a result of all of this, our club has been set back at least 5 years in it's progress. It feels like we are back at the start of the 16/17 season but this time without the bulk of a promotion winning team within our squad. Time will tell how we progress and how quickly but Ipswich need to realise that they have a rotten apple at the heart of their fruit basket They may not see it at first because of all the ripe, good looking stuff at the top but eventually, all of that will have been eaten or sold and all you're left with then is a pile of stinking mush at the bottom and no way of getting rid of it.

Well put MR. As a Suffolk boy who left at 18 I have always had a fondness for Ipswich Town which dates back to Alf Ramsey’s team winning the old First Division, a feat even greater than Leicester City winning the Premier League. I have fond memories of Bobby Robson’s team too, Muhren, Thyssen, Butcher etc. But I’ve been in the Bristol area since 1980 and City are my team. 

Yes, Ashton will get found out eventually, as he was here, but by then he will have moved on his his next train wreck, it’s in his nature and he is not the type to learn humility, his ego is too large.

He’s gone, let’s celebrate that we now have a good manager and a CEO who understands their respective roles. It will take time to put right all the harm that’s been done but I’m confident that NP and RG have a long term plan to get there, which SL supports. 

[alexukhc]

Rather get a cricket guy than a ***

[Red Exile]

Credit to @Davefevs for his quality post on their forum:

https://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/517142/page:3

Many of their posters didn't deserve that.

 

[Olé]

1 hour ago, Red Exile said:

Credit to @Davefevs for his quality post on their forum:

https://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/517142/page:3

Many of their posters didn't deserve that.

 

This is an absolutely outstanding post @Davefevs and I hope to earn the right to buy you a beer one day.