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Thought this was fair comment and a good blog by a Town fan.


It's Not All Doom and Gloom


Written by Arch98 on Saturday, 16th May 2015 17:41


As I write, I can’t help but feel utter dejection - and I’m sure every person reading this will be in the same situation.

After an exhilarating season of ups, downs, smiles and frowns, we find ourselves thrust out of the promotion race at the penultimate hurdle. It’s a horrid feeling.

And I’m sure there will be more than a fair share of people demanding change, more investment and possibly even a difference in management, as is standard practice when a team bows out of a competition in such a cruel way.

I’m not saying I disagree with them (or agree with them, either), but let’s just take a step back, and take a look at the reality of the situation.

Let’s cast our minds back to the end of October 2012. Ipswich have just fallen to a 2-1 home defeat to Derby County, leaving us rock bottom of the Championship and staring into the abyss of third tier football for the first time in 57 years.

Days later, Paul Jewell is relieved of his managerial duties after immense pressure from the fans.

The club is in turmoil, the once-strong relationship between the board, fans and players seems like a distant memory.

For many of us younger fans (me being 16 years of age and following the Blues since 2004), this really was the culmination of our worst fears - the possibility of Walsall away on a rainy January night was, with all due respect, probably the least appealing prospect ever.

Cue the entrance of a certain Michael Joseph McCarthy, who took over the managerial reins as he looked to rebuild our unavailing club right from the foundations.

And rebuild it he has - and it has been nothing short of a miracle. By spending just a relatively slender amount over the course of around two-and-a-half years, just of £110,000 on the current side, and bringing in some desperately needed quality through the loan system and on free transfers (David McGoldrick, Daryl Murphy and Jonathan ‘Joniesta’ Williams to name but a few), he has somehow turned the prospects of the club on its head, from a lower-league certainty to a surprise contender for promotion to the Premier League.

That is a staggering achievement. And of course, relative success also has some likeable consequences, an example of which would be the attendances at Portman Road, going from a measly 17,526 average in 2013, to packing the place out with over 26,000 people on a Tuesday night against Charlton in December 2014.

So when you wake up the morning after the night before, and you feel the inevitable sense of dread and desperation as you realise that Saturday, 16th May 2015 was not just a bad dream as you might have hoped, try and keep in mind where Ipswich Town might have ended up if Mick McCarthy hadn’t stepped in, and saved the club from whichever objectionable path fate decided to lead us down.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Brillant piece especially from a young person. Being over the hill i can luckly remember SBR era of greatness and probably judge the current crop a little harsly.
No doubt Im delighted MM and TC took over when they did. Just hope for some investment over the summer but in line with the prudent practice that seems to be baring fruit.

Opinion alert.....,

Two things
1/ This blog is absolutely brilliant for a person so young. Really is well written and it's full of facts. Facts are always good to read.

But
2/ This blog is for a week on Tuesday. No one wants to read about how Mick saved the club ON THE DAY they were F**KED in the play offs.

Like I said, opinion alert......., but seriously? Who REALLY needs to remember that sh*t TODAY? It'll be a real proper SUPERB read next week.

Agree, nice tweet from David Johnson earlier too!

tractorollson wrote:Agree, nice tweet from David Johnson earlier too!

Nice touch from Johnno Loved him when he was banging them in for us.

Well written by Arch98, it's so refreshing to read such a well balanced post without the utterance of any unnecessary expletives aimed at our neighbours up the road. A nice note on which to end the season.

Good to hear from Jono too, clearly he loved his days playing for Town and will always be fondly remembered by those of us around at the time.

Town fans are by and large very forward and positive looking. Heres another's thoughts, cant disagree with any of it.

Personally, I cant wait for the new fixtures to come out, and the thought of visiting new grounds with my friends who have become great buddies on our very special away day trips.


.......................................................................................................................................................................................

After being at the game yesterday I am still gutted that we lost to the Scum - a team full of "premier league players" being paid "premier league wages" that in the first 45 minutes were simply second best to our amazing Ipswich team. A team full of hardworking honest individuals that were put together using very very little money.

I am immensely proud to be an ITFC supporter and I hope we can use the achievements of this season to come back even stronger next season. At last our new supporters (those who joined the blue army in the last 10 years) have had something really worthwhile to get excited about and long may that continue.

With terry and Mick in charge, Murphy, Sears and McGoldrick competing for our forward places, Bru, Bishop and Skuse in the middle and Berra and Chambers at the back with a mix of some of our old and some new additions I feel we'll have a squad that will be there or there about a again next season.

The future looks bright in my opinion and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the players and staff at ITFC for making this such a memorable season which brought the buzz back to Portman Rd.

So we should lose from the Championship Bournemouth, Watford, and maybe Middlesbrough, Millwall, Wigan and Blackpool.... and gain Hull City, QPR, Burnley, Bristol City, MK Dons and Preston.

As far as travelling is concerned Bournemouth & Watford are replaced by Bristol City & MK Dons, Middlesbrough & Millwall by Hull City & QPR, and Wigan & Blackpool by Burnley & Preston.

I can't see that these changes help the travelling fans by much, but then I guess this has more to do with supporting ITFC.

The only new Ground to visit for most will be MK Dons with the others all being YoYo Clubs.

You writing off Swindon Towns chances, Charnwood?

I,m still hoping QPR get a right royal spanking..( and lets face it who does not like those.. ) for the overspending now they are under Champ rules again..!!..conferanence for them hopefully -ala Rangers

marko69 wrote:You writing off Swindon Towns chances, Charnwood?

Yea, they've only won one of their last seven games played whereas Preston have only lost one of their last ten.

I think Preston will win comfortably, plus of course Preston suited my argument that there was little gain for the travelling Town supporters after taking account of the various ups & downs.

larrylamb wrote:I,m still hoping QPR get a right royal spanking..( and lets face it who does not like those.. ) for the overspending now they are under Champ rules again..!!..conferanence for them hopefully -ala Rangers

It also proves that money alone can't buy success.

Charnwood wrote:

marko69 wrote:You writing off Swindon Towns chances, Charnwood?

Yea, they've only won one of their last seven games played whereas Preston have only lost one of their last ten.

I think Preston will win comfortably, plus of course Preston suited my argument that there was little gain for the travelling Town supporters after taking account of the various ups & downs.

Suited your "argument"? Who were you arguing with?

You are correct, my dough would be on Preston..... But, anything can happen I suppose. I think Swindon winning would please a few on here...... A few forumites in the Swindon area. Would be an away "home" game for them. A bit like all Edinburgh based Celtic fans.

Right, let's dust ourselves down and move on, enjoy the break lads!

Next season we are going to a pain in the rear to the rest of the Championship, bit of re-grouping, few movements in and out and we will be stronger, cannot wait till next season already lol.

Enjoy the summer everybody

http://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/345216/the- ... Vn8_6PRbJs

Another very good post and responses on twtd.

see what u guys think

Yep, that's the best piece I've read since Saturday. Agree with the writer in everything he says, BUT,....., ITFC almost definitely will need (my opinion) three good signings (maybe four) to match, (or better) this seasons performance. And MM will no doubt bring in the type of players that can both play good football, and blend in with the current team spirit. (Assuming Mevans gives him holiday spending money.)

Quote:
Despite watching a celebaration of yellow and green, something that made me feel visibly sick, I wasn't actually upset. All I could feel was pride in my team and like I was falling in love with them all over again. The total opposite of how I felt in August after a gutless, pathetic display saw a pretty poor Norwich team still look good enough to have justifiably won by more.
End Quote.

Now that ^^^^ I can 110% relate to. Absolutely arse humped 5-1 in a Scottish Cup Final by the Jambofkers? So what......., I stayed, I applauded, I loved the Hibees even more.

It's nice to see fans being so positive about the finish of our season. I too, am feeling proud of the lads and proud of what MM/TC have accomplished. However, I still covet promotion and dominance over Norwich. COYB!

Charnwood wrote:

marko69 wrote:You writing off Swindon Towns chances, Charnwood?

Yea, they've only won one of their last seven games played whereas Preston have only lost one of their last ten.

I think Preston will win comfortably, plus of course Preston suited my argument that there was little gain for the travelling Town supporters after taking account of the various ups & downs.

It's not looking good for Swindon, barring a miracle I'm guessing they can't wait for the final whistle and there's still half an hour left to play.

Swindon blew it big time, and there was me hoping they would do it so see a few more games, never mind eh.

Maybe slightly harsh on the old Swindon Town there, Dazza....... I was rooting for them also, but PNE were in good form. I think they'd have gubbed a few teams the way they were playing. I knew the TB forum would've had decent match reviews from yourself @ Swindon had they overcome PNE. North west jakeys!

Wee fiver on PNE for a play off spot next season?