Who Are Ya? - Ipswich Town (Supporter Q&A)

The last time The Imps played tomorrow afternoon’s opponents Ipswich Town at Sincil Bank was on Saturday 18th September 2021, in front of a crowd of 9,874, including 1,710 visiting supporters. The visitors won 1-0 that day, thanks for a goal scored by Macauley Bonne in the 30th minute.

Ahead of tomorrow’s match, we have done a Q&A with an Ipswich Town supporter, so thank you to Jack for answering our questions!

You can discuss what has been said in this article HERE, as well as get involved with our pre-match threads: You can post your score predictions, discuss the starting XI, and predict the attendance!

We have also published a quiz about the last time the two sides met at Sincil Bank, which can be found just below the Q&A!

How long have you supported Ipswich Town?

Since I was 10 (1993). My first game was a 0-0 draw with Coventry City.

Where did you finish last season?

11th, the last team before the top half/bottom half chasm.

What do you think of your manager?

Kieran McKenna? The best manager in the league for me. There are a few (Schumacher and Duff) who are doing more relative to their budgets, but none turning round a club with our baggage. We’re so used to failing.

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2022/23 season?

My hope is that we’ll win the league. My expectation is we’ll finish 2nd.

One(s) to watch?

The obvious one is Conor Chaplin. He’s got the purest left foot you’ll ever see. I also think Luke Woolfenden’s quality on and off the ball goes a bit unnoticed amongst EFL pundits too.

Which teams do you think will finish in the top six in League One?

Plymouth, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley look pretty nailed on to me. I’d probably add Derby County and the ominously efficient Wycombe Wanderers to that.

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?

Forest Green and Morecambe will be the bottom 2, but MK Dons and Burton will get out of it. I think Accrington and Cambridge will be the unfortunates they catch.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

During our Banter Era (2016-?), Lincoln City usually appear right in time to give us a proper smack in the mouth when things are already going wrong. That FA Cup match and the 5-3 win as we slid out of the Top 2 in 2019-20 and into oblivion, stand out particularly. So, as one of the horsemen of our various apocalypses, I suppose!

What do you think the score will be?

2-0 Ipswich.

Random fact about your Club?

We were the last club side to win at the Old Wembley but are one of only 6 teams in the Football League never to have played at the new one.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Not a player exactly, but if I could steal the determination, concentration, and organisation that Lincoln applied to their defending at Portman Road in October, I think we’d be promoted already! Adam Jackson gave a particularly good account of himself.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as an Ipswich Town supporter?

My proudest moment was finishing 5th in the Premier League in 2000-01. A brilliant team built with very little other than George Burley’s skill.

My most embarrassing moment was getting relegated from the Championship, rock bottom by a distance, in 2018-19. Mick McCarthy’s gloating after really rubbed salt in the wound. Him talking about his acrimonious departure the previous Summer – “that went well” – still does the rounds as an internet meme.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

I mentioned Woolfenden above and I really think he’s a cut above most defenders in this league. Other than Woolfy, Lee Evans has been ridiculously dominant in most games this season. He and Morsy just smother teams.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

We tried to relaunch one a few years ago, but I’m not sure how active they are these days.

Which was your favourite match involving Ipswich Town?

The 2000 play-off semi-final Ipswich 5 Bolton 3 After Extra Time. It had everything, a hat-trick from the usually goal-shy Jim Magilton (20% of all the goals he ever scored for us in one night, despite 262 appearances!), two sending-offs from an incredibly tetchy opposition, vengeance over a team who’d beaten us the year before, Sam Allardyce fuming, pitch invasion. Everything you want.

Which was your least favourite match involving Ipswich Town?

Losing at Norwich in 2019 when we were as good as relegated, they were marching to the title. Paul Lambert impotently picking a sad little fight with their bench when we were already 3-0 down was the lowlight.

Do you have a Former Players Association at Ipswich Town?

Not a formal one, but lots of former players are involved in the ITFC Foundation, which does a lot of good community work.

What is the best thing about Ipswich?

I like the very idiosyncratic tribute to the late cartoonist Ronald Giles in the city centre, immortalising his iconic character Grandma and her family.

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