We have played almost a quarter of the season, and we have won 8 and drawn one of our first ten matches. This has been an astonishing start to our new life in the Championship, but is it too good to be true? Until that game against Hull City, I thought it probably was, but I am not sure anymore! That was a fantastic performance!
On ‘Life’s a Pitch’ this week, former Town favourite Terry Butcher said that he considered that display in midweek as the sort of display you would expect to see in the Premier League. He has a point. It was an outstanding team effort and it was arguably our best showing at Portman Road – or anywhere else for that matter, so far this season. It was a 5-star team triumph that had Ed Sheeran in the stands purring.
Tomorrow Town are at Portman Road again when they welcome Preston North End, and the game is already a sell-out! In fact, it was two days ago, and then Preston returned 648 tickets, but they were quickly swallowed up by hungry Ipswich Town fans! The last time we were in the Championship, under Mick McCarthy, it was never like this. Crowds were down to around 16,000, and the football was dire for the most part. Supporting Town was very painful under Marcus Evans, and his failed 5-point plan.
What has changed? Answer. Almost everything! New owners. New football field. New manager. New everything! It has been a remarkable turnaround for a club that over the previous 20 years had been steadily going backwards. I am so delighted for the young supporters who have only lived through disappointment and have never experienced the good times that people of our age have enjoyed under Sir Bobby Robson. They deserve this more than most! And whilst McKenna stays at the helm the only way is up!
