Fair Weather Friends Return Home

A crowd that could exceed 24,000 is expected at Portman Road this evening and a good performance might ensure this becomes routine.

Over the last few seasons the economy has impacted on attendances and so too have mediocre performances but good form tempts the doubters.

If you are a regular reader of my columns, you will know I have rather mixed views on sudden crowd increases because often with it comes cynicism. It is fine if we are winning but the trouble starts when we have a dip in form!

Then our fair weather friends are the first to complain and as moans and groans turn to boos, the blues seem almost destined to lose.

Of course there are plus sides to increased gates and one of them is our new found followers, who came along with Dad who is an occasional visitor these days and they catch the bug! This is much more likely to happen when we are on the way up though it must be said.

Another big advantage of having a big crowd in the house is that they can work as our twelfth man! An early goal for the blues and the place is rocking again and memories of those glory days are quickly rekindled!

Fickle football fans are everywhere and we must harness this force in a positive way.They are a funny lot though and almost demand success so that they can say they were there when it happened.

An insider at Portman Road said that he knows of cases where a fickle follower is left aghast when he discovers that he cannot have his seat back that he had occupied as a season ticket holder five years before simply because it has since been re-allocated to someone else! Are these people for real I ask?

Anyway, if Town win again this evening we will all go home happy.

Charlton will be another tough nut to crack but Mick McCarthy always seems to have a trick up his sleeve these days so here’s hoping he can find another winning formula.

I will go for 3-1 for Town with David McGoldrick on the score sheet again!

Now that should blow the roof off I would have thought.


Frank Weston – Editor – vital Ipswich