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Fans hit back after Ipswich issue club statement in response to Nigel Farage’s stadium visit

Fans hit back after Ipswich Town issue a club statement in response to Nigel Farage’s Portman Road stadium visit.

On Monday, he booked onto a stadium tour and since photos were uploaded of the Reform UK leader holding an Ipswich Town shirt, sat in the press conference room and the dressing room.

The 61 year old was pictured holding aloft an Ipswich shirt with ‘Farage 10’ printed on the back following a visit to the East Anglian club on Monday ahead of a local rally at nearby Trinity Park.

“It’s a big end of the season for Ipswich, they are really in contention to go back into the Premier League and let’s hope they do it,” Farage said in a video put out on Reform’s social media channels.

“But if they don’t, I think there’s a chance and I’ve had a chat with a few people about the manager’s job coming up next season and I’m definitely on the shortlist. Trouble is, there’s only one job I’m really after.

“What a lovely welcome to Portman Road, it really is.”

According to The Times, Ipswich had been aware that Reform had booked a stadium tour but had no idea it would be used as a publicity stunt.

‘This was not an official invitation of any kind or any kind of endorsement,’ a club spokesperson told the outlet. ‘It has caused some embarrassment’.

IPSWICH STATEMENT:

Following Monday’s visit by the Reform party and its leader, Nigel Farage, the club would like to issue the following statement:

Ipswich Town Football Club has, over several years, hosted representatives from a range of political parties. The club remains apolitical and does not support or endorse any individual or party.

The club will continue to engage with representatives from across the political spectrum as part of its role within the community.

Ipswich Town is proud to be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming organisation that supports all members of the local and wider community. This commitment remains unchanged.

According to Ipswich.co.uk, the club’s head of communications, Marcus Nash, had been seen welcoming Nigel Farage and his team at the entrance to the ground. But, Marcus Nash has since denied this.

Ipswich’s rivals, Norwich City, also cheekily poked fun by tweeting: ‘Book a stadium tour of Carrow Road – new dates now available. Terms and conditions will most definitely apply.’

Farage, loving the fuss and attention this has had this week, tweeted: ‘See you next week!’

He then joked he wasn’t at Elland Road, but instead Leeds Arena. And to end the day, he posted a photo of him with a pint, pulling a face and captioned it “Quiet day at the office”.

Ipswich fan Daniel King said to the BBC that the club’s response to the anger from some fans had been “limp”.

He said: “It seems very problematic to me. It seems like the club has been blindsided, and I expected better from them.

“If you are a club that is promoting and priding itself on inclusivity then why welcome an approach from a divisive character like Farage?

“Clubs can issue nice statements about inclusivity, but this is a real test of it in practice.

“It’s been a wonderful period off the pitch and the club has reconnected the town with its support base in a really positive way, but this is a big test of that.”

The club’s LGBTQ+ fan group, Rainbow Tractors, said: “The sightings of Reform being welcomed into the stadium sadden and anger us. Quite frankly, we feel let down by our club.

“The club may have hosted other political parties in the past, but only Reform have actively used the club as part of their campaign.”

Fans hit back after Ipswich issue a club statement in response to Nigel Farage’s stadium visit…

@fin131_: Printing multiple Farage 10 shirts and granting them full access to film a party political message in your stadium, with a full film crew, then claiming to be apolitical after it gets backlash. Pathetic, as you’d expect them to be

@maxslaterrobins: just to be clear: we’ve actively welcomed and allowed Farage and Reform to create political content at Portman Road? what the actual fuck? @itfchelp I want an answer to this. was Farage invited with the understanding he and Reform could make political content at PR? bonus question: what other political parties have been afforded this privilege?

@craigforrest1: I was with Ipswich Town for 13 years and I don’t remember a single politician ever being hosted by the club. #ITFC can’t say they are proud to be inclusive,diverse and welcoming then host someone that is completely against those values?

@ITFC_FSF: From briefing ‘no involvement’ to admitting hosting. You’ve given free reign to bigotry, divided the fanbase and made us a national laughing stock. This isn’t engagement, this is a platform for the politics of poverty. Out of step and out of touch. #itfc

@danielstorey85: I don’t know how those high up at Ipswich Town could possibly think that – complicitly or otherwise – allowing a political party to film an advert in the stadium, discuss the manager, hold up the shirt and display sponsors’ names *wouldn’t* be widely viewed as tacit endorsement.

@TeresaC123: Ipswich Town can’t be”proud to be an inclusive, diverse,welcoming organisation that supports all members of the local & wider community”AND host racist divisive Farage. You’ve damaged your reputation & damaged all the years of work football has done to stop racism cc @kickitout

@RealBristolBoy: “Ipswich Town is proud to be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming organisation that supports all members of the local and wider community” Chaps, hosting a Political Party that is anything but that, goes against exactly that.

@RuudBullet_: Giving Nigel Farage an access all areas pass for a photoshoot in front of a load of Farage 10 Ipswich shirts and then telling people you’re apolitical is absolutely unreal gaslighting

@davehomeless89: you had farage plastered all over place in front of your badge and shirt… show me other party leaders

@SkintyalFia: damage has already been done lads, we’re a laughing stock across the entire country 👍 no half arsed bunch of words will undo that

@rebzeleanor: So what are you doing to stop the Reform party from using your club badge and sponsor logos on their official account header in a way that makes it look like they are affiliated with your club?

@pokeefe1: 😂 you fucked it let’s be honest

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