Fans of Ipswich Town Football Club were shocked on Tuesday morning to find their club apparently supporting Nigel Farage and his Reform Party. Social media featured pictures of Farage at Portman Road, holding up a blue Ipswich Town shirt bearing the legend ‘Farage 10’, apparently signing a contract in the boardroom, and posing in the players’ dressing room.
Farage and Reform had apparently arranged a private tour of the ground, with the aim of generating publicity, but without either name being made known to the club. So it seems nobody was more shocked than Ipswich Town, who had not sanctioned the event.
Club opted to allow Reform to continue
But in a decision which will come back to haunt them, according to Town supporters’ website Those Were The Days: “It’s understood the Blues were initially unaware of who was taking part in the tour before opting to allow it to continue as planned once it became clear, with representatives of Reform’s media team filming and taking photographs.”
Clearly, the correct decision would have been to stop the tour at that moment, be first to the media in revealing what had taken place and explain that the club had been hoodwinked. That would have seized the narrative. But by taking no action and allowing Reform to continue filming, they handed the party their publicity on a plate.
Fans’ reactions to the club have been savage
As a result, the hard-right Reform Party have capitalised on the situation and publicised the visit widely. Ipswich is likely to become a target seat for the party in 2029, and Farage was in town to appear at a party rally of the faithful at the Suffolk Showground.
Fans’ reactions have predictably been savage, and it remains to be seen what the club can do to repair the reputational damage. One more measured response says:
“After seeing pictures of Nigel Farage inside Portman Road and the changing rooms this morning I feel obliged to write to you to share my disgust that you could allow such a despicable human being into our club.
‘We aim to confront and eliminate discrimination’
“Your own words on your website state, ‘Ipswich Town’s aim is to be an inclusive and representative football club, striving for equity in all we do. We aim to confront and eliminate discrimination whether by disability, age, race, beliefs, sex, gender presentation, marriage, pregnancy and beyond.’ “Can you remind me as to which of these values a man like Nigel Farage holds?”
Others have not held back. “I’m struggling to think when I have been more embarrassed to be an Ipswich Town fan. What a PR disaster – a real failure of systems and processes at the club to have allowed this to happen.”
“Disgraceful that the club let this happen. He and his swine followers can piss off to Norwich instead.”
“Absolutely scandal the club have allowed this to happen and allowed him to use the club’s identity to promote his views.”
Ipswich Town’s long and treasured Europe-wide reputation
Ipswich Town have a long and treasured reputation across Europe, from their glory days under Bobby Robson, when their hospitality became legendary. So the reputational damage of this disaster will be far-reaching. At the time of writing, the club has yet to make an official statement, but it is expected that their position will become known within the next 24 hours.
The delay almost certainly means crisis talks between CEO Mark Ashton and the club’s American owners, who have been staunchly supportive of the club’s inclusivity and have invested a great deal of time and money into Town’s reputation in the local community.
The Farage stunt may well backfire
If there is any positive side for the club and its supporters, it seems unlikely that Reform and Nigel Farage will come out of it very well either. Club supporters and other local voters are unlikely to look kindly on what will be seen as a cheap publicity stunt designed to cause serious embarrassment to Ipswich Town. If Reform really had in mind to win a few seats in May’s local elections, or replace Jack Abbott as the town’s MP at the next General Election, this stunt may well have cost them the seat.
24 hours later, the dust hasn’t settled, the anger has intensified and ITFC’s handling of the whole debacle has been a PR disaster. Read Peter Thurlow’s follow-up on the story ⤵️
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