Supporters' club passes on Farage visit 'concerns'

Ipswich Town's official supporters' club has pledged to pass on fans' concerns to the Blues after Nigel Farage's recent controversial visit to Portman Road.

The Reform UK leader appeared at the home of the promotion-chasing Tractor Boys on Monday, posing with personalised shirts and pretending to sign a contract.

Ipswich Town FC Supporters' Club said it had collated fans' feedback "and shared this with the club as a matter of urgency".

"We want to thank all the fans who have taken the time to reach out recently and share their views on the recent visit from a political figure," it said in a statement.

"As part of our constitution, we are here to represent the views of the fans directly to the football club and to help the football club to respond to fans in a way that supports mutual respect and understanding."

The visit by Farage sparked a fierce debate among supporters, with one telling the BBC he was disappointed to see the club "used as a political football".

But other fans said they did not have problem it, with some saying it was good publicity.

Pictures shared by Reform on social media showed the Clacton MP posing with an Ipswich home shirt with his surname and the number 10 on the back.

The photographs were taken both at pitch side and in the home dressing room, where the players' shirts were removed and replaced by Farage's.

There has been a strong reaction in the local media.

Under the headline "We call for club apology", a hard-hitting piece in the East Anglian Daily Times on Thursday said: "One wonders how the club's sponsors – many emblazoned on the advertising board behind him – felt about being associated with a man as divisive as Farage.

"Or how the club's players and staff felt when they saw a politician linked with allegations of racism, homophobia and misogyny holding their famous shirt aloft."

The BBC has approached the Blues with a series of questions about the visit, including about who arranged it and whether the club knew Farage would be using its branding to promote the party.

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