Ipswich Town fans raise £12,000 to help pay for tickets

Football fans have helped raise more than £12,000 for people who may not be able to afford to watch their club play.

Ipswich Town Football Club launched a campaign to "pack out" its home ground Portman Road over Christmas by offering cut price tickets for three matches.

Supporters took the idea one step further by offering to buy tickets for people who were struggling financially.

Town fan Matt Cattee said it would "make someone's Christmas".

The football club is offering discounted tickets for the home games against Sunderland and Wycombe Wanderers in December and Lincoln City on 1 January.

It is offering a further discount for those buying tickets for all three matches as part of a bundle.

Mr Cattee tweeted to say he was going to buy a pack of three games for someone who wanted to go but could not afford it.

Others then got on board, and £12,260 was raised since Friday.

Town fan and podcaster Richard Moss, who took the appeal on, has transferred the money to the football club.

With the help of a local charity, the club will identify families to give the tickets to.

Mr Moss said: "I would like to say thanks very much to everyone who has donated because it's been absolutely fantastic and it shows what a fantastic fan base that we have."

Luke Werhun, Ipswich Town's chief operating officer, said it was "incredible".

"When we put together the Pack Out Portman Road campaign it was to reach some of those less advantaged, lower income families, trying to help those supporters who can't come because of financial difficulties," he said.

"But the fan base has taken it to a whole other level."

Ipswich said that "inspired by the generosity from the club's supporters", manager Paul Cook and the first-team squad would also be purchasing tickets for fans.

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