The End Of The Road

When I set out to write a blog about following ITFC’S 2011/12 season I really felt that the playoffs were well within our grasp but a lot happens over nine months and 46 games. To finish in fifteenth place (worse than last season) is more than disappointing and I have to be honest and say that the last few weeks have been very flat, something that I feel is reflected in my blogs which have become short and not really worth a read (not that anybody does!)

On the plus side the signings of Aaron Cresswell and JET have been good, the jury’s out at the moment regarding Ryan Stevenson. Generally we have played more attractive football going forward but those defensive woes need to be addressed, we scored as many goals as champions Reading but only relegated Doncaster conceded more than us, that tells you everything you need to know!

After such a mediocre season it’s hard to pick the “best of” but here we go

Player of the season has to be Aaron Cresswell even though he’s a member of our defence!

I probably missed the game of the season (West Ham at home) so I’ll go for the home game v Brighton. 

Again it’s not easy to pick my goal of the season, although we’ve scored a few, not many have me purri so Jason Scotland’s strike at Palace gets it. 

On the punditry front I finished in 39th place in the TWTD prediction league, Sharon was 125th but pride of place goes to Dad who ended up 13th, not bad considering there were about a thousand entries.

After the first six games of the season a few of us tried to predict the final league table I managed to get three correct (Palace, Barnsley and Doncaster) Jack got two correct (Birmingham and Derby) Max got Southampton correct but Paul came out on top with Four correct (West Ham Birmingham, Leeds and Doncaster.)

So now it’s time to sit back, relax and watch the playoffs, Premier League run in, FA Cup, Champions League final and then the Euros. I wait to see who Paul Jewell signs for next season where the dream all begins again. That was the season with Sharona, enjoy the summer.

The Final Game Doncaster 2-3 ITFC 28 04 2012

All the Championship games had a 12.30pm kickoff for the last match of the season, which meant a 6.30am start for us and after last weeks dismal game at Portman Road I did wonder why I was bothering. As it turned out we had a really good day and it was well worth all the effort in the end. We brought Kev a ticket for his sixtieth birthday and including Tracey there were eight of us traveling up north (seven, Emily, Harry, Jack and us oldies in the Zafira and Paul a one way ticket on the supporters coach). We had a stop half way at Peterborough services where there were supporters from Hull, Leeds and Coventry. Tracey had some good banter with a Hull fan who spotted her Jimmy Bullard (not the most popular man on Humberside!) T-shirt.

Rovers were already doomed to life in division one before the start so there was little for any of the teams to play for, having said that if we lost the game there was the possibility of our worst season in fifty five years. 

The game was a cameo of our season, at times we knock the ball about and look really good and then at times defensively we just seem to go awol! We were on top from the start and took an early lead with Tommy Smith heading in Lee Martin’s corner after ten minutes. Ryan Stevenson unleashed a thirty yard rocket which went in off the underside of the crossbar to double the lead on the half hour. Rovers hit back five minutes later, Fabian Robert scoring from close range just when Town were looking like they could emulate last seasons six-nil victory. 

Second half substitution Jason Scotland increased the lead from the penalty spot after he was tripped by Abib Beye in the seventy-ninth minute and I was looking forward to picking up seven points in the TWTD’s prediction league with the correct score until more slack defending allowed Beye to grab another goal back for the home side in injury time. I should also mention that Byron Lawrence came on to make his debut and become the second youngest ever ITFC player (after Connor Wickham) replacing JET with ten minutes left to play.

As we were driving out of the car park I noticed Jimmy Bullard (who had been a surprise member of the squad) signing autographs so I pulled over and while I got my camera Tracey went and got her T-shirt signed. The players were on good form and in the end she got her picture taken with Jimmy and Jet, Jack also got his picture with Jet, Jason Scotland and Aaron Lee-Barrett, I even got a picture with JET, (when I sent it to Max he commented “How f**king happy do you look.)

We got back home at 7pm having stopped off at Cambridge on the way back where we had the birthday cake that Sharon had brought along for Kev. 

Lack Of Appreciation - The Feelings Mutual! ITFC 0-3 Millwall 21 04 2012

There was a distinct lack of supporters left in the ground for the players “lap of appreciation” which was hardly surprising following that awful performance in the final home game of what has been another disappointing season. I wasn’t that surprised when the “lap” turned into a walk to the penalty area in front of the North Stand, a quick round of applause and then back to the changing rooms, although one or two players did stop at the Britannia stand, I probably would have wanted to shy away too! It was actually quite embarrassing all round and the lack of supporters staying behind in the ground must surely of sent a strong message to the powers that be - no need for a “customer” survey about satisfaction, value for money etc.  Listening to the “moan in” on the way home there were several calls from supporters who had stayed behind complaining that he players hadn’t walked around the pitch to sign autographs, pose for pictures etc which is a fair point.

Not too much to say about the game, we were behind within three minutes, had chances, didn’t take them, had a penalty, missed it and didn’t really look that interested, so disappointing.

Millwall home and away were the worse two games of the season according to Sharon and it’s hard to disagree! There haven’t been many exciting games at Portman Road this season - I probably missed the best one, West Ham in January (the only home game that I  missed!) Since the turn of he year with the exception to this game the football has got better but things certainly need to improve next season because rightly or wrongly we do expect to be in the playoffs at least.

A near empty ground

Not very interested?

Wet Wet Jet ITFC 1-1 Birmingham 17 04 2012

Weather wise it was a miserable night at Portman Road for the last evening game of the season, in fact it was so cold in the SBR stand that I could feel it in my fingers and feel it in my toes.I know from talking to Kev and Tracey that it was worse down at the front particularly in the second half when rain was all around!

Ipswich as in the previous matches were once again dominate in the first half but couldn’t turn possession into goals and we looked like the playoff team but Birmingham took the lead in injury time with their first meaningful attack, Chris Burke with the goal, very harsh on Town. 

City started the second half more brightly and looked as if they would add to their first half lead. With the rain falling heavily Jason Scotland was replaced by JET in 64th minute and this proved to be a masterstroke from Paul Jewell. The ITFC number nine was in inspired form, he rattled the bar from a free kick 4minutes after his introduction and then scored the equaliser with a fine solo effort on 75 minutes, beating two players and then sliding the ball past keeperColin Doyle with a low shot/cross (a shot in my opinion) which went in off the post. Both teams had chances to win the game after that with Ipswich deserving a victory following their hard work and endeavour but it wasn’t to be, we’ll save that for next season.

Standing next to Sir Alf’s statue before the game was Dr Who’s Tardis, there to promote “The Crash of the Elysium” (don’t ask me what that’s all about). It would have been good to see Billy Piper aka Rose Tyler step out of it sporting the new home strip (behave)! Anyway seeing that got me thinking of what might have been this season, what if we hadn’t leaked all of those late goals in November and December? Oh well as Cher once said “If I could turn back time.“

It's Hardly Para, Para, Paradise Crystal Palace 1-1 ITFC 14 04 2012

Palace was my first away game since the 3-0 defeat at Brighton in February and once again an early morning visit to Tesco’s for some oven fresh Tiger rolls was first thing on the agenda! This theme could become an away day ritual, something that was started at Christmas when Max and I got some for our trip to Reading. My filling of choice is mayonnaise, ham from Duncan’s butchers in Martlesham, tomato and cucumber. accompanied by a bag of Kettle crisps and a nice cup of coffee it’s the perfect away day pack-up. Enough of my Keith Floyd ramblings!

We thought it might be a good excuse to catch up with Max as he didn’t come home for Easter, he had a lot of work to do at Uni for his dissertation (well that’s what he told us - yeah yeah). I got tickets for him and his mates “Unbelieveablue”, “The Negotiator” and “Bad Boy Arun” and in the end we only saw him briefly before and after the game. The match also marked his second appearance in the Evening Star as the “star fan” following his debut earlier in the season at Leeds.

Ipswich were by far the better team, having the majority of possession and chances but in the end they couldn’t convert them into goals. Palace took the lead much against the run of play with their first meaningful attack, on loan budgie Chris Martin’s cool play (pronounced cold play in Norfolk) finished off some  good work from Nathaniel Clyne and Sean Scannell slipping the ball into the Ipswich net much to the annoyance of the travelling Town fans.

It’s that time of the year when selections are made for the “end of season” awards, I’ve made my mind up on most of my selections but I can’t think of a goal of the season. On the way to London I said to Sharon “you’re going to see the goal of the season today” and I may well be proved right following Jason Scotland’s superb equaliser on the hour, he must of had a rush of blood to the head as he picked the ball up on the left before cutting in and unleashing a twenty five yarder past Julian Speroni in the Eagles goal.

As the clocks ran down the game petered out to an inevitable draw between two sides comfortable in the knowledge that they’ll both be playing championship football next season. With just three games left and Town sitting fifteenth in the table with fifty seven points I’m torn between Paul Jewell blooding some youngsters or going for a better finish than last season (thirteenth with sixty two points).