Dream Baby Dream

Bournemouth v ITFC December 29th 2013

We decided to have an overnight stay in Bournemouth and make a mini break in between the Christmas and New Year holidays. As soon as we had checked into the Cliffside Hotel Sharon was eggy "I knew I should've booked something more expensive and not listened to you." We were on a bit of a budget and I thought at it was okay! I must admit though that it was like staying in an old peoples home, it had 70's decor and there were a couple of coach parties from up north, in town on a Tinsel & Turkey weekend break. Note to self - DON'T GET OLD!

Cheap and cheerful?

After coming to terms with the hotel we decided to have a walk along the seafront and into the town centre. We had a couple of drinks at night and then for a meal at Valentino's, an Italian restaurant which was very nice.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

The game on Sunday was a 3 o'clock kickoff so after a decent breakfast at the hotel we took a drive to Sandbanks before returning to Bournemouth. The weather was exceptionally nice for the end of December - sunshine and blue skies, perfect for a walk on the pier!

A "Selfie" - word of the year 2013 in the Oxford Dictionary

The Bournemouth wall

Hard to think that George Best played for the Cherries

There was a near capacity crowd of 11,096 at Dean Court aka The Goldsands Stadium, including 1,412 Town fans, a lot of them like me making their first visit there.

It was all Ipswich from the start, forcing five corners in the first seven minutes, "Another three points here" I thought. However the Cherries slowly found their rhythm and got into the game, playing some decent football. The first half flew by and ended goalless.

Daryl Murphy got on the end of a Frank Nouble cross in the fifty-ninth minute and put it past keeper Lee Camp. The lead lasted until the 74th minute when Brett Pitman slammed a loose ball into the Town net following a great save from keeper Dean Gerken.

There only looked likely to be one winner from here on in and Ipswich were somewhat fortunate four minutes later when the referee disallowed Matt Ritchie's shot, come cross, which Gerken spilled into his own net, he was deemed to have been fouled.

1-0

So it was smiles all round from the Ipswich fans at the final whistle, fair play to the hosts, they were really on the back foot early on, but finished the stronger side.

We have now played half of our matches this season and go into the new year in sixth position, what a difference from the previous four seasons where we were 19th, 19th, 18th and 19th at the years end.

Bournemouth 1-1 Ipswich

Pitman 74                                         Murphy 59

Att: 11,096

The playlist

Dream Baby Dream by Bruce Springsteen - dare we?

Sharp Dressed Man

ITFC v Watford 21st December 2013

Watford turned up with new head coach Giuseppe Sannino, sharply dressed and making a suitable impression (no pun intended) in the dug-out. The visitors, with their Italian owners wasted little time replacing Gianfranco Zola, who had left Vicarage Road earlier in the week.

The Hornets were my favourites to win the league at the start of the season but sit 14th in the league, 17 points behind leaders Burnley, so I think that I've put the kiss of death on them!

Carol singing!

The Salvation Army were playing carols outside The Sir Bobby Robson Stand as we arrived for the last game of 2013 at Portman Road, on another miserable afternoon weather wise.

The first half was played with both teams nullifying each other out, the most memorable sight was watching the typically animated Italian style of Sannino on the sideline!

Smart dressed man taking an interest whilst "Santa" McCarthy plans his christmas eve route!

The game however came to life after the break with Ipswich attacking the North Stand and having the better of the chances.

The whole ground then burst into a minutes applause on the hour mark in celebration of Town legend Kevin Beattie, who turned sixty earlier in the week.

The blues were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty in the 73rd minute after Watford defender Gabriele Angella handled the ball in the box, from where I saw it it was more a case of ball hit hand. David McGoldrick took the spot kick (Town's first one this season) and put it past keeper Manuel Almunia.

Troy Deeney levelled things up nine minutes from time with a low finish into Dean Gerken's net. Luke Hyam should have clinched the points for Town in the 88th minute after Almunia had made a save from McGoldrick, but his header hit the bar with the goal gaping. Mick McCarthy came out in defence of his mid-fielder after the game following the stick that Hyam had been given from sections of the crowd.

60th minute applause for The Beat

Ipswich 1-1 Watford

McGoldrick 73 (pen)     Deeney 81

Att: 16,385

The playlist

Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top - Sannino was that man!

The table leading in to the Christmas period

Apartheid

ITFC v Huddersfield December 7th 2013

We've now had three wins on the trot and all within eight days, how quickly things change in football, suddenly the words "play-offs" are being uttered and Big Mick is now "King Daddy" again, after the recent concerns of losing him to the Republic Of Ireland. John was right "Ipswich are a bigger club"!

Before heading to Portman Road I enjoyed a very welcome "Full House" breakfast cooked by Shar, my reward for taking part in The Heveningham Hell Run - a 10k cross country run dressed as Santa. It was also Sam's twenty fifth birthday, another one that we've missed due to him living abroad, this time in Vietnam.

A minutes applause celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela was observed before the start of the game, I don't quite understand why? I've got no problem with it, just curious!

On the pitch it was a solid performance from Town, who started the brighter but then had to grind out the win after going behind. We could have easy crumbled especially in the first half, in previous seasons we would have. 

The terriers had a golden chance to take the lead when they were awarded a dubious penalty after 24 minutes. Dean Gerkin, who had his best game so far for Ipswich, guessed right, dived left and saved former scummer, James Vaughn's spot kick - justice. That's two seasons running that Vaughn has had penalties saved at Portman Road, Scott Loach the hero last time around. 

Huddersfield however did take the lead through Danny Ward and were unlucky not to increase it when Adam Hamill's 25 yard effort hit the underside of the bar just before the interval.

David McGoldrick levelled things up soon after the break with a shot from outside the box, when set up with a slide rule pass from Col Skuse. Fellow strike partner Daryl Murphy headed in the winner one minute from the end to send the home fans happy and looking towards those playoff positions.

Ipswich 2-1 Huddersfield

McGoldrick 50               Ward 34

Murphy 89

Att: 15,386

The playlist

Apartheid by Peter Tosh - Any excuse for a bit of Reggae!

Stone Cold Sober

ITFC v Blackburn December 3rd 2013

What a sobering thought, Blackburn on a Tuesday night. I had just about recovered after a hectic weekend in time for the home game against them and  after I realised that their front two were ex loanee D.J. Campbell (ten goals in seventeen games last season) and Jordan Rhodes, who left Town under suspicious circumstances when Roy Keane was manager. I personally think it was to do with dad, Andy Rhodes falling out with the Irishman, he had previously been a goalkeeper coach at the club.

Sharon was away with work, so once more Max was the beneficiary of her season ticket! We had a good football meal before kickoff - Cheese & Bacon burgers with chips from the van in Portman Road and they didn't disappoint.

Chips with curry sauce

Cheese & Bacon burger after the first bite!

Recalled to the starting eleven, Luke Hyam opened the scoring for Ipswich after five minutes with a low shot from the edge of the box. Rhodes equalised after half an hour when he made an indecisive and stranded Dean Gerkin look silly, slotting the ball into an empty net, leaving the town keeper pleading with the linesman for an offside flag which wasn't coming.

Much was made of Rhodes celebration, the worse thing that he done in my opinion was to celebrate by the corner flag rather than lord it up in front of the North Stand! I don't get this not celebrating when scoring against your former team, it seems so sterile to me, almost apologetic.

I feared a repeat of the last home game against Leicester, where we squandered an early lead, but Carlos Edwards, recalled to the starting line up gave us the lead again just three minutes after the restart with a composed close range finish.

Frank Nouble completed a good night for the Blues four minutes from the end when he chased and beat Jake Kean, the Rovers keeper to Tyrone Mings' long through ball, leaving himself with a simple tap in.

Ipswich battled hard for the three points in front of the lowest league crowd at Portman Road since 1999.

No 10 D.J. Campbell

Jordan Rhodes ready for kick-off

Last of the action

Frank Nouble acknowledges The North Stand after the final whistle

Ipswich 3-1 Blackburn

Hyam                             Rhodes

Edwards

Nouble

Att: 14,953

The playlist

Stone Cold Sober by Paloma Faith - After a weekend like I had it's good to dry out for a few days!

Perfect Day

Charlton v ITFC November 30th 2013

That was no away game, that was an away day - well almost, I got up at 7.30am on Saturday morning and went to bed at 5.30am (I think) on Sunday morning.

It was time to unwind a little after a months work fundraising for what was a successful "Borussia Martlesham F.C. Race Night" at The Norbridge on Friday night and it was also the last day of Movember, hooray some would say.

I tagged along for the day on "Max' s jolly boys outing" something that I had looked forward to, if not with a little trepidation.

Sharon, dropped Max, Ben and I at Jack's Cafe where we met up with Mark for a "full house" before catching the train to London. We managed to get four return tickets to Liverpool Street including a travel card for £74 - bargain, I was expecting to pay about £41 each!

Full house

We met Dale at the station, who was still hungover after the race night (that boy never knows when to stop!) He was staying overnight and going to a 21st birthday party, hoping to get lucky no doubt.

The train was packed, but I did manage to find myself a "reserved" seat, leaving the boys to stand in the gangway drinking Dale's train beers, an early escape I thought to myself!

Train beer

Once we arrived at Liverpool Street Station we headed straight to London Bridge where we met Mat, Josh and Ben's brother Seb in the Old King’s Head. I remember going in there before a Millwall game a couple of seasons ago and feeling very uncomfortable, today was less hostile, perhaps it was because Millwall were away at Leicester?

"Where are you Eddie?

Countdown

After several beers we moved on to The Market Porter where we met up with the final part of the jigsaw, John. It was about two o'clock when we left Dale, who by know was looking a little worse for wear and made our way back to London Bridge station for the short train journey to Charlton.

Sitting on the train to Charlton I realised how much Max has grown up. There were a lot of gobby, pissed up Ipswich fans on board, singing and punching the overhead lights and as we sat watching them and Bens look of disgust Max came out with the very profound lines "That's why you never wear colours to an away game, just remember, everyone knows who they are, we could be anyone".  "Very good” I replied. “You'll have write that down, I'll use it in my blog". He sent it to me as a text message, straight away.

There were plenty of police on duty when wee arrived at Charlton, those gobby fans were having a "few words" as they walked along the platform - it must be difficult for a policeman to show such levels of restrain at times.

We arrived at the ground with about five minutes to spare, just enough time to visit the gents before kick-off, (the beer was working itself through the system by now).

I'm so glad that we weren't late to the game as most of the action took part in the opening ten minutes or so. Ipswich went at the Addicks from the kick-off forcing Ben Alnwick into a string of early saves. Tommy Smith scored the only goal of the game with a header from Aaron Cressswell's corner in front of the very noisy 2,600 plus travelling fans.

That was to be the only goal of the match, we dominated the first half but as usual couldn't make it count and the home side dominated for long periods after the break, but to be honest they never really looked like scoring either.

Three points away from home

It's funny because if that had of been a home game I would have left the ground slightly disgruntled. It was far from a classic, but a resolute performance and an away win with a clean sheet is never a bad thing.

It was time to head back to London Bridge, this time to the Bunch Of Grapes. After a couple more beers Mat, Josh & Seb went their separate ways whist the remaining six of us headed to Brick Lane for a curry. We were lured into the Bengal Cuisine with the promise of "Two pints of Cobra, Popadoms, any starter, any main and rice, £10 each." Bargain! When we ordered Naan breads we were told they were extra - tight bastards!

Bunch Of Grapes

Bengal Cuisine

Magnum P.I.

The charming toilets inside The Ten Bells

As we were finishing the meal Ben quipped "That was nice of the chairman to buy dinner." I just smiled but then challenged Max to get the whole meal for £60 including the Naan's "If you do it I'll pay, if not we'll go six ways." Off he went and returned with a smile on his face, so I gave him my credit card! I didn't mind I'd had a good day out with the lads.

On the way back to Liverpool Street we stopped for a drink at The Ten Bells in Spitalfields - the pub associated with two of Jack The Rippers victims.

It was 10ish when we got to the station, Josh left us and made his way home across London to watch Match Of The Day in his pants! Our train home was delayed and as we sat on it we were informed via the tannoy of a mechanical error and advised to switch trains - which we did.

All day long the boys had taunted me that once back in Ipswich that they were taking me to Bowmans, I was adamant that I was catching Superoute 66 home, leaving the night life to them.  Due to the delays it was 12.40am when we finally made it back and there were no buses to catch. "Go on boy" they said "Alright but I'm not paying to get in anywhere!

I can't remember the last time I was out so late in Ipswich - changed a bit since my day. There are certainly a few sights for sore eyes, including me with my Movember moustache (how I wish I could have shaved it off!)

We got chatting to three women in the smoking area, as it turned out one of them , Abbi was at Kesgrave High School with the lads. She was out with a couple of workmates and as they left I invited her to stay with us - we were going to the Wine Bar next!

The Wine Bar

My new best friend John

Back home!

We eventually got a taxi home at 4.30ish and after putting on a bit of Bob Marley and opening a beer I got a phone call from Sharon, who had been asleep directly above us. she was seriously pissed off with me for making such a row, I thought that we were being quiet!

I did make my peace with her on Sunday, but I'm not sure I'm forgiven quite yet!

I've had a few flashbacks since Saturday, I think the funniest one so far is giving out Ben's business card to a girl on the train home, telling her what a nice lad he was, just a little shy. Turns out she was Paul Taylor's girlfriend!

I found this on my phone on Sunday morning - made me laugh!

The football might well have been forgettable, but the day will live long in my memory - thanks lads for knocking thirty years off life for 24 hours!

Charlton 0-1 Ipswich

                                                Smith 5

Att: 16,645

The playlist:-

Perfect Day by Lou Reed - sometimes I really struggle to think of a song, I could have easily chosen ten plus for this blog. Max picked this one before we even left home, "If we win you should have this, the original version - Josh loves Lou Reed."

Hair of the dog, but not the lip. Back to reality in more ways than one!