(Please be aware that some of this was written before the COVID-19 Pandemic)
For this blog on clubs that inspire I have gone for something a little different. Please don’t think that because I have chosen Ipswich Town FC that this is Football, football and more football.
This is so much more than just the 11men on the pitch who may be the focus but they are just the platform to a much wider programme, which can the power to support mental health, charity, community and the diverse needs of the supporters. This is a club that you can buy into, be an armchair member, pull on that shirt and feel like part of the team.
Ipswich Town Football Club (ITFC) has always been ahead of the game behind the scenes. As a season ticket holder for 17 years and now a ‘couch’ and app supporter I have plenty to share! Perhaps there are some quirky little exercise ideas here and some speculation about how things could look when the new season begins….
So let’s look at why, before COVID, during COVID and coming out the other side and why this club continues to inspire me, complete with flashbacks (in pink)! And joy!
The 3 stars worn on the players and fans shirts may signify the achievement through football but in my eyes the club that is ITFC and fundamentally has the football team at Its heart to me is more like a 7 star luxury resort in Dubai. You may think that sounds bonkers BUT the truth is that that this cutting edge of innovation club brings a truly special and unique provision that I wish to elaborate on and promote. A club reaching way and above its footballing team. A club that encapsulates everyone, bringing together a community that stretches beyond infinity.
Sharing the old and embracing the new, reaching out to those in need, promoting ways to come together from all walks of life, without judgement. There’s a great community connection to compliment the ‘Heads Together’ Project with the clubs charity of MIND with the emblem worn on the shirt. This year the commemoration of 40yrs since the European Cup was won a special shirt has been designed and also carries the Carers Trust name on the front instead of the normal sponsors.
Unearthing this wealth of opportunity through my own knowledge and research the club is impacting significantly on the lives of people who support and follow the team that really is ITFC. Not just the players, the manager, not even just our wealthy owner but everyone who is associated and so from the bottom of our hearts here at Time to Heal we send great gratitude and hope that our voices can be heard as loud and clear as our amazing crowds to share what a true team effort can achieve.
So here goes with why you inspire us so much, from one game with 11 men inside a stadium to the millions who are there in their own special way. All fans and those connected to this club are spoilt for choice when it comes to access for those with disabilities and long term medical conditions including mental health connections. Writing this has inspired us to realise that we need to stay connected.
We lost touch with football gradually and not by choice after the loss of our season tickets ITFC when my health, disability and our ‘psychotic’ time rendered it impossible to sustain attendance. So when we realised ‘hobby’ was missing from our new, unusual, health controlled world, football once again returned with a vengeance. A slow trajectory began with looking out for results and then listening on the radio.
We would wait with bated breath to set off to the ground, pop into town for lunch, shop and then freeze in the stands watching you our favourite team, watching the warm up and reading the programme, willing for goals so we could jump up and down, half time for the flask to come out and chocolate consumed. Lunch in town was always a treat to have. Lovely old lady and 4 old men all preparing for football in the same place with differing views.The men arguing over team selection and the old lady heading off to the ground with her flask of coffee once shopping complete, the town buzzing with sea of blue shirts! My surrogate Grandad(provider of additional chocolate!), our friendly stewards, the people around us all with one common goal in mind.
Those days will probably never return but that doesn’t mean what we have now is less important or interest to us.There are options for everyone. It took a long time to find them but now a balance and one that occupies a ‘gap’ we had in our lives that we had a real passion for. You are enabled us to for fill that gap.
The North stand are the ‘hard core’ if you like. The glue that holds the fans together. The movers and shakers of the fan base, hearts on their sleeves the drive behind the grounds atmosphere. Now thinking about this a strange thought entered my warped brain with the visual of many with a pie in one hand and a pint in the other (well if they were allowed the beer up top but the alternative idea is this under the stand, propping up the bar and returning to their seats, disguising the poor health and dietary requirements)
Now here’s the twist on that flashback! They are walking up and down stairs to their seats that they would prefer not to use. They are up and down on their feet cheering, booing, shouting, chanting, arms up and down.
Could this be the equivalent of an aerobics class? How many times do they do sit to stand jumps over 90 minutes, how many arms up and how many steps you take to and from the ground? Could this be an example of balance and moderation on their dietary / exercise schedule? An expensive ‘habit/past time’ but probably equal to a gym membership plus linking your favourite hobby to exercise kills two birds in one stone, lessen the food intake and even better. These days a ‘fit bit,‘apple watch or phone apps could answer the question on the steps and activity levels. A curious thought I think. Pop on a pedometer as you head to the ground and see how many steps you take just by getting to the stands, up and down stairs, a quick comfort break at half time. They soon add up.
This reminds me of a a very special time in the clubs history and the experience of this kind of atmosphere and exercise possibilities! At a time where we were reaching new heights after a tantalising, ‘joyish’,stressful play off semi final with a Jim Magilton bagging a hatrick in a 5-3 scoreline our hearts getting a serious workout! Then that play off final at Wembley which followed ending with a 4-2 scoreline in 2000 was incredible! I don’t think we sat for more than a few seconds at a time but what an incredible day and a 4-2 winning margin sending us to the Premier league where we belonged! Up and down like jack in the boxes!
Of course this is only once a week or fortnight depending on how the fixtures pan out. So this could just be the beginning. Not everyone can get to the game and spend 90 minutes doing some jumping up and down to celebrate goals, simulating every move the players make and it doesn’t seem likely that day will come again anytime soon.
Perhaps leisure centres could attract potential football ‘audiences’, could there be sessions for those in wheelchairs. Could dance be utilised to tell the story of a football match? A great resource we can tap into here, especially for those unable to get to the ground or someone who is vulnerable at this time is the ’15 Ways to move leaflet’ produced by ‘We Are Undefeatables’. It could easily be turned into football inspired moves which would be great as a bit of half time exercise with a water bottle in hand. With 15 ways to move a minute of each and half time will fly by! (Access this great publication from the supporters hub (https://weareundefeatable.co.uk/sign-up)
Could it be possible to work with family and friends to create a fun sequence of pretend kicks, flicks and tricks you see the players on the pitch do? Perhaps we could utilise the players warm up’s in the garden or the park. Could the 15 minutes a day be completed everyday? Then progress to the 30/30 challenge that Active Essex promoted — doing 30 minutes of accumulated activity through the day. That challenge may be over but the content on YouTube is still there to be utilised. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9tcapECrxjrDHX_iDHgGeg?sub_confirmation=1&app=desktop)
Being a football supporter can be demanding in one way or another as you have seen! With all that stress and tension that we feel during a match perhaps some relaxation could come in handy! Or even some yoga and meditation! The opportunities are there to be taken. If Ryan Giggs can give you Yoga for footballers then surely we could have an experiment ourselves? (https://www.hfe.co.uk/blog/yoga-poses-for-footballers-prevent-injury-and-improve-flexibility/) I’m a huge yoga fan but meditation, simple breathing techniques and the use of visualisation could all come in handy for our severely disabled members to the players and ‘crowds’! Or try some relaxation techniques! This one by the Pituitary foundation can get you started! https://www.pituitary.org.uk/information/living-with-a-pituitary-condition/relaxation-tips/ Could even help the actual players as well!
When we began writing this we had no idea how many ‘actual’ exercise options could come from a hobby. We wanted to celebrate the good work and realised the amazing structure behind the club but triggering our thoughts and thinking outside of the footballing pot comes so many ideas, something that we hope you can grasp and run with and be creative and open to new ideas.
You harness opportunities for young players to follow through from the academy to the first team. A long running, well established and utilised structure that is another piece of importance felt by the supporters. This enables us as fans to follow their progress and something for those wanting a less sensory option to attend what were in the past reserve games and are now all the age groups and ladies included along with disability teams.
Richard Wright, Kieron Dyer, Jamie Scowcroft, Darren Bent are just a few who progressed through the academy and into the first team and onto to incredible achievements representing their country at different levels. Just this week more have placed their pens on full time contracts and what about the second generation of the Dozzels! Born and bread just like the fans.Loyal to each other and long shall that remain in all our hearts.
With Psychosis(Mental Health Conditon) we can find it hard to see what is real and what is not. That applies with all programmes, things when we are out and about and news stories. We once enjoyed reading the East Anglian and getting all the news, however, that become negative as we started to cut the football out to read and get rid of the rest. A real waste but essential. Now however, with the ITFC App I have in our hands a great tool for us to utilise. It has interesting but short reports. It all comes directly from the club and therefore I know the information can be trusted. I get to look at interviews, match reports, team news, starting line ups, a countdown to the next match and even the opportunity to listen to and watch matches. Although you can't beat Radio Suffolk here! Whilst also getting updates on things like the sensory pack, disability football, the women’s team, community projects and work with schools. It’s possible to dip tip your toe in for the basics or go for the long haul and embrace everything that makes this club so special and far reaching.(https://www.itfc.co.uk/ifollow/official-club-app/)
Onto that ingenious sensory pack that had been launched this season. These bags are aimed at those with disabilities along the sensory spectrum such as Autism and Aspergers, but could reach out to many others as well. They include noise cancelling headphones, a fidget spinner, a small ‘stress ball’ football all incased in a bright blue ITFC bag. Supporters can book these in advance and season ticket holders loan them for the season. Not only does this allow people to watch the football itself, using the fidget spinner and the stress ball are actually helpful for a persons hand eye co-ordination, not to mention the impact on their mental health as well. (https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2019/april/sensory-packs-at-itfc/)
Could fans replicate their own sensory bags, with an online order of the essentials and the replication of using the pack at home whilst watching some premier league games so it’s there when ready. Or stream some of the games from the I follow or ITFC site?
Next we add in incredible other life changing programmes with the sporting memories network, memory cafes giving hope and enjoyment to those with dementia, memory boards and public displays keep the history of the club alive. An added bonus, a belonging, a saviour from the struggle of pain, worry, fear and exhaustion.
A ‘pop’ up shop in the town hall prior to Christmas might be looked upon as an opportunity to make more money, with the club and official shop being out of town but while that was clearly part of the programme but an exciting twist was involved. A small exhibition of times gone by, trophies, history, the 3 stars all explained and displayed. So a visit to ‘stock up,' reduced price merchandise and an opportunity for photo’s with trophies and the ‘older’ generation to share the history that the club is renowned for with the younger generation. A brilliant idea and was well worth a visit.
But as we emerge from COVID-19 we have no idea what the future holds for football. We imagine that it will we be a real challenge and beginning behind closed doors so the community is essential and reaching out to the vulnerable, very vulnerable and those shielder’s who are essentially behind closed doors just like the football is right now. We will look to you for support and guidance but we as fans can be a part of that too.
Of course right now theres nothing to listen to and nothing or to watch unless you are in The Premier, championship or play off places (we should be!) So how about utilising this as a ‘practice’ to watching other teams or if you are a die hard fan and only ITFC does it for you then go to i-follow on the ITFC app and stream some of the old matches. Theres some free content as well as that which is paid.
Keeping in touch with the supporters and how they feel right now is really important as well. The void of football, the lack of access some have to online contact with others. People don’t realise how much time this sport takes up and how for some it’s the pleasure of the week and it’s been snatched away. The void needs to be managed to preserve the good mental health of the entire club.
With pubs re-opening, parks and open spaces, households and bubbles, sharing matches via social media, there’s no reason why we can’t still sing those songs, feel those emotions, perhaps we need a Microsoft teams North Stand choir! Or an Ipswich compilation of songs that can be conveyed at the ground to support and motivate the players. Some jumping up and down when scoring…..it may not be the way we want it but we can still wear our shirts, we can still see and listen to the football and we can still keep up to date with behind the scenes programmes…. so stick with it and let’s find any way we can to support everyone that is part of this club…….. they need to climb out of this battle as well and we can help and support each other.
Being completely honest this report only scratches the surface of the work being done and the additional components that are vast and varied. An entire book could be written based on the offer, not to mention the amazing memories that we have. It would be unfair to not recognise our ‘leader, our owner’ Marcus Evans for keeping us going. A club like ours has a lot to loose but down to his passion, drive and support he gives so much to this club, his wealth is obviously a factor but the way he leads is just perfect.
Always known as a family club that is an understatement, he has kept things that way, but there are not words powerful enough to describe the value that each component has on someone, a true privilege to follow and support. A love that goes deep into our hearts. Things have changed for us since my teenage years some 30 years ago when this club huddled me along and what a ride it has been.
You tackle isolation, social interaction and acceptance. You support people with disabilities, long term health conditions and learning disabilities. You support the youth players and bring them through. There is no doubt that the hearty season tickets holders will be back, the arm chair watchers and listeners will be back, the incredible away supporters will be back as this club draws you in. It’s more than football, its a sense of worth, love, community and acceptance and we know that this amazing club will be the leading light for others to follow. A team that has so many loyal fans. There’s nothing to hate (apart from loosing)! All we can do now is stay motivated, keep in touch, exercise at home! Follow the 3 stars and create support for those who are vulnerable, the shielder’s and the season ticket holders who spend so much time at the ground and many travelling from far and wide because this club never leaves your heart.
Please let it keep beating and return to the place that it deserves, right up there with a sprinkle of Bobby Robson and his quote on our collars and who knows what can be delivered!
Equally, If football isn’t your thing then find something that is. There are so many options waiting for you, you just have to have the will and desire to find it.
So please help yourself to stay connected with the world outside. We loved our old routine, but like we have to accept that long term illness and disability means the acceptance of ‘new people’ we can also welcome back a true passion that lights a fire beneath us. For just a few moments it consumes our minds and takes us away from the daily skirmish we have to go through. It’s truly magical and we hope you can find some solace and alleviation from the stress that is your daily battle once you connect with something you love……..
Coming up we go all nostalgic again with a club that no longer exists but consumed me through my childhood and participation in Gymnastics, before we weave our way through the impact and success of two swimming clubs in a David and Goliath saga...