Rolling With The Punches

Who are Ya?! - Ep. 1

Ipswich Town Football Club is a storied, much-loved institution. But a lack of investment, ambition and a whole lot of disconnection had rendered the club a tired, underperforming mess. Suddenly, thanks to a change of ownership and approach, the club is flying again. But what impact is this having off the pitch, in the town the club represents. For the first series of Rolling with the Punches, we’re in Ipswich to ask what is the true value of a football club to its local community? Featured Music: Waterslide by ChestElvis by Chest Created by <a href="https://www.richardpopple.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Richard Popple</a>Produced by <a href="https://www.2020recordings.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2020 Recordings</a>Supported by <a href="https://theblizzard.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Blizzard</a> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The game we love goes beyond scoring goals. Rolling with the Punches is a series where we explore, celebrate and challenge the role of football clubs in their local communities.  When Ipswich Town Football Club, a storied old institution, dropped to the third tier of English football in 2019, they were in danger of becoming irrelevant. But a US takeover in 2021, propelled them to back-to-back promotions and a place in the Premier League, after 22 years in the wilderness. Ipswich - a small provincial town - is suddenly a Premier League destination again, with a football club worth over 200 million pounds and owners keen to capitalise on the momentum built over the last three years. But the pressure and scrutiny is about to increase as the club scrambles to try and establish itself in the top division. For the town, in need of its own revival, this could be an opportunity it can’t afford to miss. Created by <a href="https://www.richardpopple.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Richard Popple</a>Produced by <a href="https://www.2020recordings.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2020 Recordings</a> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.