I’ve really enjoyed the FA Cup this year. Town have been decent and all of a sudden with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all out of the competition, I’m perhaps rather foolishly thinking, hang on – we could have a decent run here.

I saw a question on social media which asked fans if they’d rather stay up or win the FA Cup?

For me, there is only one answer there and it’s the latter.

Football is so commercialised these days and sometimes I think we forget as fans exactly why we fell in love with our club in the first place.

Can you imagine seeing Town lift a major trophy? I know fans of a certain age before us have done it.

They probably got used to it during the glory years of Ramsey and Robson, but to see the Tractor Boys win something major in my lifetime would be an absolute dream.

Back to league action now though and a trip to Villa Park. This will be tough, they all are.

I am worried about the resurgent Aston Villa off the back of a very decent transfer window. We’ll do well to get a point there but if we play anything like we did in the reverse fixture, we’ll certainly have a chance.

After that it’s Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Two games before the season, you may have winced at back-to-back, but now it’s two fixtures I’m looking at as a huge chance for us to get points in.

Who knows what’s going on with Tottenham? I’m not sure Ange himself does.

In their current state, we have to be seeing that as a game at Portman Road we’ve got to go and win.

It’s a similar story for Manchester United who still look all over the place. There’s another chance there.

I said after Southampton, if Town are to stay up then we have to start winning the games against those around us and begin to pick up a few shock results along the way.

 

New signing Somto Boniface made his first appearance in a Town shirt as the Blues’ U21s were beaten 4-3 by Bristol City at Playford Road.

Eighteen-year-old Boniface joined Town from Chelsea on deadline day and lined-up in his usual left-back role, while forward Josh Pitts, who signed from Southampton earlier in the window, made his first U21s start.

At centre-half, the Blues started trialist 17-year-old Brightlingsea Regent Walker Shabazz-Edwards, who impressed as a sub in last week’s Premier League Cup victory over Watford, alongside Edwin Agbaje, making his second appearance having recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered when on loan at Sutton.

Town striker Jamie Mauge had the ball in the net in the opening couple of minutes but with the linesman’s flag raised.

On seven, after good work from Tudor Mendel on the right, Boniface hit a low shot from the edge of the box which Robins keeper Jose Casa Grande saved comfortably.

In the 13th minute, Daniel Babb crossed from the right and a Bristol City defender turned the ball against his own post, Tommy Taylor putting the rebound over.

But two minutes later, the Blues went in front via a well-worked goal. Taylor turned away from his man on halfway and sent Mendel away on the right. The former Anderlecht winger returned it to Taylor, who cut it across and Marlee Thelwell turned it towards his own goal and desperately attempted to clear off the line before the linesman indicated his lack of success.

Town keeper Charlie Binns left Zak Ali on the floor as he punched away a corner, then Agbaje joined the Robins defender on the turf when he blocked a powerful shot with his head. After treatment, both players were able to continue.

On 22, Harry Hogg shot across the face of Binns’s goal and wide from the left of the edge of the area.

Two minutes later, the Town keeper cleared poorly when well out of his goal but Tim Ap Sion looped his first-time effort well wide from the right.

Mauge was played in on goal towards the right but Ali came across to dispossess the striker, who is currently on loan at Bury Town, then seconds later the Robins defender blocked a shot from Taylor.

Just after the half hour, Luke Towler shot over after good work on the left from Pitts, then on 38 Mauge was booked for a foul on visitors skipper Ali.

Four minutes later, the Robins, who had taken control of the game, levelled when Hogg hit a low shot on the turn into the left corner of Binns’s net.

In the final scheduled minute, Mendel shot from distance but too close to keeper Casa Grande. In injury time, Mendel fed Mauge and his low effort flew just past the post.

Town had started well and deserved their lead but with the visitors growing into the half the longer it went on, although the Blues had also had opportunities towards the break.

The Blues swapped new signing Boniface, who had got forward well early on particularly, showing his pace, and Steven Turner for Stevy Brouwers, making his first appearance for the U21s, and Matty Roberts. Brouwers went to right-back with Babb moving to the left.

Town claimed a penalty soon after the restart, keeper Casa Grande catching Mendel as he went past him on the right of the box, but the referee showed no interest.

The Robins went close to going in front on 49, Hogg scuffing a cross from the right and Binns saving Ap Sion’s first-time effort very sharply with his foot.

But two minutes later, the visitors took the lead in controversial circumstances. Tom Chaplin hit a low shot past Binns to his right from an Ollie Thomas pass but with the linesman’s flag raised, apparently against Thomas, but the referee ignored the flag and gave the goal.

A minute later, the visitors made it 3-1. The Blues failed to clear a corner and Thomas slammed into the net from close range.

Town should have pulled a goal back on 59 when Roberts played in Pitts on the left of the box but the former Saints academy forward shot over. Moments later, Agbaje made way, the former Republic of Ireland U18s international having got another hour under his belt as he continues his comeback. Fraser Heard took over.

In the 63rd minute, the Blues pulled a goal back. Roberts crossed from the left, Mauge challenged with keeper Casa Grande, who failed to properly connect, and Pitts sent an overhead kick into the empty net. Three minutes later, Mauge was replaced by Rio Morgan.

Casa Grande went some way to making amends for his contribution to Town’s goal on 66 with a brilliant double save. Taylor shot from distance and Casa Grande saved to his right, then sharply stopped Pitts’s virtually point-blank follow-up.

From the resultant corner, Pitts brought it in from the left and hit an effort from a very tight angle which was bundled out, off a hand Town claimed, however, the referee again showed no interest.

The Robins swapped Chaplin with Luke Skinner in the 67th minute, then Thomas was yellow-carded for a foul on Town sub Heard. Moments later Robins sub Skinner joined him in the book for dissent.

Town were on top with Roberts and Morgan having made a difference after coming on, but on 81 Skinner burst forward from deep but blazed well over.

A minute later, Pitts tried another overhead kick but this time failed to make significant contact.

Soon after, Morgan brought the ball in from the left and Roberts hit a low shot which Casa Grande saved down to his right.

With five minutes remaining, against the run of play, the visitors made it 4-2. Skinner chased a ball down the middle and beat Binns to it with the keeper having too hastily advanced well out of his goal and the Robins substitute found the net.

But on 87, the Blues pulled a goal back, Morgan bringing the ball into the area before shooting across Casa Grande into the corner of the net to the keeper’s left as a defender challenged.

City’s Jack Griffin was booked for a wild lunge at Morgan, which fortunately failed to make contact, as the game moved into injury time.

Seconds before the whistle, Morgan tricked is way into the area on the left but was crowded out before he could get a shot in.

A game which could have gone either way with both teams having spells on top and plenty of chances, while the Blues might well have been awarded a penalty just after half-time prior to the Robins’ two quickfire goals which gave them a mountain to climb at that stage.

Nevertheless, they showed character to get back on top with Morgan and Roberts adding attacking impetus.

Trialist centre-half Shabazz-Edwards again impressed and may well have done enough to be awarded a contract by the Blues.

Town: Binns, Babb, Boniface (Brouwers 46), Agbaje (Heard )59, Shabazz-Edwards, Turner (Roberts 46), Mendel, Towler, Mauge (Morgan 66), T Taylor, Pitts. Unused: Fletcher, Morgan.

Bristol City: Casa Grande, Thelwell, Ali, Gibbs, Griffin, Chaplin (Skinner 67), Shepheard Hogg, Churchley, Thomas. Unused: Witchard, Davies, Ikpeama.

 

The Tractor Boys were relatively busy in the January transfer window, bringing in four new players for the second half of the season. The first to arrive was centre-back Ben Godfrey from Atalanta on loan until the end of the campaign. He was then joined by winger Jaden Philogene on a permanent transfer from Aston Villa.

Then, Ipswich secured the services of attacking midfielder Julio Enciso on loan from Brighton. To round things off for Kieran McKenna’s side, Ipswich signed goalkeeper Alex Palmer from Championship side West Brom on deadline day.

Talking after signing Palmer for £2m last week, McKenna said: “With Christian (Walton) out the department was short with just Aro (Muric) and Cieran Slicker, who is very talented but who hasn’t played as many senior games, so we felt it was important to add.

“Alex coming in gives us another experienced goalkeeper, strengthens the unit and gives us the option to make decisions that we think are going to be best for the team.

“He’s (Palmer) certainly a good communicator – that’s one of his strengths. Christian has specialisms different to Aro, who has got different specialisms to Alex and Cieran Slicker. We just expect each of them to bring the very best of themselves to the team.”

Even though the transfer window is now shut until the summer, Ipswich have still managed to add to their academy ranks for the future, as per a fresh update.

Ipswich Town sign young attacker from Arsenal

As reported by the Daily Cannon, Ipswich Town have moved to sign youngster Jayden Adetiba from Arsenal. It has been claimed that Adetiba had been on trial with Ipswich, Bournemouth and Brentford, and the player’s father has now stated on X that Adetiba has moved to Ipswich.

As well as Clarke: 8/10 Ipswich star just proved he deserves more minutes

Presumably penning scholarship terms at the age of 15, Adetiba has been described as a skilful attacker while at Arsenal, where he appeared for the Gunners’ U18 side in pre-season, scoring against Paderborn last summer.

Now, it looks as if he will continue his development in East Anglia, looking to hopefully turn out for the first team at Portman Road in the future.

In a landmark show of unity, the leaders of the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups on Ipswich Borough Council are set to propose a motion to this week’s Council meeting that new local government arrangements for Suffolk should have a Greater Ipswich Unitary Council at their heart.

Last week the Council received an invitation from the Minister for Devolution and Local Government inviting all Councils in Suffolk to develop proposals for local government reorganisation.

The Group Leaders have now considered the detail within the invitation and are set to debate the following motion:

• Ipswich, as Suffolk’s county town, must have a prominent place in any new local government arrangements.
• A single unitary Suffolk Council would be too remote from residents and would not be in the best interests of Ipswich people and businesses.
• The pattern of local government that best reflects the communities of Suffolk would be three unitary councils representing Greater Ipswich, East Suffolk and West Suffolk.
• This Council will work with the Government, our local MPs and other local authorities in Suffolk to achieve this.

The motion will be debated at a special meeting of all Ipswich Borough Councillors on Wednesday evening (12 February 2025) at the Town Hall.

A unitary council for Greater Ipswich would provide all the services and functions currently fulfilled by Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council. The opportunity to simplify local government arrangements follows the government decision last week to place Suffolk and Norfolk on the Devolution Priority Programme.

Ian Wright has urged Manchester United to make a summer swoop for Ipswich Town striker and Chelsea transfer target Liam Delap.

Delap has impressed in his first season in the Premier League, scoring nine goals in 23 appearances since arriving at Portman Road from Manchester City in the summer.

The 22-year-old’s exploits and physical characteristics have led to interest from several top clubs, with Chelsea said to be one of the clubs monitoring the striker’s situation ahead of next summer.

A return to City could also be on the cards as Pep Guardiola’s side are said to have inserted a buy-back clause in the deal that saw Delap originally move to Ipswich.

United, meanwhile, still find themselves in desperate need of a reliable goalscorer, with Ruben Amorim even resorting to deploying Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine in a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in early February.

Both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have flattered to deceive since their respective moves to Old Trafford, with the pair registering just five goals combined in the league this season.

And having opted against signing another forward in January, Wright believes the club should now go all out to try and win the race for Delap’s signature in the summer.

‘Go and get Delap,’ the former Arsenal striker on the most recent episode of Wrighty’s House when addressing United’s striking woes.

‘The thing is he’s got that hunger and disrespect for everybody and it just feels like the kind of player they need.

‘They need a hero like that and he’s a hero waiting to happen. He’s hungry.’

Wright, however, was keen to stress that United’s in-possession approach must improve drastically before any striker can truly thrive in Amorim’s set-up.

‘Obviously, Zirkzee came on (against Leicester in the FA Cup) and he got one but I don’t think they put the ball in the box enough,’ Wright added.

‘I don’t think there’s anyone in the box for when the cross comes in. I don’t think they link the play or keep the ball well enough in the final third to sustain pressure on a team.

‘They lose the ball and then teams can break on them. There’s no structure to whether they are going to try to play through teams or around them.

‘So the forwards don’t know what’s coming. They don’t get the kind of service they depend on.

‘When’s the last time you saw a Man United player score a goal where he’s got across a guy at a near post? You don’t see those goals from Man United.’

Speaking earlier in the season, Delap said he was paying no attention to speculation linking him with a move away from Ipswich.

‘I don’t really look at things like that. So, yes, I’m just focused on Ipswich,’ Delap told Suffolk News in late December.

‘We are lucky to be playing in the Premier League. I think we’ve got a great opportunity here at Ipswich and we’re just trying to show our ability week in, week out, that’s a big plus for me.’

 

Brighton fell behind when goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen inexplicably spilled Cole Palmer’s tame effort into the net.

Georginio Rutter quickly headed Albion level before a fine finish from Mitoma, who was subject of a failed bid from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr during the transfer window, settled the all Premier League tie with 57 minutes played.

Their reward for beating the Blues was another all-Premier League tie as they face a 700-mile round trip to face Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, who advanced to the fifth round thanks to their 3-2 victory at Birmingham City last weekend.

Elsewhere, Plymouth’s reward for beating Liverpool in the FA Cup is a fifth-round tie away to Manchester City.

The Pilgrims dumped the current Premier League leaders out of the competition with a 1-0 win on Sunday, and will now head to the Etihad Stadium for a last-16 tie on the first weekend of March.

Cup holders Manchester United will face Fulham after beating Leicester in controversial circumstances while there are also all-Premier League ties between Bournemouth and Wolves.

Fifth round draw in full: Preston v Burnley, Aston Villa v Cardiff, Doncaster or Crystal Palace v Millwall, Manchester United v Fulham, Newcastle v Brighton, Bournemouth v Wolves, Manchester City v Plymouth, Exeter or Nottingham Forest v Ipswich.