Ipswich Town issue club statement following backlash over Nigel Farage visit
Ipswich Town have released a statement in response to a social media backlash from unhappy fans after the leader of the Reform Party, Nigel Farage, visited the club's Portman Road stadium on Monday.
Farage, 61, shared images of himself at Ipswich's stadium ahead of a local rally at the nearby Trinity Park. The images quickly gained traction on social media with fans questioning why the club allowed such a visit to take place.
The Championship outfit have now broken their silence with a social media post explaining they have hosted people "from a range of political parties" and that the club "remains apolitical".
Their social media post on X read: "Following Monday’s visit by the Reform party and its leader, Nigel Farage, the club would like to issue the following statement: Ipswich Town Football Club has, over several years, hosted representatives from a range of political parties.
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"The club remains apolitical and does not support or endorse any individual or party. The club will continue to engage with representatives from across the political spectrum as part of its role within the community.
"Ipswich Town is proud to be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming organisation that supports all members of the local and wider community. This commitment remains unchanged."
It emerged after Monday's visit that Farage was understood to have booked onto a stadium tour before shared photographs of himself holding an Ipswich Town shirt. Publishing a series of images on X, he quipped: "I've never been too bad on the right wing."
Footage of Portman Road was used in a video package shared by the Reform Party on X which includes Farage.
"Best of luck to Ipswich Town Football Club for the rest of the season," he said. "A big end to the season for Ipswich, they're in contention to go back to the Premier League and let's hope they do.
"But if they don't I think there's a chance, and I've had a chat with a few people, on the manager's job coming up next season and I'm definitely on the shortlist."
He then added: "Trouble is, there's only one job I'm really after," before an image of the front door of 10 Downing Street was clipped in.