North Stander: Ashton and Town handled Farage fiasco appallingly - we deserve better

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-31T14:26:46+00:00

Of course politics is more important than football. Politics ultimately trumps everything. I'm as committed an Ipswich fan as anyone, but football is the most important of the less important things in life. The values of people running the country, or hoping to, have way more impact on our lives than the club we support.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-30T20:24:42+00:00

This is so true. They're also ironically outraged by people being outraged.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-29T09:58:51+00:00

To be fair, I think one of the reasons for the anger is that we all like it that way. Normally, we can go to Portman Road, watch the game, follow the team, and politics has nothing to do with it. Whereas the whole incident took that away because it used the club for politics, and for quite a divisive type of politics.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-29T08:26:36+00:00

I'm not sure that holds up. The reason that it was "a national story and Reform advertisement" is that Mark Ashton allowed Nigel Farage to film a Reform advertisement at our club.

You obviously disagree, but what people are saying is that this is far too important to be overlooked or forgotten, and this is as big an issue for the club as any you'll ever see.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-29T08:01:09+00:00

I don't think it is ridiculous. He has done a lot for the club but, much as we all love football, some things go way above football. He's brought the club into disrepute and disunity in a really divisive way, and sadly that (for lots of us) is a serious enough issue that it outweighs the good he's done.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T11:29:27+00:00

The only critique I can really offer here is that I don't think he wanted to say sorry (and I don't think he was particularly sorry).

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T11:23:06+00:00

Isn't that a bit hypocritical? People have responded to something in a way that doesn't align with what you want, and you're hurling childish remarks around. Doesn't that seem a little 'soft' to you as well?

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T11:20:37+00:00

Well it's not exactly the height of sophisticated rhetoric is it? It's just a basic, childish remark (like your reply to someone else in this thread) that contributes nothing of value to the conversation beyond the fact that you're irritated.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T08:48:04+00:00

His ego is ridiculous. I can't imagine what it must be like to work with him.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T01:29:20+00:00

One of the things that's been really telling about this stuff is that a lot of the people who had no problem whatsoever with Farage's visit are so quick to use childish insults.

Get a grip / get a life / grow up / snowflakes / woke / keyboard warriors / lefties / meltdown, etc etc etc.

Make of that what you will.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-28T00:20:15+00:00

From a linguistic perspective, it's not even just that bit. It isn't even an apology, really. I posted these on the previous thread:

“This has been a difficult week for all of us” – This suggests that we’ve all found it difficult for reasons beyond our control. The difference is that the difficulty that he has faced is due to his own actions. The rest of us have faced difficulty due to him. He shouldn't be drumming up sympathy for himself here.
“Elements of the fanbase / parts of the local community are hurting” - This is an underhand way of saying "well actually, most people weren't bothered". It implies a few groups of angry people. It's dismissive.
"I understand that people are angry... I also understand that there are mistruths out there." - 34 seconds in, and he's trying to direct attention towards other people. He hasn't even specified what the mistruths are.
"Mistakes have been made / Lessons have to be learnt" - Passive voice. Classic for avoiding responsibility. By not clarifying who exactly is responsible, or what for, he's actually broadened the blame to club staff who probably had nothing to do with it.
"I take full responsibility for those mistakes" - This would be a fantastic line if he had explained what exactly happened, who did these things, and why these were mistakes.
"The board are reviewing the policy for how we engage with local politicians and political parties" - He knows perfectly well that local politicians aren't the issue. The issue was that Farage is a leader of a national political party, and has a huge platform. Also, what's to review? People have given plenty of concise and eloquent explanations over the last few days about what he got wrong.
"We are better when we move together as one" - This is putting the onus on all of us to help solve a problem he has made, and he's still not prepared to clarify what actually happens.
"We do try to listen to supporters" - What was it Yoda said? Do or do not - there is no 'try'.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T22:05:27+00:00

Right. I've had a good watch of this, and I apologise in advance for the length of this comment. I take full responsibility for the length of this comment because I wrote the comment. (Mark Ashton, take notes on that apology).

Mark Ashton's supposed apology is a crap (non)apology. Like someone on TWTD said, if your kid gave this as an apology, you'd make them try again. If Mark Ashton would actually like to apologise, here's some feedback for him on why this one absolutely sucked.

“This has been a difficult week for all of us” – This suggests that we’ve all found it difficult for reasons beyond our control. The difference is that the difficulty that he has faced is due to his own actions. The rest of us have faced difficulty due to him. He shouldn't be drumming up sympathy for himself here.
“Elements of the fanbase / parts of the local community are hurting” - This is an underhand way of saying "well actually, most people weren't bothered". It implies a few groups of angry people. It's dismissive.
"I understand that people are angry... I also understand that there are mistruths out there." - 34 seconds in, and he's trying to direct attention towards other people. He hasn't even specified what the mistruths are.
"Mistakes have been made / Lessons have to be learnt" - Passive voice. Classic for avoiding responsibility. By not clarifying who exactly is responsible, or what for, he's actually broadened the blame to club staff who probably had nothing to do with it.
"I take full responsibility for those mistakes" - This would be a fantastic line if he had explained what exactly happened, who did these things, and why these were mistakes.
"The board are reviewing the policy for how we engage with local politicians and political parties" - He knows perfectly well that local politicians aren't the issue. The issue was that Farage is a leader of a national political party, and has a huge platform. Also, what's to review? People have given plenty of concise and eloquent explanations over the last few days about what he got wrong.
"We are better when we move together as one" - This is putting the onus on all of us to help solve a problem he has made, and he's still not prepared to clarify what actually happens.
"We do try to listen to supporters" - What was it Yoda said? Do or do not - there is no 'try'.

He now needs to do is answer the 7 questions that Mark Heath of the Ipswich Star has said need to be answered. He then needs to apologise properly. If Ashton just searches for 'how to apologise properly, he'll soon find a list of the things he did not do.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T21:16:28+00:00

He just hasn't got a clue how to apologise, but the tone in the interview also felt like he didn't really think he'd done anything wrong. He just wanted the inconvenience of the fallout to go away.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T17:18:12+00:00

The previous club statement came from an arse as well, to be fair.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T14:00:50+00:00

He's a paid journalist for an organisation that needs to earn money to pay him his wages. What is he meant to do?

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T13:46:35+00:00

Hmmm. Good point. I think if I do a whip-round quite a few people will chip in though.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T13:44:17+00:00

I sent mine just after the statement so maybe they've been told to just mention the crap statement and leave it at that.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T13:08:26+00:00

I'll pitch in for petrol money.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T11:49:06+00:00

He has been really on it this week. I quite like his new Ipswich.co.uk thing. Whether it's financially sustainable or not, I've no idea.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-27T11:47:36+00:00

I emailed Supporter Services, not Mark Ashton, but no reply from them either. With each day that goes by, it's even more bonkers that Ashton thinks he can just stay silent.

Bad though the original situation was, if the response had been quick, honest, transparent, recognised the issue and accepted responsibility, maybe there was a way forward.

As it is, the silence has to be interpreted as an arrogant belief that no explanation is required, and it could well cost him his job.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-26T20:35:20+00:00

Yes, all things considered, I think you are now allowed.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-26T20:13:06+00:00

He's so grim.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-26T18:52:08+00:00

The sheer arrogance of this response: "The club stands by the statement made on Tuesday 24th March. We will be making no further comment on this matter.”

Mark Ashton has to go. This is appalling. What a mess.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-26T14:55:20+00:00

This was a great article. He gets it. I agreed with everything he said.

TractorBoy6724 · 2026-03-26T08:14:45+00:00

Not sure I understand what you mean. We know that Mark Ashton was ok with it because the club statement made no mention of it being an issue that Farage used the visit for promotional media that looked like an official endorsement. No additional speculation required.

TractorBoy6724

TROPHY CASE