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 Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy 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 Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ipswich Town’s remarkable transformation continues. But after re-living our improbable and epic return to the Premier League, reality is beginning to bite. For three years, the club has barely put a foot wrong, but what happens when adversity strikes? How can a football club maintain its effectiveness when results aren’t so good? And as the series concludes the focus shifts to the future. The club’s success has breathed life back into the town, but can it be sustained?
Featured music:
Willow by Brown Horse
Elvis by Chest
Ipswich Town Rising by Chris Hackett
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Following a first promotion in twenty years, we look at some of the underlying reasons behind the club’s rebirth. Football charities, supporters clubs and the women’s team are all under the microscope as we discover why a ‘one club’ mentality is integral to a football club’s sustained growth and ability to impact in all areas of its operations.
Featured music:
Blood Thinners by Kaspar Larsen, Kitty Perrin, Alexander Carson
Don’t Tell Me You’re Happy by Chest
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ipswich, unlike the rural beauty of Suffolk that surrounds it, has never been seen as much of a destination. The former industrial town has lost its way, searching for its post-manufacturing identity. But with every down-turn there is an opportunity. We meet some of the people here, who are determined to change the narrative around the town. Meanwhile the football club is starting to flex its new financial power on the pitch.
Featured music:
Bloodstain by Brown Horse
Oh Jocelyn by Sophie the Great
Indigo Moon by Guranfoe
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For every football club, there is a place and a community. Ipswich Town FC and Ipswich the Town have been neighbours for a long time. The club is undoubtedly the biggest export here and dominates the discourse. But is there more to one of the oldest towns in England than meets the eye? And could a sharing of the spotlight from the club help the town, in need of its own revival?
Featured Music:
Station by Flores Blue
Ipswich by Ayo
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who owns our football clubs has never been more critical. A good owner can send a club soaring, whilst a bad one can push it to the brink of collapse. After 14 troubled years, Ipswich Town have new owners and a renewed sense of optimism circles around Suffolk. But who are the people now in charge down at Portman Road? And why did they choose us? With the help of some expert voices, we dive into the murky world of football club ownership and explore who owns our football clubs and why.
Featured Music:
Keep Moving Bodies by Chest
Estinta Harvest in the Thar Sands by Guranfoe
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Chest
Elvis by Chest
Created by Richard Popple
Produced by 2020 Recordings
Supported by The Blizzard
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
