Ipswich Town have fans all over the world but few, if any, travel as far as Martin Amos and son Dexter to watch their beloved Blues on a regular basis as ELVIN KING reports.

Elvin King

Ipswich Town have fans all over the world but few, if any, travel as far as Martin Amos and son Dexter to watch their beloved Blues on a regular basis as ELVIN KING reports.

FOR Martin Amos and his seven-year-old son Dexter distance is no object when it comes to supporting Ipswich Town.

They both fly down from Dunfermline, Scotland for every home game.

It means a round trip of 924 miles to support Jim Magilton's Blues for the two season ticket holders who have already renewed for next season.

The pair get up around 7am, and are normally back home in time to watch Match of the Day.

And it costs around £200 per home match for the two depending on the price paid on the internet for plane fares.

Dexter was a mascot for last Saturday's goalless draw against Queens Park Rangers, and he has seen the Blues lose just once.

His dad, a marketing manager who moved north of the border in 1992 after being brought up in Clacton, explained: “Since I moved I took in two or three Town games a season mainly at bank holiday times.

“Last season I took Dexter to some matches and he loved it.

“So this campaign I bought two season tickets and we have just missed the one Saturday game - the home FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth when it was my wife Bernice's birthday.

“She is happy for us to travel down to Suffolk every two weeks or so, and with Ipswich's wonderful home record it is money well spent.”

Martin tends to travel on his own to evening games, and his mother Barbara runs the Red Lion at St Osyth so he has somewhere to stay overnight.

His late grandfather Fred supported Ipswich in the fifties, and Martin first went to Portman Road as an 11-year-old with his late father Peter. An uncle - Alan Amos - lives in Colchester and is a Town season ticket holder.

He is cautious about buying his plane tickets too early as he was caught out earlier this season when a couple of games were later moved to be shown live on television.

“It costs £40 to change tickets so I tend to wait before going on the net,” added Martin, who hires a car to take him from Stansted Airport to Portman Road and back.

Sometimes he uses Glasgow Airport and sometimes Edinburgh depending on the best price and availability and if he is delayed on the way home he has Sky Plus TV which means he misses nothing of Match of the Day.

“We fly down with some West Ham fans sometimes,” he added. “But I have yet to meet any Ipswich ones. There are often a number of Celtic and Rangers supporters travelling in the opposite direction.”

Does Martin see his commitment and expense paying off at the end of the season?

“I think so,” he said. “I am sure we can do it.

“Wolves look to be the main threat for sixth place, and they have some awkward matches to play. It looks to me as though a draw at Molineux on April 19 will be enough.”

Dexter has coaching lessons on the Saturdays he does not visit Portman Road, and he is planning to join a team when he is a little older.

But for now the Amos' are high-flying Ipswich Town fans who deserve to see the Blues take off into the Premier League.

Do you know a Town supporter who travels further than Martin Amos and his son Dexter? If so write to sports desk, Evening Star, 30, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail starsport@eveningstar.co.uk

The Amos' trip

7am: Get up.

9.30am to 10am: take off from Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport.

11.30am: land at Stansted Airport.

Noon: leave Stansted in a hire car.

1.30pm: arrive at Portman Road.

5.30pm: leave Ipswich for Stansted.

7.30pm to 9pm: take off for Glasgow or Edinburgh.

10.30pm: back home in Dunfermline.

Not on a Pars with Town

Martin and Dexter Amos could spend their Saturdays watching Dunfermline Athletic instead of Ipswich Town

Dunfermline are currently fifth in Scottish Division One

Former Celtic striker Mark Burchill, who once had a loan spell with Ipswich Town, plays for the club

They play at East End Park which has a capacity of 11,780

Admission prices are £12 for adults and £7 for under 12s

Dunfermline are nicknamed the Pars