IT’S not often you jog past look-a-likes on your way to work!

That’s exactly what happened to Ipswich Town fans’ favourite Jimmy Bullard on Saturday after he was left with a frantic foot race to Portman Road, having been forced to abandon his car just over an hour before kick-off.

With more than 5,000 extra supporters attending the home match against Crystal Palace due to a reduced ticket price promotion, traffic heading for the stadium was heavier than usual.

Caught up in the same myriad of roadworks that also saw the visiting team coach delayed, the charismatic midfielder was turned away at a closed-off road near the ground.

Jogging the final stretch through crowds of supporters – many sporting replica wigs of his trademark curly blond hair – he still stopped to sign autographs, with news of the surreal moment quickly spreading like wildfire across social media.

“It was getting close to quarter to two, the time we’re meant to be there, and they’d blocked the road off,” confirmed the cheeky Londoner.

“For some reason they wouldn’t let me down there so, being only around the corner I decided to just jump out my car and run for it.”

The 33-year-old ended up being subbed an hour into his side’s 1-0 defeat and apologised to his team-mates in the dressing room afterwards for ‘being crap’.

Thankfully, manager Jewell was able to see the funny side. He said: “He was there by the time expected so that’s fine by me.

“If it was just 50 yards around the corner it’s no big deal. In fact, that probably means he ran more yards getting to the game than actually in it!”