FAN power triumphed after Ipswich Town did a U-turn and scrapped the decision to charge ex-players for their pre-match cuppa.

Derek Davis

FAN power triumphed after Ipswich Town did a U-turn and scrapped the decision to charge ex-players for their pre-match cuppa.

The former stars, their guests and other users of the Champions Lounge at Portman Road were told on Saturday before the win over Reading that they no longer had to pay the £1.60 for a tea or coffee after the furore caused when we highlighted the new policy.

An Ipswich Town spokesman said: “We listened to what supporters had to say and in hindsight it was the wrong decision and we have now changed it.”

Owner Marcus Evans is understood to have been at the match watching the win from his newly refurbished, luxury executive box in the Britannia Stand.

Evans reversed the decision after a number of Town fans, ex players and business associates who use the lounge, complained at what they saw as the petty nature of the new ruling.

One supporters group, the Ipswich Town Independent Supporters Club, even withdrew Evans' honourary membership to their organisation which he had accepted in writing not long after taking over at Portman Road last December.

After Ipswich made the decision to charge former players for their refreshments, one ex-Town star said: “I read with interest the feature in your paper with Jim (Magilton) about 'The Ipswich Way' and agreed with him 100 per cent.

“But this is hardly the 'Ipswich Way' is it? Ipswich Town has a reputation of being a family club that looks after its family and their guests.

“This sort of penny-pinching does the club no credit at all and reflects badly on the current regime.”

The club defended its position at the time by saying: “The costs of running the football club continue to rise and indeed Ipswich Town Football Club's operating loss is now subsidised by Marcus Evans.

“Accordingly we have trimmed expenditure off field where possible.”

However, since then the club has reconsidered its stance in light of the adverse reaction to its original decision.