IPSWICH Town have today apologised to their supporters for last Saturday’s humiliating 7-1 defeat at Peterborough.

And as way of recompense for the embarrassment, chief executive Simon Clegg has promised all Blues supporters – not just the 1,346 that attended the thrashing at London Road – that the club will cover travel costs for the longest away trip of the season.

All supporters’ coaches that make the 272-mile trip to Blackpool in little over two weeks’ time (Saturday, September 10) will be paid for by the Suffolk club.

“I have decided that the club should carry the costs of the supporters’ coaches for the Blackpool game – however many that will be – as a show of our gratitude to our fans after enduring last weekend’s defeat at Peterborough,” said Clegg.

“It says something about the support this club is fortunate to enjoy that a vast majority of the 1,300 fans who made the trip to London Road were still there at the final whistle having endured a humiliating last 60 minutes of the game.

“Speaking to the players and the manager, I know they were personally embarrassed and dejected, but they also felt bitterly disappointed as to how badly they had let our loyal fans down.

“Watching your team lose as well as win is all part of being a football fan and it’s not a decision we have taken lightly but we feel this one-off gesture is the right one and I know Paul and the players are right behind it as well.”

Blues boss Paul Jewell added: “We’re all hurting this week, but the people I feel most for are the supporters. Every other weekend they make long journeys and pay a lot of money to support us on our travels and we are letting them down.

“We need to improve; not just for our sake, but most importantly theirs.”

To qualify for the free coach travel to Blackpool, fans will need to have purchased their match tickets from the ticket office no later than midday on Tuesday, September 6.