Morris quits Trust role

WANNABE Ipswich Town chairman Peter Morris has quit his position on the committee of the newly formed Independent Supporters Trust, writes Derek Davis.

The City banker believes too many members of the Supporters Trust, which has still yet to be officially launched, are acting out of self-interest rather than offering a credible alternative to the current Ipswich Town board.

In a scathing resignation letter to the Trust, Morris accused its members of having hidden agendas and ulterior motives and said they were no different from various other groups who they have criticised.

He claims the Trust members were to busy trying to impress each other about people they knew instead of driving forward with their stated aims and objectives.

Morris last night stood by his statement and said: "I believe in the idea of a Trust but it should be to challenge and question what has gone on at Ipswich Town.

"It should establish itself to become the conscience of the board and work on bringing the club to the community. I really believed these people cared about the club but instead I have found people just seem to want to ingratiate themselves and make manoeuvres to get into the inner sanctum of the club.

"I appreciate the Trust wants to take on board the thoughts of what members they have but it has become very bland already. It takes an age to agree anything and is not going anywhere.

"Too much time is wasted on deciding logos or designs for T-shirts and colour of curtains rather than getting on with becoming a credible organisation with teeth asking really pertinent questions of the club and looking for the best way forward."

Morris, who revealed he had recently purchased loan stock from the club, became the first, and so far only, person to say he was prepared to challenge David Sheepshanks's position as chairman. But he admits it is unlikely the Town supremo will be removed from the board, even if there is a shake-up after a share issue.

He said: "I'm highly sceptical that there will be a share issue, nor am I certain there will be an opportunity for investors to become powerful enough to challenge the existing board."

Carl Day, the Trust's acting chair, accepted Morris' resignation and denied there was a rift within the Trust.

He said: "We are trying to be a broad church looking at taking the middle ground and taking into account the many views of our members.

"Peter is entitled to his views but we have our aims and objectives, which we thought he agreed with, and we are looking to go forward with these."

The Supporters Trust will be officially launched on July 10 and Day claims more than 1,000 fans have shown an interest but was reluctant to say how many members had joined the Trust.

He said: "We are a lot bigger than people seem to think. We have had some very positive meetings and there is a surprising amount of corporate interest."

Season ticket holder Morris is now considering his next move but intends to be at all home games next season.