Pride of Anglia - Ipswich Town Football Club
since 1878
Do You Remember ... February-August 1936
When Professional Football came to Town?
Football had been played in Ipswich since the early 1870s - predominantly at the Ipswich School - and an amateur Club, the forerunner of Ipswich Town, was formed in 1878. For the next 50 years the amateur spirit held firm in the town and any attempts to introduce professionalism were kept at bay. The people of Ipswich, it seemed, were happy to continue the Corinthian ideals as exemplified by one of the leading amateur footballers of the Victorian era, William Nevill Cobbold.
Indeed, in 1907 when the FA were appearing to embrace professionalism former Town player George Sherrington, now a vice president of the FA, resigned his position on principle to join the newly formed Amateur Football Association. At the same time, Ipswich Town left the FA-affiliated Norfolk & Suffolk League and joined the newly formed Southern Amateur League, throwing their hat firmly into the Amateur ring.
The increasing popularity of the professional game meant that by the 1930s Ipswich was largest town in England without a professional Club and there was increasing discontent at the quality of football served up at Portman Road. In 1935, aware of this dissatisfaction, the committee of the football Club were instrumental in forming a new League - the Eastern Counties League - in an effort to provide better opposition. In March 1935, Portman Road also hosted a game between Suffolk County FA and Arsenal, then as now one of the finest teams in the land, arranged by the Suffolk County FA President Captain John Murray Cobbold who was a friend of Samuel Hill-Wood, the Arsenal Chairman. Three months later, Captain Cobbold was also elected president of Ipswich Town FC.
The voices demanding a change to the status quo were becoming louder and a series of letters appeared in the local press pushing Ipswich Town to endorse professionalism. There appeared to be little appetite for change, one reason often cited being that the Portman Road ground was maintained for the benefit of amateur sports in the town (the hockey and cricket clubs also played there). Realising that more drastic action was required for any change ever to occur, a local businessman Leonard P Thompson had a letter published in the Evening Star in February 1936 in which he solicited support for a professional team, separate from the amateur side. The response was strong and positive and within a fortnight Ipswich United FC was formed, supported by the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce. Ipswich finally had a professional football club! The Public Hall in Westgate Street was hired in early April and some 1,500 people filled the room to overflowing to hear Thompson, acting secretary, and Nat Shaw, acting Chairman, and others discuss the viability of the new club and by the evening's end all present had famously resolved that, "This public meeting is in favour of professional football for Ipswich and approves the formation of Ipswich United Football Club".
In the spirit of friendliness it was also resolved to try and reach an amicable arrangment with Ipswich Town. The following week the amateur Club held a special general meeting. Presided over by Col. Hooper in the absence of Captain Cobbold it was decided, after two and a half hours discussion and against general expectations to remain an amateur and separate organisation, but as a gesture they would consider groundsharing with the new "Pro" club on alternate Saturdays. Such a proposal today would sound absurd, as indeed it did to many at the time, but the amateur club were not prepared to relinquish their amateur status or their ground.
However, on returning from his business in Canada, Captain Cobbold was approached by representatives of Ipswich United. He was wholly in favour of a professional club and his endorsement in the form of a letter to the local press in which he wrote, "for years I have been convinced that a town the size and importance of Ipswich must have professional football" proved to be the impetus required to break the impasse and resolve matters. A week after the publication of this letter another Special General Meeting was held and this time the amateur Club enthusiastically supported a merger with Ipswich United to form a single Club. The short-lived Ipswich United ceased to be without ever having played a game, but it had served its purpose and on 19th June 1936, Ipswich town Football Club Company Limited was incorporated.
For a while nobody could be certain where the Club would play its home games, as the lease on the ground still stipulated it was for amateur sports only. Discussions were held with the Corporation of Ipswich and the holders of the lease and a deal was eventually concluded in early July which saw the new Club take control of the ground on 1st August, less than a month before the start of the new season!
By late July a prospectus was printed inviting the public to subscribe to shares in the new Football Club, and at the end of the month the Supporters Association was formed. Busy times indeed.
By this time it had also been announced that the new Club was to adopt royal blue shirts with white sleeves, adorned with the town coat of arms on a white background. Although its similarity to Arsenal's red and white kit was not missed, this particular combination of colours was unique in English football. On 29th August this unique kit was seen in action for the first time, and professional football had finally arrived in Suffolk.
Ian Hunneybell