Ipswich Town chief executive Mark Ashton says he'd be disappointed if Portman Road didn't host big events for celebrity fans Ed Sheeran and Fabio Wardley in the near future.

Global pop superstar Sheeran, who hails from Framlingham, has sponsored the club's shirts for three seasons now and attends matches whenever his busy touring schedule allows.

Assigned the No.17 squad number and presented with a League One promotion winner's medal as token gestures for his support, he recently watched Ipswich's 3-0 home win against Hull City and ended up singing with the players in the dressing room afterwards. 

Sheeran closed his record-breaking Divide tour with four nights at Chantry Park in 2019 and played in an empty Portman Road in 2021, that concert streamed on TikTok.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ed Sheeran regularly attends Portman Road to watch Ipswich Town in action.Ed Sheeran regularly attends Portman Road to watch Ipswich Town in action. (Image: Steve Waller)

Asked if an Ed Sheeran Portman Road concert was in the offing, Ashton replied: “It’s something we have a desire to do and it’s something he certainly has a desire to do.

"The stars have to line up. He’s extremely busy and currently on a world tour (which runs until September next year), but I think we’d all be disappointed if, at some point, that didn’t happen. 

“He’s just a great supporter of his hometown football club. He asks so little of us but contributes so much. I can’t thank him and his management team enough."

Meanwhile, Ipswich-born boxer Wardley recently paraded his British and Commonwealth heavyweight title belts at half-time of Town's recent Carabao Cup home tie against Fulham.

The former Chantry High School pupil is a regular in the directors' box on matchdays, fights with the Ipswich logo on his shorts and wore the club's new third shirt ahead of his pre-fight weigh-in out in Saudi Arabia recently.

It looks like the 28-year-old will be fighting Frazer Clarke next in his pursuit of eventually facing big names like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Promoter Eddie Hearn met with Ashton to discuss a potential fight at Portman Road, with Wardley recently saying: “I don’t think it’s very far away at all."

"Fabio is a first class guy who I class as a friend," said Ashton. "He’s someone, again, who cares deeply about his local football club. 

“I think it would be remiss of us not to make sure, at some point, we get a Fabio Wardley fight at Portman Road."

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