This week, my musings are all about the three T’s. Tom, Trevor, and Tim.
I am not going to start with the obvious latter of the three. The first two are far more worthy of a mention.
First up, Tom. One of Ipswich Town’s greatest-ever supporters sadly passed away last week and that was Tom Tomalin.
I first came across Tom when he appeared in the magazine Shoot in what I recall being the 1980’s when he won the Super Fan of the Year award.
The story was of how Tom managed to get around the country to support his beloved team despite the challenges of his disability.
I then saw him at games not just domestically, but for some of the European games that I attended in the early 2000’s too.
I had nothing but admiration for Tom for how he seamlessly got on with matters to support Town.
Rip Tom Tomalin
— Glory Days Artwork 🌳 (@ArtworkDays) October 28, 2024
💙🙏🏻⚽️#itfc pic.twitter.com/8GDGAsnVbH
I can also honestly say that in all the years that I have written this column, nobody has interacted with me more on my words.
Town have lost a true great off the pitch. Rest in peace Tom and my deepest condolences to his friends and family.
Soon after this sad news, we learnt of the passing of a true great on the field of play in Trevor Whymark.
I only once saw Trevor in the flesh playing for Town and that was my very first game attended, aged just six, back in August 1978 in a 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool.
How I wish I could have seen him more. One of only six players to score 100-plus goals for the club, many older fans have told me what a talented player he was.
Trevor became more prominent to me over the past few months when authoring my soon-to-be-released book ‘For Town and Country’. The book is about the 12 Ipswich players who have played for England, of whom Trevor is of course one.
He made just the one appearance in October 1977 as England won 2-0 in Luxembourg. Trevor came off the bench to replace Terry McDermott in the 64th minute for his only cap.
Incidentally, the game was played in the same stadium that I attended with many other Town fans in Luxembourg as Town played Avenir Beggen as part of our UEFA Cup run in the 2002/03 season. Again, my deepest condolences to Trevor’s family and friends.
Inevitably, I must get on to the last T and that is Tim Robinson – Saturday’s match official for those not aware.
As much as Kieran McKenna does not want to be that manager commenting every week on referees and VAR, I equally do not want to be that columnist. But how can anyone let Saturday’s decisions slide?
As each winless game now passes, the weight of pressure grows on the shoulders of us all. National media will label us ‘winless Ipswich’ and of course, they will be right.
But there were huge contributing factors that may have played their part in a victory which we did not ultimately claim on Saturday.
VAR might get so much right. But it is the inconsistency of its use that is upsetting. Just as much as inconsistencies in game bothered me too.
As free kicks were given for the most minimal of touches, I was telling those around me that an eleventh commandment was created dictating ‘You must not touch’.
That was of course until the biggest and most contentious touch of the game came along when Conor Chaplin was barged over in the penalty area. In the context of the in-game decisions made, that was a penalty for me.
If it was inexplicable that a penalty was not awarded in real time, even more perplexing was VAR’s non-decision too. Especially off the back of what we saw in the previous two games.
Had the correct decision been given, Kalvin Phillips would not have been sent-off. So Mr Robinson managed to affect matters in not one but two ways for us.
It is a shame that is what the game came to as Town were excellent once again. They deserved more than one point out of the last two matches.
I look forward to these matters evening themselves out. They do, don’t they?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel