Canaries are Ipswich creditors

NORWICH City – Town's rival in derby matches and cross-border banter – is one of its unsecured creditors, The Evening Star can reveal today.

Ironically with the Canaries and their majority shareholder Delia Smith excited at the prospect of being able to build at new stand at Carrow Road and reaping cash rewards of developing land they own, Ipswich find themselves struggling financially.

The extent of the debt is not known but City's name appears among the 500-strong list of creditors prepared ahead of next Friday's creditors meeting.

All types of businesses are included in the list which is ten foolscap pages long.

Among them are hotels, public houses, solicitors, hire companies, caterers and florists.

Many of the unsecured creditors have spoken to The Evening Star to say they are pleased to know that there has been a contender for the chairmanship.

One such creditor said she was grateful to know that someone was trying to do something about Mr Sheepshanks' style of leadership.

"Mr Sheepshanks is a good public relations man but he does not like anyone to criticise him or how he runs the club.

"Thank goodness someone is trying to oust him. I am not being vindictive but enough is enough," said the businesswoman who asked not to be named.

Jonathan King is pleased with Peter Morris' plans for getting in to Town's hot seat.

Mr King, a director at Fynn Valley Foods, said: "It is excellent news, I will support him."

Another creditor who wanted to stay anonymous agreed that some changes had to be made but as a supporter too, he was sad it had all come to this.

"I want whatever is going to be best for the football club. I have supported Town for many, many years and just want it to continue," he added.

Supporters are already making moves to bring in changes to the running of ITFC with the setting up of a Supporters Trust.

A meeting held in Ipswich on April 3 started the ball rolling and since then support for the trust has continued gathering momentum.