ADORING fans of Ipswich Town legend Sir Bobby Robson were today joining forces to call for Portman Road's North Stand to be renamed in honour of the former club boss.
Josh Warwick
ADORING fans of Ipswich Town legend Sir Bobby Robson were today joining forces to call for Portman Road's North Stand to be renamed in honour of the former club boss.
Hundreds of Town supporters rushed to support a call for the stand's renaming, with almost 700 getting on board in just one day.
A petition has been launched following the 75-year-old football great's admission that the cancer he is so bravely fighting may kill him within months.
By this morning 674 people had already backed the campaign, less than 24 hours after it was launched, with fans keen to see the accolade carried out while Sir Bobby is still alive.
The petition was created by Blues die-hard Andy Feasey who said: “I came into work and saw the news article about Sir Bobby and thought it was about time the club did something in his honour.
“I set the petition up and within two-and-a-half hours more than 250 people had added their names.”
Mr Feasey, 24, said that although he was not around when Sir Bobby was in charge at Ipswich, his legacy lived on.
The North Stand lower season ticket holder added: “The man has done so much for Ipswich Town - it's time he was properly recognised for that.”
Support for the renaming of the North Stand has also come from Town fanzine website twtd.co.uk, where an overwhelming 97per cent of visitors to who took part in a poll, backed the idea.
A page on the social networking website Facebook has also been dedicated to supporting the cause.
A similar campaign by Nottingham Forest supporters saw the City Ground's Executive Stand renamed in honour of former boss Brian Clough in 1999.
Sir Bobby was honoured for his pivotal role in leading the Blues to FA Cup glory in 1978 at the recent Thirty Years of Honour reunion celebration, when he was handed the freedom of the borough.
Thousands turned out on the Cornhill to see the ex-England boss, who also led Ipswich to UEFA Cup glory in 1981, receive the accolade.
A statue of Sir Bobby, which shows him directing play from the touchline, was unveiled in 2002 and sits in Portman Road.
Yesterday, Sir Bobby told of his continuing struggle with his latest cancer fight.
“I have been fortunate to survive this long,” he said.
“I am going to die sooner rather than later. But then everyone has to go sometime and I have enjoyed every minute.”
Click here to add your name to the petitionClick here to add your name to the petition
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