Tractor Boy to become official?

By Paul Geater

COULD Tractor Boy finally get his season ticket to Portman Road?

Fans are being asked if the club should officially adopt the image which has been taken to heart over the last 18 months.

Ipswich Town's unofficial mascot – born out of fans' frustration at the agricultural taunts of visiting supporters – has never found favour with everyone at the club.

There has been frustration that a Premiership football club in an area surrounded by high-technology industry is not best served by an image based in the past.

And business and local authority leaders have also been irritated at the image Tractor Boy portrays of an area they are trying to portray as IP-City.

But the Tractor Boys is an image that has stuck, a large section of the fans enjoy, and immediately identifies Town supporters.

When the club are playing well, thousands of supporters sing: "One-nil to the Tractor Boys," in a chant which lifts the team.

The Evening Star's Tractor Boy car stickers have been a big success – and are now a familiar sight on vehicles across the region, not just in rural areas.

National media now call the club the Tractor Boys – and the image also followed the fans to Europe this season.

Now fans are being asked whether the club should officially adopt the image.

It's one of the questions being sent out in the club's fans survey being sent to club members and season ticket holders.

The club aims to use the information from the questionnaire to improve its services to fans and other people who use Portman Road.

And while it is still considering whether to adopt the Tractor Boys' image, the Tractor Girls are already coming to town.

That's the title of the next new play at the New Wolsey Theatre, due to start its run in the town on March 26.

We're running an online poll to ask you whether the club should adopt the Tractor Boy image. You can take part by visiting www.eveningstar.co.uk.

You can only vote once from an individual computer.