A lifelong Ipswich Town supporter has turned the Blues' successful 2025/26 promotion campaign into a collection of humorous match report poems, with his new book already selling 32 copies.
Martin Jeyes, 53, wrote a poem for every league game as Town secured their return to the Premier League, combining his love of football with a lifelong passion for writing.
"I guess after my father died I needed something to occupy my mind, and I also wanted to do something a bit different," he said.
"To me, poetry is like a jigsaw puzzle with words. And supporting Ipswich is one of my big passions, so it was combining passions really."
The poems were first published on independent Ipswich Town fans' website TWTD.co.uk before Jeyes began performing them on social media platforms including TikTok, X, Instagram, and YouTube where Jeyes joked that he has an "eye-watering 11 subscribers".
They have now been collected in a 122-page book, Between The Lines: The Irreverent Poetry of Ipswich Town.
Jeyes said poetry has been part of his life since childhood. He wrote his first poem, titled Summer, aged eight and earned an unprecedented seven points at a primary school competition, despite five being the usual maximum.
Encouraged by his teacher, Mrs Jenkinson, he continued writing through school before completing a writing degree and pursuing a career as an advertising copywriter.
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His poetry has even featured in advertising campaigns, including one performed by Madness frontman Suggs.
The idea for the football poems came from a challenge he set himself to write a verse report for every league game of an entire season.
The book captures the emotions of Town's campaign as it unfolded, including memorable victories over rivals Norwich City and the uncertainty surrounding previous manager Kieran McKenna's future.
Jeyes has said he has no plans for a poetry pause and will continue his coverage throughout the 26/27 season.
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