DEFIANT Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks declared today: "I won't hide."The head of the Blues board was speaking in the wake of his surprise speech from the centre of the pitch on Saturday before the opening game of the season against Reading.

By Dave Allard

DEFIANT Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks declared today: "I won't hide."

The head of the Blues board was speaking in the wake of his surprise speech from the centre of the pitch on Saturday before the opening game of the season against Reading.

There was some barracking for the under-fire Portman Road supremo, but large sections of a crowd of close on 25,000 gave him warm applause as he left the field before a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sheepshanks said today: "It was a spur of the moment decision, but one I'm glad I made."

He added: "I wanted to go out there and thank everyone personally for coming, particularly the 18,000 who have invested in season tickets."

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