Ipswich Town fans across the world gear up for match

Ipswich Town fans across the world are gearing up for early mornings and late nights as the club is back in the Premier League after 22 years.

The club was promoted from the Championship last season.

They kick off their Premier League campaign against Liverpool at home at Portman Road at 12:30 BST.

While more than 30,000 fans will be in attendance at the stadium, a huge global audience, including Town fans dotted around the world, will also be tuning in.

Will Thompson will be watching the match before his own wedding. Originally from Woking in the UK, he has lived in Toronto, Canada, for the past three-and-a-half years.

His dad is a Town fan and got him involved in the club from a young age.

Being five hours behind the UK, the 34-year-old said he would be up very early for the Liverpool game.

“I’m staying in a hotel in downtown Toronto so planning to leave Laurel who I’m getting married to in bed and then we’ll get the subway down to an area where the Elephant & Castle Pub is,” he explained.

“[It’s] actually a Liverpool pub but it’s the only place that is showing the game that early in Toronto.

“So there’s a few of us Ipswich fans going for a 07:30 kick off for us over here. Then after that I’ll prepare for the wedding.”

Mr Thompson’s wedding starts at 16:00 and he hoped for a good game to carry the positive vibes into the ceremony.

“Thank you to my fiancée Laurel for letting me out to the game on Saturday morning,” he added.

“She said as long as I get there in time for the wedding at the specific time then there’s no issues.”

Mr Thompson said he hoped for a draw against Liverpool but admitted he knew it would be tough.

Scott Billison, 26, is originally from Suffolk but is now living in Australia.

After initially witnessing Town’s promotion on a whistle stop tour back to the UK, he will be heading into Perth to catch Saturday’s game.

“It’s worked out pretty perfectly – I’m seven hours ahead so it will kick off at 7.30pm on a Saturday night so that’s really good,” he said.

“I’ve made some friends here and we’re going to go watch it in a sports bar in Freemantle which is quite a nice place near where I live. I’m really looking forward to it.

“It’s sod’s law that we’ve gone up and I can’t see it [in person] but there’s other things to life than football and I’ll be watching from afar.”

Mr Billison was optimistic for the first game and was confident in manager Kieran McKenna.

“Whatever happens it’s such a proud time to be a Town fan at the moment,” he added.

Darrell Jones, 58, was born and raised in Suffolk before he moved to Florida in the United States when he was 11.

He explained he was “positively optimistic” for the first game.

“We’re in the Premier League so that’s all that really matters,” he added.

“I definitely will be watching it – I’m a season ticket holder based in Florida.

“So I fly over for all the home matches.

“The plan is to hit all home 19 matches – it’s up to Sky and the Premier League to schedule them properly as the season moves on.”

Mr Jones flew over to the UK on Thursday night and heads back on Sunday.

Kate Czarnecki, whose maiden name is Riley and who is a former television presenter from Suffolk, helped set up the Ipswich Town supporters club in Singapore where she now lives.

The 41-year-old said she felt “pretty nervous” for the game but would be watching with the supporters club that consists of about 30 members.

“Last season we went to the Penny Black pub which showed all the Premier League games – it was quite difficult last year to find a venue that was willing to show a Championship game,” she explained.

“They’re traditionally a Newcastle pub but because of the great relationship that Ipswich and Newcastle have thanks to Sir Bobby Robson and his legacy they’ve taken a shine to us.

“About 30 Ipswich fans will be watching on Saturday so it’s great that we can continue the tradition.”

Christoffer Vårhus, 28, is a part of the Ipswich Town Supporters Club of Norway which has been going strong for 30 years.

Many of the group will be over in Ipswich for the first game, watching from local pubs.

Due to work, he will not be able to get over, but he has a plan.

“I got myself some hours off just to watch the game – I just need three or four hours and it’ll be good,” he said.

However he will be over in Ipswich later this year.

“I bought my parents – who turned 50 last year – a trip to Portman Road in October against Everton,” he continued.

“I’m so excited, I can’t wait to get over because my last match was Huddersfield at home when we were promoted.

“I told my fiancée that was the best day of my life.”