Thread by @IpswichTown

🥳 Belated birthday wishes to Town fan Maurice Ramsay, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday.

Born in Northumberland on 18 April 1920, Maurice has penned a letter to the Club about how he became a Blue and some of his favourite #itfc memories.

Thread to follow 👇

2️⃣ #itfc

"How I became a lifelong Ipswich Town Supporter." Maurice writes.

"I was born on a farm in Wark On Tyne, Northumberland on 18 April 1920. In 1927 the family moved to live in Norfolk to continue in the Farming business. I went to school in Swaffham."

3️⃣ #itfc

"With the help of the headmaster I joined Lloyds Bank in 1937. I relocated to Wellingborough. Then came WWII. After the war I returned to the bank. I was keen on rugby and played in my younger years. The bank sent me to Northampton and I followed Northampton Saints."

4️⃣ #itfc

"Then we moved to London and during that time I followed a number of teams. I was a die-hard and committed rugby man.

"However, as a country boy at heart, I was fed up of living in London and wanted to move back to the country."

5️⃣ #itfc

"In 1969 I was offered the opportunity to become Lloyds Bank manager at Cornhill in Ipswich. I accepted. I was still a rugby man and knew little about football. I would only recognise the footballers of the England 1966 World Cup team. Then I met Sir Bobby Robson..."

6️⃣ #itfc

"Having arrived in Ipswich and set up house in Rushmere St. Andrew, I found we held at the bank the account of ITFC. They had generously granted my office two tickets to the Directors Box for every game. As a devoted rugby man, I was not sure I wanted to go."

7️⃣ #itfc

"However, my son Mark was 11 at the time and was desperate to go, so I promised to take him to a game. It was the beginning of glorious days under the seemingly relaxed attitude and stewardship of the Cobbold family, combined with drive and unending enthusiasm of SBR."

8️⃣ #itfc

"I started to become more interested, the game was okay and the hospitality wonderful. I attended every match even though the results were mixed at the time. At the start of the next season, my son had become ill and needed a stay in hospital."

9️⃣ #itfc

"On his return we attended the Man Utd home game. Sir Bobby arrived and took my son to the changing rooms to meet the teams. He was left to talk to them and got autographs at the same time. Sir Bobby then introduced my son to an older man as he told me."

🔟 #itfc

"It was Sir Matt Busby, who took him into the United changing room. He met George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Nobby Stiles and many others. He still has the autographs today! Ipswich won the game 4-0. With the welcome of the Club and the fans, I was hooked."

1️⃣1️⃣ #itfc

"The next two or three years were not easy, but things began to change. Allan Hunter was signed and was soon joined by a youngster called Kevin Beattie in defence. No disrespect to Derek Jefferson or Bobby Bell, but these newcomers gave solidity and flair."

1️⃣2️⃣ #itfc

"At Christmas I invited the team for pre-lunch drinks at the bank, many players came straight after training on Friday and enjoyed some hospitality. I am not sure how some of them got home, but they still played well on the Saturday. Those really were the days!"

1️⃣3️⃣ #itfc

"I was promoted at the bank so had to move to Cambridge. But even without the A14 we would travel to every game. In 1973, at last we won something, the Texaco Cup, all the sweeter for beating Norwich in the final home and away. The real journey had begun!"

1️⃣4️⃣ #itfc

"Later in 1973 we drew the great Real Madrid in the UEFA cup. Nobody apart from SBR and the team really expected us to win. At home we won 1-0. Thinking this might be our only chance to see Ipswich in Europe [I was wrong] we flew from Luton with for the second leg."

1️⃣5️⃣ #itfc

"The realisation of the task hit us when we arrived at the Bernabeu. The atmosphere was unbelievable. 200-300 Town fans trying to make themselves heard amongst 80,000 Spanish. We outplayed Madrid and drew 0-0 and so qualified for the next round."

1️⃣6️⃣ #itfc

"Back at our hotel bar, the singing and drinking and total euphoria was unstoppable. Sir Bobby came to the hotel to thank the fans and was mobbed! The start of eight great years was underway."

1️⃣7️⃣ #itfc

"Another game I can't forget is the crowning glory! The 1978 FA Cup final. A coach was organised by our pub in our village in Cambridgeshire. It rained for two days before, then on Saturday the sun came out. How Town only beat Arsenal 1-0 I do not know."

1️⃣8️⃣ #itfc

"I thought we would never score. The sea of blue cheering the team on, Wark, Mariner and Burley all coming close. Post, bar - it all seemed to deny us - then the unlikely hero Roger Osborne scoring and then overcome with heat exhaustion or perhaps just raw emotion."

1️⃣9️⃣ #itfc

"On the coach ride back up Wembley way, I remember the landlord of our pub jumping off, taking a policeman’s helmet and replacing it with his blue and white wig, luckily the policeman was okay with it! We then proceeded to a curry house in North London."

2️⃣0️⃣ #itfc

"They ran out of beer in the first hour and had to re-stock from an off licence. I do not remember the food!"

2️⃣1️⃣ #itfc

"This is just a snippet of my stories of a normally quiet, refined bank manager. A rugby man converted to football in Ipswich, by Ipswich. Memories never to be forgotten. Sir Bobby and the players of that era will never be forgotten, I thank you all!"

2️⃣2️⃣ #itfc

"Since then we have been always hopeful of a revival, briefly touching the Premier League with Burley at the helm. In recent times we haven't been so fortunate but we have, by and large, kept our fanbase. When football returns, let’s hope we return to winning ways."

2️⃣3️⃣ #itfc

"In these difficult times, stay safe. Long live the Club and the supporters!

Maurice Ramsay."

2️⃣4️⃣ #itfc

Everyone at Ipswich Town Football Club would like to pass on belated birthday wishes to Maurice and thank him for his lengthy and ongoing support.

A true Blue. 💙

End of thread.