Nigel Farage fury as Championship club's fans up in arms after Reform MP's stadium visit

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Nigel Farage has provoked fury after posing at Ipswich Town's Portman Road on Monday, clutching one of the club's shirts. The controversial Reform MP has previously argued that football and politics should stay apart, yet he seized the chance to visit the Tractor Boys' ground ahead of a political rally launching the party's local elections campaign.

Farage is understood to have booked onto a stadium tour and has subsequently shared photographs of himself holding an Ipswich Town shirt. Publishing a series of images on X, the 61-year-old quipped: "I've never been too bad on the right wing."

The political leader also shared a video and remarked: "Best of luck to Ipswich Town Football Club for the rest of the season." The footage featured Farage implying he was amongst the candidates for the Ipswich manager's position.

He said: "A big end to the season for Ipswich, they're in contention to go back to the Premier League and let's hope they do. But if they don't I think there's a chance, and I've had a chat with a few people, on the manager's job coming up next season and I'm definitely on the shortlist. Trouble is, there's only one job I'm really after."

One fan branded the photograph 'absolutely sickening', whilst another highlighted: "We used to chant Ipswich lives in racial harmony back in the 70s and 80s." Another supporter, writing on the TWTD fans' forum, said they were "disgusted and embarrassed" that Reform had been permitted to use the club's premises, whilst a second described it as "a slap in the face to all decent supporters, our players, staff and history as a fairly multicultural club," reports the Express .

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Others, though, pointed out Farage had made the booking commercially and the club found itself in a challenging position. It was suggested the Championship outfit could either accept the reservation and upset some fans or cancel it and risk being dragged into the media spotlight by Reform complaining about cancel culture.

It is understood no formal invitation was extended by Ipswich to the Reform Party leader to stage a photo opportunity and Portman Road Events, which handles private stadium tours, is understood to have accepted a booking. However, the complete details of what was intended were not made apparent to the club until social media posts appeared on the party's official account - while Mirror Football have approached the club for comment.

Monday also saw Farage forced to abandon a walkabout in Felixstowe. The Reform leader had planned to walk the seafront, but with demonstrators present and chanting, a spokesman confirmed the event was cancelled following security advice.

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A Reform rally at Trinity Park Conference and Events Centre also attracted a number of protesters, but the event was oversubscribed. An additional room was needed, with around 300 people reportedly unable to fit into the main hall.

A protest organised by Ipswich Stand Up To Racism saw anti-racist groups, community activists and trade unionists assemble outside, asserting locals wanted to give Reform a "resounding unwelcome" and demonstrate "Ipswich is a multicultural town that rejects Reform's anti-migrant racism."

Dean Ryan from Ipswich Stand Up To Racism stated: "Beyond their racist rhetoric around migrants, Farage and Reform want to make ordinary people pay for healthcare, driving the last nail in the coffin of the NHS ."

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Farage's appearance at Portman Road follows Reform's launch of their own football shirt. The party has created a top in Reform UK blue, featuring the party's logo and a Union Jack, with shirts autographed by Farage fetching a higher price.

In both cases, spectators have highlighted the irony after the MP had previously suggested football and politics should remain separate. Speaking in 2021, Farage expressed his desire for the two spheres not to be linked.

" Gareth Southgate is out of touch with England fans," he declared. "They have a right to boo when players take the knee for Marxist BLM. Let's keep politics out of football this summer."

Predictably, Farage was branded a hypocrite. "Thought you wanted politics out of sport," one comment read. Another commented: "This you?" and referenced a previous social media post by Farage. "'Politics has no place in football' - Nigel Farage (Unless I can grift from it)" another remarked.

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