Shirt sales soar for Ipswich Town thanks to sponsorship from Ed Sheeran

• Ipswich Town chief executive Mark Ashton explains the Sheeran effect

Ed Sheeran has announced he will continue to sponsor Ipswich Town's shirts for a third successive season.

The League One high flyers' deal with the international superstar has already led to record-breaking shirt sales for his boyhood club.

"I have said before that the football club, and the community, means a lot to me. Hopefully I’ll make it to Portman Road again soon!" he told the club's website.

"It was great to be involved with the third kit design this year, and I am already looking forward to next season."

The 2021/22 term saw the Blues sell the most home shirts in 15 years, only for that total to be topped in just four months this season.

The 2022/23 blackout strip, which incorporates designs from Sheeran's Equals album, is now the fastest selling shirt in the club’s history, with more than 11,000 purchased in the six weeks since launch.

Across 2021/22, around 22,000 replica shirts were sold.

But that figure has already been smashed with almost 30,000 sold already this season.

Town chief executive Mark Ashton told ITV News Anglia Sheeran's sponsorship was "quite unique".

"They don't ask much of the football club. This sponsorship comes from such a good place - it is part of our development and relationship with Ed, but also relationships being built with our local community.

"To have a local man sponsoring his local football club but promoting that on a global stage is so unique.

"It is incredible - these numbers are record breaking for the club. We've never got anywhere these type of numbers before, so we're absolutely delighted to extend the sponsorship."

Town were due to wearing the blackout third shirt against Derby County at Portman Road on Friday evening.

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