Ipswich Town fan art project recreates gig-style posters with Lowry tribute for Man Utd visit

  • ITV News Anglia's Sport Correspondent Donovan Blake reports on the Call Me Ted fan posters.

A fan-led art project is creating "gig-style" posters to celebrate Ipswich Town's home games back in the Premier League.

Call Me Ted is working with 19 artists to create the posters for the Tractor Boys' first season back in the top flight since 2002.

For the club's game against Manchester United on Sunday, LS Lowry's famed "Going to the Match" painting has been recreated to show excited fans heading to Portman Road.

The new acrylic painting, by artist Simon Farr, will be hung on display in a local cafe, with printed versions also placed in shops and pubs around the town.

Artist Simon Farr signing Call Me Ted's Portman Road recreation of L.S. Lowry's Going to the Match. Credit: Call Me Ted

Mr Farr said: "Lowry is much associated with Manchester. My brief was to replace the Bolton stadium with a version of Portman Road and replace the Bolton fans with something akin to Ipswich fans.

"I added women and children and some ethnic diversity. There are still two whippets and another dog.

"There is also a Suffolk Punch horse and the simplified statues of Robson and Ramsey.

"The dark stick figures are full of joy and eager anticipation which I hope I managed to get in my version too."

Mr Farr teased that a "certain musician" may become "a late addition" to the painting - a reference to Suffolk singer Ed Sheeran, who is an Ipswich fan and shirt sponsor.

The posters for Ipswich's games against Liverpool and Manchester United. Credit: Call Me Ted

Lowry's 1953 original shows figures going to a match at Bolton Wanderers' stadium.

The poster for Ipswich's game against Everton on 19 October. Credit: Call Me Ted

Call Me Ted was started by brothers Steve Haugh and Richard Haugh in the summer, who have since been joined by fellow fans Andy Mortimer and Kevin Bennett to work with artists to create the posters.

A montage of the Call Me Ted posters from Ipswich Town's season so far. Credit: Call Me Ted

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