Royle faces first test
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Your support makes all the difference.Joe Royle goes into his first match as manager of Ipswich Town tonight with the full backing of their fans – for now at least. The 53-year-old took the manager's job 48 hours after some Town fans sang derogatory songs about the former Manchester City manager, who was present at the 1-0 home defeat by Gillingham.
Tonight's game is the Uefa Cup second-round tie with the Czech champions Slovan Liberec. His more pressing concern, though, is to turn around a season going badly wrong – Ipswich have won just four First Division matches in 14 attempts.
"I think he'll get a good reception," said Karl Fuller, of the Clacton branch of the Ipswich Supporters' Club. "The people making their protest were a minority of about 30.
"There are always these minorities that look for someone to blame. Some reacted because of the speed at which he was in the frame. He was only touted on the Saturday morning and he was at the game that afternoon."
Royle is hoping for Football Association dispensation to play the midfielder Darren Ambrose, who is with the England Under-19 squad preparing to face Macedonia at Kidderminster on Sunday.
Another midfielder, Jim Magilton, is available a hamstring injury but Marcus Bent (back) is still out.
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