Middlesbrough to help fund supporters' return trip to Ipswich (From The Northern Echo)

Middlesbrough to help fund supporters' return trip to Ipswich

6:31pm Monday 13th February 2012 in Football By Scott Wilson

MIDDLESBROUGH will step in to ensure that none of Saturday's supporters are left out of pocket if they want to attend the rearranged Championship game at Ipswich Town on Tuesday, March 27.

A total of 730 travelling fans made the trip to Portman Road at the weekend, only for their journey to have been wasted when referee Dean Whitestone abandoned the game after 37 minutes because of a frozen pitch.

Ipswich yesterday revealed that all supporters who attended the abandoned fixture will be entitled to a 50 per cent discount on tickets for the rescheduled game at the end of next month.

And Boro have pledged to reimburse the remaining 50 per cent of the ticket price for any of their supporters who have retained their ticket stub from Saturday's match.

In addition, the club are looking at ways to arrange free coach travel from Teesside for those who made the original trip and wish to return to Portman Road.

Chief operating officer, Neil Bausor, said: "Our travelling support this season has been absolutely magnificent and is one of the reasons the team's away form has been so good.

"The club, the manager and the players all very much appreciate the fantastic backing they give us and the considerable sacrifices they make in terms of their time and their hard-earned money in order to do so.

"We also share their disappointment at the game being abandoned at an early stage after they had made such a long journey to be at Ipswich on Saturday.

"This is a way of thanking the fans for their continued loyalty and to express our gratitude to them."