68 Monday, October 21, 2013 ($67$1*/,$1'$,/<7,0(6

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Blues fan KARL FULLER with his FullerFlavour weekly take on Town from the terraces email: [email protected] : @fullerflavour ITV’s pundit choices were Former world champion Deller a big contrast I received an e-mail last Wednesday is still doing his bit for the Blues from Dave Langham who commented on the fact that ITV had rom ball boy to the Sir to his Stoke hotel. “I was invited out and Roy Keane in the Suite, to the pubs and clubs after the final, studio covering England’s game player and Town but I just wanted to get back to the against Poland. fan has seen hotel, have an orange and lemonade Dave wrote “Can there have been it all at and watch Town on Match of the more contrasting figures sat side by and still has a big night Day. So that’s how I celebrated.” side who have represented Ipswich toF come in the New Year as he hopes Town’s players could not wait to Town. Talk about chalk and cheese, to raise huge sums for the ITFC get off the pitch, as they won an FA hero and villain?” Academy. Cup tie at Charlton Athletic 3-2, in Dave went on to ask me if I could I spoke to Deller last week and he order to get back to the dressing name two similar figures who I recalled his ‘best’ moment as a room to catch some of the first three would classify as my all-time ITFC ball-boy. hours of the final on legendary TV hero and villain. “I was a ball boy at Town in 1972 show, Grandstand. For a hero, I would nail it down to and to become one, I had to progress A week later, Deller saw the same two - a manager and a player. The from putting the half-time and full- players struggling to make it back manager would have to be Sir Bobby time scores up on the scoreboards in onto the pitch in time as Town beat Robson and there cannot be many the corners of the ground,” he Brighton 2-0 at Portman Road. fans that would not hold the great recalled. “It was a great thrill for me to go man in any other status than as a “It was not always fun when you into the Town dressing room before hero. played certain teams and had to the game,” he revealed. The player would be fetch the ball from in front of visit- The lads wanted to see me with who performed so well for Town in ing supporters. the trophy and invited me in. three separate spells with each one “I remember having crisp packets “The bell was ringing to signal the seeing him bring something differ- filled with dirt thrown at me. But I players to leave the dressing room. I ent to the team. did get a real claim to fame after a told that they should He was a class centre-back, a game against Manchester United go but he said not to worry as they’d magnificent midfielder and, without when I had to go to the boot room win easily enough.” ever being a striker, would score and clean the boots of George Best.” The 53-year-old now acts as a goals aplenty for he had such a He then progressed into darts and scorer for telling the wonderful gift of timing his runs who could ever forget the moment cameramen where to show the board into the area to meet the ball with when he became the first qualifier as the players checkout. perfection. ever to win the World Championship He has also managed Adrian As for a villain, my choice would in 1983 beating . Deller Lewis to world titles as well as be someone who technically held the knew he was a winner very early on. participating in corporate events Town shirt but never wore it. Step “I had to win three qualifiers in and exhibitions. forward Ian Crook. London just to get to the tournament One such exhibition will be at I was pleased when he was signing and I got speaking to Peter Purves Portman Road on Tuesday 18 for Town, I thought he was a good who presented the darts on the TV February 2014 as Keith will join player and would be a great at the time and he told me that he’d forces with fellow Town fan and addition. heard I was a good qualifier. Darts player Kevin Painter for an To see him hold the Town shirt “I told him I was better than that evening where supporters can play was as good as him signing in my and said that I would go on to win against the duo to raise funds for the book. But as we all know, it never the tournament. Academy. happened. “I was 66/1 to win it and once I got Deller still attends Portman Road Mike Walker replaced the sacked to the quarters, I had to beat the top I WldWorld championhi KeithKih Deller,Dll andd withih theh Ipswich players, inset. and looking ahead to his visit for the Gary Megson at Norwich and three in the world in , Burnley game on Saturday he persuaded Crook to stay and play for and Bristow. Peter bought me a magnum of champagne Deller himself did not celebrate in thought that it would be a ‘pointer him at Norwich. had £20 on those huge odds and to thank me.” style after his win when he returned as to where we were at.’ This happened in the summer of 1996 and I was at Carrow Road the following October to see Town lose 3-1 and Crook was on the bench. When he eventually came on, he How Kuqi quietened the did not venture anywhere near the Town fans and would have left the ground that night with the jeers Palace with late winner firmly ringing in his ears. I’d like to thank someone by took an early 2-0 lead. But two the name of Dylan who sent goals from Richard Naylor and me a message on Friday to one from Pablo Counago put us remind me that today is the in the driving seat before anniversary of an epic 4-3 Dougie Freedman equalised Town win over Crystal Palace with a late penalty. in 2003. scored an 89th I have a number of friends minute winner though before that are Palace fans that, over disappearing in a heap of the years, have always been white-shirted Town players as quick to text me when they’ve we claimed our eighth win in beaten us but strangely enough nine games. go very quiet when we win. I never did hear again from That particular night, my those Palace fans for a long I TTerryerry ButcherButcher andand RoyRoy KeaneKeane phone was red hot when they time after the final whistle. I Shefki Kuqi celebrates his late winner. Photo: ARCHANT