Ed Sheeran 'key part' to Ipswich success - Ashton

Ed Sheeran, English singer-songwriter and minority shareholder of Ipswich Town FC speaks to the media prior to the Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Liverpool FC at Portman RoadImage source, Getty Images
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Ipswich chairman and chief executive officer Mark Ashton has revealed that pop superstar Ed Sheeran helped Ipswich secure one of their summer signings on a Zoom call, just before performing on stage alongside Taylor Swift.

The 33-year-old lifelong Town fan has been sponsoring the men and women's team's shirts since 2021 and acquired a minority stake in the club in August.

Speaking about the impact the singer has on the club to Sky Sports News, Ashton said: "A local man, global superstar, sponsor of the football club, now a shareholder and now officially part of our recruitment team,"

"In the summer we were trying to persuade one particular player to join the football club and realised very quickly that he was an Ed Sheeran fan.

"Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift, hopefully that was a key part of getting the player across the line.

"We've gone from the third tier of English football to the Premier League, but we haven't forgotten our roots and Ed's a key part of that. The work that we do in our local communities is central to us."