Ipswich news: Opinion – Fan on the enjoyment of playing in the Premier League

As the chants of “We are Premier League” reverberated around Portman Road on 4 May, everyone was excited about what was to come.

New grounds, world-class players and managers, and a chance to re-establish ourselves at the top table of English football were all on the horizon.

Fast forward five months and is the enjoyment factor subsiding?

Even the most optimistic of Ipswich fans would have known we were in for a shock following two seasons of continuous winning, but this weekend’s defeat by Everton has knocked the confidence – and enjoyment – of Town fans.

The majority of the old guard have become squad players, and there is not yet the same bond with the new arrivals. Watching players who have given us so much joy looking out of their depth is both sad and sobering as we face facts that this could be a very long season.

One of the biggest cheers on Saturday was the introduction of Harry Clarke and Conor Chaplin – two mainstays of the past couple of years. Other than that there was not much to cheer about, least of all our first real experience of VAR overturning an awarded penalty.

Of course, it is still very early in the season and this team will get better in time. Get a win against Leicester in two weeks and optimism will return. We must remember this is what we longed for through so many years of mediocrity. The chance to take on the best and go toe to toe with the true elite.

The atmosphere at Portman Road is the best it has been for decades while the scenes in the away end at St Mary’s and Etihad Stadium (for three minutes!) will live long in the memory.

Is the Premier League enjoyable? Yes, I think aspects of it have the potential to be, even though it does not really feel like it right now.

Find more from Seb Brown at the Blue Monday Podcast, external