Ed Sheeran was just learning how to play a guitar when Ipswich Town beat Middlesbrough in the Premier League in April 2002.
Over the next two decades Sheeran used that guitar to become a global music star while the former Uefa Cup winners slipped into the third tier of English football.
But in north London on Sunday, Sheeran was in the crowd to see his local team finally end their 22-year wait for a top-flight win.
After first-half goals by Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap, Sheeran watched the Tractor Boys hold on to beat Tottenham for their first win of the season.
What made the victory even sweeter was that Ipswich were wearing their pink third kit, which was designed in collaboration with Sheeran, for the first time.
The 33-year-old then capped a dream day by joining Kieran McKenna’s players to celebrate.
Sheeran brings Tractor Boys some good luck
While languishing in League One, Sheeran and many other Ipswich fans must have wondered whether they would ever see their team play in the Premier League again.
But Sheeran became the club’s main shirt sponsor in 2021 and after Ipswich earned back-to-back promotions to seal their return to the top flight, he bought a minority stake in the club this summer.
The singer-songwriter even helped serve pies at their opening game of the season at home to Liverpool, so it seems fitting that he was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
He was only smiling after Szmodics’ overhead kick put Ipswich in front. After all, they had taken the lead in five of their previous 10 league games this season and failed to clinch victory.
He could barely contain his excitement when Liam Delap bundled in Ipswich’s second goal, and this time the Tractor Boys held on to climb out of the relegation zone.
Asked about Sheeran after the game, Szmodics said: “Is he here? Well, we’ll try to get him in the changing room!”
Shortly after, manager McKenna told Match of the Day that he had “popped in”.
“We were wearing the third kit, the one he had a part in designing, so that was nice,” he said. “Maybe he brought us some good luck.
“He congratulated the boys, and everyone knows he’s been an important part of the club in the last few years with the support he gives us, so it was nice for him to be here.”
‘Big journey’ to get back in the big time
Sheeran spared McKenna’s blushes by leaving his guitar at home though. It was probably for the best because the Ipswich boss admits he’s “not very good” at karaoke.
“There were no sing-songs, but the players are delighted,” said McKenna. “They know this is a win to cherish, but they also know where we want to get to as a club – winning games in the Premier League – and we know this season that’s going to be a challenge.
“It’s been a big journey to get to this point.”
After failing to earn a swift return to the Premier League following relegation in 2002, Ipswich reached the Championship play-offs just once after 2005 and were relegated to League One in 2019.
“It’s a really significant moment and a day to cherish in the recent history of the club,” McKenna said.
“You look at the journey the club has been on in the past 22 years, the ups and downs, some heights but some depths as well.
“For the supporters to see their club win in the Premier League at a fantastic club like Tottenham, in a stadium like this against a team like that, it is a massive day for them.”
Ipswich failed to make the play-offs in their first two seasons in League One and were 12th in December 2021, when McKenna was named as Paul Cook’s successor.
In his first full season the Tractor Boys were promoted as runners-up and they repeated the feat in the Championship last season.
“For us who have been involved in the journey for the past couple of years, it’s a really significant day as well,” McKenna added.
“Everyone’s delighted but I know that pretty quickly we’ll all move on to the next thing.”