The Football Association has launched an investigation into the chairman of Ipswich Town after he was filmed chanting a vulgar song about Delia Smith during his team’s promotion celebrations.
Mark Ashton, who is also the CEO at the Suffolk club, led Blues fans in a song which described the former Norwich City majority shareholder as a “f*****g a******e”.
The incident occurred on Saturday as his team celebrated at the Isaacs on the Quay pub in Ipswich after victory over QPR confirmed their return to the Premier League.
Mr Ashton and club captain Dara O’Shea appeared on a roof terrace and led hundreds of fans gathered below on the waterfront in the chant, which has been sung by Town supporters for several years.
A source at the FA confirmed that it was investigating Mr Ashton to see if his antics brought the game into disrepute.
It is not known if O’Shea is also under investigation.
The probe is believed to centre on whether Mr Ashton breached the FA’s rule E3.1, which states: “A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.”
Possible punishments are understood to include suspensions, fines and compulsory FA education courses.
When two or more members of the same club are found to have breached the same rule within 12 months, the club itself can face sanctions, including points deductions.
Mr Ashton’s chants have already prompted criticism online.
Iwan Roberts, the former Canaries striker, described the incident as a “disgrace”.
He wrote on X: “Love a rivalry and a bit of banter, but think the Ipswich CEO really needs to have a look at himself.”
He continued: “The CEO singing what he did about Delia is a disgrace.
“Just think he’s let himself and the club down. She’s old enough to be his nan.”
Mr Ashton was not the only Ipswich figures with something to say about Norwich during the celebrations for the club’s second place finish.
Marcelino Nunez, who joined the Tractor Boys from the Canaries at the beginning of the season, was filmed shouting: “F**k off, Norwich, come on Tractor Boys.”
Mr Ashton found himself under attack from his own fans earlier this year after inviting Nigel Farage for a tour of Portman Road, which the Reform leader filmed as a political campaign video.
The video shows Mr Farage signing an Ipswich shirt, writing “To Mark” on it.
The club initially denied the politician had been invited.
Mr Ashton later made a humiliating public apology, saying he had made mistakes which had caused “harm and distress” to staff and parts of the fanbase and local community.
On the club’s official website, Mr Ashton, who joined the Suffolk club from Bristol City where he was CEO, is described as “passionate about community work” and “show[ing] passion and devotion to the Club’s charitable arm, Ipswich Town Foundation” as well as regularly taking part in club community work.
Delia Smith stepped down as majority shareholder at Carrow Road in 2024, after selling her stake a group led by US businessman Mark Attanasio.
The 84-year-old remains a regular visitor to Carrow Road and is an honorary life president of the club.
In 2023, her car was attacked by Ipswich fans while heading to Portman Road for an East Anglian derby.
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