AWAY fans could be moved closer to the North Stand next season in order to pump up the volume at Portman Road.Ipswich Town chief executive Simon Clegg is considering the request from Blues supporters as a way of generating a better atmosphere and helping the team regain their home form.

AWAY fans could be moved closer to the North Stand next season in order to pump up the volume at Portman Road.

Ipswich Town chief executive Simon Clegg is considering the request from Blues supporters as a way of generating a better atmosphere and helping the team regain their home form.

It is widely believed among Town fans that switching away supporters from the south end of the Cobbold Stand to the north part, nearer the more vociferous Ipswich followers, would increase the atmosphere.

Clegg believes anything that can give Roy Keane's side an extra edge should be explored: 'If that can impact on what happens on the pitch then I want to look at it and see if it can be done.

'It is about winning football matches. If we can get that 12th man and get that extra yard for a player through the supporters' it is an effort worth making.'

Clegg has been impressed with Town's noisy away support and wants to try and replicate that level of intensity at Portman Road.

He said: 'I was at Chelsea and there is no doubt the 6,000 Town away support out-sang the Chelsea fans. I was also at Cardiff and the vocal support of the away fans was fantastic.

'What I want is for the 25,000, or whatever, home support at Portman Road having the same vocal impact.

'It is not for me to dictate to the fans how they should react but what I have to be is a facilitator and enabler to try and help create that atmosphere that will help the players.'

Clegg met up with the ITFC Supporters' Club chair Liz Edwards to discuss a number of issues relating to the fans at Portman Road and both spoke with fans' group Section 6.

'We have a good supporters club, although I know there are some breakaway groups as well. There is a good structure with the official supporters club, Liz is a good chair and I look forward to develop that relationship with the supporters club.

'The supporters club has an independence from the club and run their own affairs but we are supportive to them as we recognise how important the fans are to us.

'If people want to change that then they need to change from within.'

Edwards said: 'We have welcomed the invitation from Simon to talk about match-day from supporters' perspective and look forward to adding our input in future discussions on this and a range of other issues.'