Ipswich Town have released their squad numbers for the 2024/25 campaign this week – with one number missing due to Ed Sheeran.

Ed Sheeran has been a fan of Ipswich Town since he was a boy (Image: Getty)

Ipswich Town have honoured their new minority stakeholder and celebrity fan Ed Sheeran by refusing to use a specific squad number. The Suffolk club are back in the Premier League after 22 years out of the top-flight, and Sheeran has acquired a 1.4 per cent stake to celebrate.

The musician has been the club’s shirt sponsor since 2021, and was gifted the number 17 jersey as a thanks for his contribution. Speaking at the time of the announcement, Sheeran said: “This is bonkers really, isn’t it! When Ipswich told me I thought they were joking but I love the idea.”

“I think this is going be a great season and I’m honoured to be a part of it. I just hope this squad number is only ceremonial because I want to see us promoted and that’s not going to happen if I’m playing!”

Three years on, Ipswich look to be maintaining tradition by keeping the number 17 shirt vacant for the A-list celeb. Ipswich confirmed their squad numbers this week, and the number 17 has been missed out in honour of the star.

Sheeran also helped design Ipswich’s third shirt for the 2024/25 campaign, with a vibrant pink design that is inspired by Suffolk’s traditionally coloured cottages. The strip also features the iconic Framlingham Castle, paying homage to Sheeran’s beloved county and hometown.

The 33-year-old told the BBC: “I wanted to incorporate Framingham Castle on here, as it’s my hometown, and in my opinion a huge landmark of Suffolk. We used ‘Suffolk Pink’ which nods to the way cottages have been painted here for generations, but also how beautiful the sunset is in our amazing county. There are also sound waves from the noise of fans at Portman Road.

” It feels like such an honour to be involved in this football club and to be able to create things so close to my heart, which has always been my hometown, family and friends, which is what football is about really.”

Ipswich look to have kept their number 17 shirt off the squad list for one reason (Image: Getty)

Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton applauded Sheeran for taking a stake in the club, highlighting the artist’s deep-rooted ties to his local team. He said: “The support Ed and his team have shown us over the last three years has been nothing short of remarkable and for him to make this investment feels like the natural progression in our relationship.

“For one of the biggest artists in the world to give us so much of his time and give the club such incredible exposure around the world, while asking for very little in return, highlights just what makes this relationship such a special one.”

While Sheeran has a stake in his boyhood club, he won’t be included on the board of directors in order to keep his investment as “passive” as possible. He will be tuning in on Saturday (12:30pm) though, when Ipswich host Liverpool at Portman Road in their first Premier League game in the 2024/25 campaign.