The pop star recently purchased a stake in Ipswich Town
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Pop star Ed Sheeran recently got inside the cab of a blue tractor to celebrate his ownership stake in an English soccer team.
The singer posted a video on his official Instagram page of himself operating a New Holland tractor through a field of hay bales at Kiln Farm Nursery in Ipswich while The Boys are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy plays in the background.
The tractor is adorned with the colours and emblems of Ipswich Town Football Club, a team whose nicknames include “The Tractor Boys,” paying tribute to the local agricultural heritage.
The tractor is a New Holland T7 Blue Power.
The Blue Power models feature the manufacturer’s most advanced and productive technology, a brochure says.
And the letters “PLM” on the door suggest the tractor is equipped with New Holland’s PLM products, which support precision farming and connectivity.
The video serves two purposes.
Firstly, it helps introduce Sheeran, who grew up near Ipswich, as a minority owner in the team.
His 1.4 percent ownership stake helps him stay connected to his roots.
“I have lived in Suffolk since I was three years old and, while I travel the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of the community and protected,” he said, local media reported.
The TikTok video also reminded English soccer fans that Ipswich Town are back in the top league after spending 22 years in lower divisions.
The team’s return to topflight English soccer didn’t start well as Ipswich fell 2-0 to Liverpool on Aug. 17.
During matches, soccer fans sing and chant to support their team and poke fun at opposing players and supporters.
One of Ipswich’s chants sees fans singing, “I’d rather be a farmer than a thief,” to Liverpool fans, according to fan sites.
Ipswich Town isn’t the only professional sports team to have ties to ag.
Check out this list of six hockey teams with ag names.
You can also browse this list of sports terms that are related to farming.
The sports world is also home to traditions with ties to agriculture.