Ed Sheeran joined in with the celebrations at Ipswich as they sealed their immediate return to the Premier League, taking centre stage as the players enjoyed a singalong in the Portman Road dressing rooms.
Supping from what may or may not have been his first pint of Guinness of the day, the pop sensation, 35, stood with his arms round manager Kieran McKenna in a team huddle belting out his hit The A Team.
Sheeran has made no secret of his affiliation to the Tractor Boys and has performed sell-out concerts at Portman Road.
The Shape of You singer, complete with ginger buzz cut, was on the pitch after the final whistle and told the BBC it was ‘amazing to experience it with my friends and family’.
Sheeran is thought to have sold 200 million records worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists.
‘It’s been great, amazing to watch this and to experience it,’ he added. ‘Football is football, it is fun. I enjoy it. With the Prem, I have a lot of mates who are fans of Prem teams, so that makes it more fun.
Ed Sheeran and Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna in full voice after they seal promotion
Town’s players didn’t want to miss out on filming the moment, and joined in with the singing
‘And to be here today as a fan, in this environment and in this atmosphere, is great. I’m super happy for the football club but also for the county itself. It lifts people’s spirits that live here.
Ipswich and Suffolk doesn’t have a lot of stuff here like this that happens. So when it does it’s amazing for the county. So I’m just happy for everything that it’ll do locally.’
As the party kicked on inside the dressing room, Darnell Furlong lifted McKenna on to his own while team-mates sprayed champagne over their triumphant leader.
The songs, and the drinking, were expected to go on for some time. The promotion party even longer.
Sheeran was as raised in nearby Framlingham and is a life long supporter, witnessed his team beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 on the final day of the Championship season.
Fans were keen to share the day with their celebrity fan, grabbing selfies where they could
He shielded his eyes behind shades as he watched the dramatic match from his personnel box where he was joined by pals.
The hitmaker kept warm in black Stone Island coat and sported a bushy beard after debuting his new shaved head following his battle with shingles.
Following the team’s win their supporters stormed the pitch to celebrate after securing promotion on the final day of the Championship season.
