Marcelino Núñez Mocks Former Club During Ipswich Promotion Celebration
Ipswich Town star Marcelino Núñez made a bold statement during the club’s promotion celebration, mocking his former team Norwich City in front of thousands of fans. The Chilean international, who spent three years at Carrow Road before joining Ipswich in a reported £10m move last summer, became the first player in 24 years to switch between the two East Anglian rivals.
Núñez’s decision to leave Norwich was described as an “extremely difficult decision” by the club, with officials acknowledging the emotional impact on their supporters. However, the 26-year-old has since played a key role in helping Ipswich secure their return to the Premier League for the first time in over a decade, finishing as Championship runners-up.
A Memorable Promotion Celebration
The Tractor Boys celebrated their promotion with an open-top bus parade on Monday, and Núñez took the opportunity to make a pointed comment about his former club. After chanting “We are going up,” he used the microphone to shout “F*** off Norwich” into the crowd, much to the delight of Ipswich fans.
“Come on Tractor Boys, we are ready for the Premier [League], let’s go.”
This wasn’t the first time Núñez had rubbed salt into the wounds of Norwich fans. During the first derby of the season in October, he was booed after coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 victory. He even posed with a banner that referenced a previous fan tweet from his time at Norwich, which read: “Núñez – just build the statue already.” He also waved a corner flag around in celebration after the win.
Controversial Moments at Carrow Road
Núñez faced more boos when he returned to Carrow Road for the second match of the season, where Ipswich won 2-0. Kieran McKenna, the Ipswich manager, had to bring him off just 23 minutes after he came on as a substitute. McKenna admitted he was worried Núñez might be sent off after picking up a booking and committing two more fouls.
Ashley Young Reflects on Promotion
Ashley Young, who is set to retire from football, shared his thoughts on the promotion during the parade. He revealed that the squad had been doing “a lot of celebrating” after securing their place back in the top flight.
“There’s been a lot of drinking, a lot of celebrating,” Young told Sky Sports. “Promotion was the perfect way to go out.”
He also highlighted the importance of humility, saying, “A lot was said about us this season, we all bounced back, but I knew what we had in that dressing room.”
Championship Season Highlights
Ipswich finished second in the Championship, 11 points behind champions Coventry City. They managed to secure automatic promotion by finishing one point ahead of Millwall. Despite not winning the league, their achievement marks a significant milestone for the club, who have now returned to the Premier League after a long absence.
