- Sheeran is one of the biggest names in music today
- Has announced his new venture into sport with his childhood team
- That impacts two Aussie players who will be seeing more of the pop star
Australian pair Cameron Burgess and Massimo Luongo are set to rub shoulders with one of the world’s biggest music stars after Ed Sheeran bought a share of English Premier League club Ipswich Town.
Having helped Ipswich achieve promotion last season, defender Burgess and midfielder Luongo are poised to make their EPL debuts on Saturday night (AEST) when the Tractor Boys open their campaign at home against Liverpool.
Expected to be in the crowd at Portman Road is lifelong Ipswich fan Sheeran, who has bought a 1.4 per cent stake in the Suffolk-based club.
Pop star Ed Sheeran has bought a minority stake in Premier League side Ipswich Town
Former Socceroos star Massimo Luongo plays for Ipswich Town and will get to rub shoulders with the pop icon
Sheeran has been a supporter of Ipswich Town since he was a little boy
‘I am really excited to have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club,’ Sheeran told the Ipswich Town website.
‘It’s any football fan’s dream to be an owner of the club they support, and I feel so grateful for this opportunity.
‘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.
Australia’s Cameron Burgess, pictured grappling with England’s Ollie Watkins, is also a squad member of Ipswich Town
‘It’s such a joy to be a fan of Ipswich Town. There are ups and downs but football is all about taking the highs and the lows,’ Sheeran continued.
‘I’m not a voting shareholder or a board member, this is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture, so please don’t get on to me with signing suggestions or tactics to play.
‘I’m excited for the Premier League to start this weekend.’
The club’s chairman Mark Ashton said: ‘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.’
Ipswich warmed up for the visit of the Reds with a 1-0 pre-season win last weekend over French club Nice.