Ed Sheeran sponsors Ipswich Town's shirts for third season

Ed Sheeran will continue to sponsor Ipswich Town FC's shirts for a third season.

The Suffolk singer began sponsoring the shirts for the men's and women's first teams for the 2021/22 season.

He said he was "thrilled" to be continuing the deal with a club that meant a lot to him.

The club's chief executive, Mark Ashton, said Sheeran had "shown his passion and commitment to the club and the wider community".

The club said it had achieved its highest sales of its blue home shirts in 15 years after Sheeran began his sponsorship.

The singer, who grew up in Framlingham in Suffolk and still has a home in the area, is a Tractor Boys fan and has been a regular visitor to Portman Road in recent seasons,

This season, Sheeran and the club collaborated on a "blackout" third kit, which incorporates versions of the graphic on the cover of the star's Equals album.

The strip has become the fastest selling shirt in the club's history, with more than 11,000 purchased in six weeks.

Sheeran said: "I am thrilled to be sponsoring the club again.

"It was great to be involved with the third kit design this year, and I am already looking forward to next season."

"I have said before that the football club, and the community, means a lot to me. Hopefully I'll make it to Portman Road again soon!"

Earlier this month, Sheeran played an impromptu gig in Ipswich town centre and told the crowd he had "such love for this place".

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]