Would you be angry if your club put a singer in the squad?

When Ipswich Town unveiled their official squad list, fans were left doing a double take after spotting the name 'Sheeran 17' among the player numbers. While it may have seemed bizarre at first glance, there’s a long-running reason behind the move.

Many were stunned to see global music icon Ed Sheeran, assigned a shirt number, especially given that the singer is not a player — but rather a minority shareholder and lifelong supporter of the club.

The club's social media post confirming the list quickly went viral, racking up over six million views, and drew polarized reactions. The inclusion of Sheeran led some fans to brand the move as "'woke'," voicing their frustration in the comments.

But this wasn’t Ipswich’s first time pulling the stunt. Ever since Sheeran became involved with the club in 2021, he’s been given the No. 17 shirt each season — the only exception being their sole Premier League campaign. What began as a light-hearted gesture has since become a quirky tradition.

Sheeran himself was initially caught off guard. When the club first approached him with the idea four years ago, he admitted he "thought they were joking". Clearly, the joke stuck — though not everyone still finds it funny.

Some fans feel the gag has worn thin, or, for those just now noticing it, was never funny to begin with. One unimpressed supporter asked: "Ed Sheeran? Utter woke garbage."

Another follower didn’t hold back: "Can you please stop this endless pandering to Ed Sheeran... Yes, he has sponsored us and is now a shareholder, but this is just getting pathetic now... Makes us a laughing stock!"

As expected, the now-infamous "Utter woke nonsense" meme — featuring an image of Sean Dyche — was a recurring theme in the replies.

Still, not all fans were outraged. One took a more humorous view, writing: "About time you gave that Sheeran a game."

This isn’t Sheeran’s first brush with football-related fame, either. Last season, he made headlines after receiving his own special-edition Panini Premier League sticker — dubbed the “Ed-ition” — which also gained plenty of traction online.

Love it or hate it, the Sheeran 17 saga continues — and clearly, it’s not going unnoticed.