Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club (Ipswich Town) is an English football club. It is based in Ipswich, Suffolk County. The club was founded in 1878. The club's home stadium is Portman Road.
| Full name | Ipswich Town Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Blues, The Tractor Boys | |||
| Short name | Ipswich | |||
| Founded | Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "{". 1878 (as Ipswich A.F.C.) | |||
| Ground | Portman Road (capacity: 30,311[1]) | |||
| Owner | Gamechanger 20 Ltd. | |||
| Chairman | Mike O'Leary | |||
| Manager | Kieran McKenna | |||
| League | Premier league | |||
| 2023/24, EFL Championship | Championship, 1st of 24 | |||
| Website | Club home page | |||
| ||||
Ipswich Town currently play in the EFL Championship, having been promoted from the EFL League One in 2023, after 4 years in the division. The club has won the Football League First Division once, in 1962 and the FA Cup in 1978. They have also been successful in European football. They won the UEFA Cup in 1981 and remain undefeated at Home in UEFA competitions. The current chairman of the club is Mike O'Leary. The current manager is Kieran McKenna. Two of the club's previous managers, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, have gone on to manage the England national football team. George Burley went on to manage the Scotland national football team. Ipswich Town remains the only team since the 1800s to win the top tier of the English football league at the first attempt.
History
Ipswich Town F.C. was started as an amateur team in 1878 and was called "Ipswich A.F.C."[2] The club played a lot of games in the local area and won several cup competitions.[3] In 1936, they became a professional club and joined a league called the "Southern League" which they won in their first season. In 1938, they were elected to join The Football League and played in "Division Three (South)" until the end of the 1954 season, when they were promoted to "Division Two".[4]
In 1961, Ipswich Town won their division and were promoted to the highest level of English football, "Division One". The club went on to win this division the next season. This let them play in European football competition, The European Cup the following season. Two years later, they were sent back to "Division Two" where they stayed for four years before being promoted to "Division One" again, in 1968. Soon after, Bobby Robson became the manager of the club and led them to success in both English and European football. In 1978 Ipswich won the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium, beating Arsenal F.C. 1–0. Further success came in 1981 when Ipswich defeated Dutch team AZ Alkmaar.[5]
Bobby Robson was asked to become manager of the England national football team in 1982 so he left the club. Ipswich did not do well in the following seasons and were relegated to "Division Two" in 1986. They remained here until 1991 when they won the division and promotion into the new English Premier League. Three seasons followed, including a 9–0 defeat by Manchester United F.C.in their last season, along with Crystal Palace's loss to Liverpool the joint biggest defeat in Premier League history.[6][7] In 1995 Ipswich were relegated once again and stayed in second division of English football until they were promoted in 2000 after they beat Barnsley in the play-offs at Wembley 4–2.[4]
In their first season in the Premier League, Ipswich finished fifth; This meant they qualified to play in the UEFA Cup the next season. Although the club played well in the European competition, they were poor in the Premier League. At the end of that season they finished bottom and were relegated to Division One, now called Football League Championship.[4] Ipswich were relegated to League One after the 18/19 season, finishing last in the championship.[8]
Colors and crest
One of Ipswich Town's nicknames is The Blues.[9] This is because the traditional kit the players wear is usually mostly blue. When Ipswich play against other teams who also wear blue, they change to an alternative kit, sometimes called an "away" kit. The "away" kit has been different colours including orange, white, red and black vertical stripes. Currently, the away kit is plain white.[10]
The crest which is on the shirts and shorts of the kit shows a horse, with one hoof resting on a football. Underneath the horse is a river—this represents the River Orwell which flows through the town.[11]
Stadium
Ipswich Town play their home games at a stadium called Portman Road. The club started playing games here in 1884.[12] The stadium can hold over 30,000 people. Outside the ground there are statues of both Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey.[13][14]
In 2003, England played a game against Croatia at Portman Road.[15] England won the game 3–1.[16] The England youth team has also played at the stadium several times.[17]
Other sports have been played at Portman Road, including athletics, hockey and American football. The stadium has also been used for events other than sports. It was first used for concerts in 1990 by Tina Turner, [18] and subsequently in following years by Elton John,[19] R.E.M.,[20] Red Hot Chili Peppers,[21] and Rod Stewart.[22]
Supporters
Local fans call the team "Town" because it is a shortened version of the team name. Some people also call Ipswich the "Tractor Boys". This nickname is used a lot by newspapers.[23][24] Many Ipswich fans use this name as a joke rather than letting it be an insult.
The main rival of Ipswich Town is Norwich City who are based in Norfolk. When these two teams play, the game is called the "East Anglian derby". The derby is usually referred to as the 'Old Farm' derby, a take on the 'Old Firm' derby played in Scotland between Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers (now 'The Rangers').[25][26]
Records
Mick Mills holds the record for Ipswich league appearances. He played 591 matches between 1966 and 1982. The club's top league goalscorer is Ray Crawford, who scored 203 goals between 1958 and 1969. Ted Phillips holds the record for the most goals scored in a season, 41 in the 1956–57 season. Allan Hunter has played the most international games while at the club, making 47 appearances for Northern Ireland.
The club's widest victories in the league have been their 7–0 wins against Portsmouth in 1964, against Southampton in 1974 and against West Bromwich Albion in the First Division in 1976. Their biggest defeats in the league were 10–1 against Fulham in 1963 and 9–0 against Manchester United in 1995.
The highest number of people to watch Ipswich at Portman Road is 38,010 for a sixth round FA Cup match against Leeds United on 8 March 1975.
The largest amount of money received for an Ipswich player is £6.5 million, from Newcastle United for Kieron Dyer in July 1999. The most the club has spent on a player was £4.75 million for Matteo Sereni from Sampdoria in July 2001.[27]
Managers
Kieran Mckenna is the manager of Ipswich Town. He replaced Paul Cook. Cook joined Ipswich Town in 2021, after Paul Lambert. Lambert' moved to Ipswich Town from Stoke City in the Premier League, where he spent 4 months in charge.
Two managers of Ipswich Town have gone on to become the manager of the England national football team. The first was Sir Alf Ramsey. He also won the World Cup for England in 1966. The second was Sir Bobby Robson who got England to the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup. George Burley became manager of the Scotland national football team in January 2008, for 22 months.
| Name | Nationality | From | To | M | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mick O'Brien |  Ireland
|
29 May 1936 | 11 August 1937 | 39 | 25 | 9 | 5 | 64.1 |
| Scott Duncan |  Scotland
|
12 November 1937 | 7 August 1955 | 505 | 205 | 113 | 187 | 40.6 |
| Alf Ramsey |  England
|
8 August 1955 | 30 April 1963 | 369 | 176 | 75 | 118 | 47.7 |
| Jackie Milburn | England
|
1 May 1963 | 8 September 1964 | 56 | 11 | 12 | 33 | 19.6 |
| Bill McGarry | England
|
5 October 1964 | 23 November 1968 | 196 | 80 | 62 | 54 | 40.8 |
| Bobby Robson | England
|
13 January 1969 | 18 August 1982 | 709 | 316 | 173 | 220 | 44.6 |
| Bobby Ferguson | England
|
19 August 1982 | 17 May 1987 | 258 | 97 | 61 | 100 | 37.6 |
| John Duncan | Scotland
|
17 June 1987 | 5 May 1990 | 161 | 73 | 29 | 59 | 45.3 |
| John Lyall | England
|
11 May 1990 | 5 December 1994 | 231 | 77 | 75 | 79 | 33.3 |
| George Burley | Scotland
|
28 December 1994 | 11 October 2002 | 413 | 188 | 96 | 129 | 45.5 |
| Joe Royle | England
|
28 October 2002 | 11 May 2006 | 189 | 81 | 48 | 60 | 42.9 |
| Jim Magilton |  Northern Ireland
|
5 June 2006 | 22 April 2009 | 148 | 56 | 41 | 51 | 37.8 |
| Roy Keane | Ireland
|
23 April 2009 | 7 January 2011 | 81 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 34.6 |
| Paul Jewell | England
|
13 January 2011 | 24 October 2012 | 86 | 30 | 18 | 38 | 34.9 |
| Mick McCarthy | Ireland
|
1 November 2012 | 10 April 2018 | 279 | 105 | 78 | 96 | 37.6 |
| Paul Hurst | England
|
30 May 2018 | 25 October 2018 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 6.7 |
| Paul Lambert | Scotland
|
27 October 2018 | 28 February 2021 | 113 | 37 | 28 | 48 | 32.7 |
| Paul Cook | England
|
2 March 2021 | 4 December 2021 | 44 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 29.5 |
| Kieran McKenna | Northern Ireland
|
20 December 2021 | Present | 79 | 44 | 23 | 12 | 55.7 |
Honors
Ipswich Town won the top division once (when it was called Division One) in 1962. The club has won the FA Cup once, in 1978, when they defeated Arsenal F.C. 1–0. The club has also won the UEFA Cup once in 1981.[28]
| Honour | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Football League First Division winners | 1962 |
| FA Cup winners | 1978 |
| UEFA Cup winners | 1981 |
| Football League First Division Play-Off winners | 2000 |
| Football League Second Division champions | 1961, 1968, 1992 |
| Football League Third Division South champions | 1954, 1957 |
| Texaco Cup winners | 1973 |
| FA Youth Cup winners | 1973, 1975, 2005 |
League position
| Season | League | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000/01 | Premier League | 5th |
| 2001/02 | Premier League | 18th |
| 2002/03 | First Division | 7th |
| 2003/04 | First Division | 5th |
| 2004/05 | Championship | 3rd |
| 2005/06 | Championship | 15th |
| 2006/07 | Championship | 14th |
| 2007/08 | Championship | 8th |
| 2008/09 | Championship | 9th |
| 2009/10 | Championship | 15th |
| 2010/11 | Championship | 13th |
| 2011/12 | Championship | 15th |
| 2012/13 | Championship | 14th |
| 2013/14 | Championship | 9th |
| 2014/15 | Championship | 6th |
| 2015/16 | Championship | 7th |
| 2016/17 | Championship | 16th |
| 2017/18 | Championship | 12th |
| 2018/19 | Championship | 24th |
| 2019/20 | League One | 11th |
| 2020/21 | League One | 9th |
| 2021/22 | League One | 11th |
| 2022/23 | League One | 2nd |
Former positions
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Ipswich Town F.C. Media
Ipswich – AC Milan 1962–63 European Cup programme, on display at the San Siro museum in 2005
Statue of Sir Alf Ramsey at Portman Road
Statue of Sir Bobby Robson at Portman Road
Kieran McKenna was appointed as manager of Ipswich Town in December 2021.
Kieran McKenna and players celebrate on the pitch after Ipswich Town seal back-to-back promotions in May 2024.
Aerial view of Portman Road
League positions since 1938–39 season
Alf Ramsey managed Ipswich Town between 1955 and 1963, before leading England to win the World Cup in 1966.
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References
- ↑ "History of the Stadium". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- ↑ "Cobbolds and Ipswich Town Football Club". The Cobbold Family History Trust. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Honours by season". Pride Of Anglia (requires subscription)[dead link]. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Club History". Ipswich Town F.C. 2008-06-04. Archived from the original on 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Ipswich thankful for Thijssen". UEFA. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
- ↑ "Arsenal 7-0 Everton". BBC Sport. 2005-05-11. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- ↑ "Final 1994/1995 English Premier Table". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- ↑ "Ipswich relegation 'gut-wrenching' - Lambert" (in en-GB). BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47835896. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
- ↑ "Blues News". Ipswich Town F.C. 9 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ↑ "2021/22 AWAY KIT REVEALED". www.itfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
- ↑ "The Club Badge". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "History of the Stadium". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Sir Bobby Robson statue unveiling". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Statue of Sir Alf unveiled - Part One". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "FA chooses Portman Road". BBC Sport. 2003-06-18. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ↑ "England 3 Croatia 1". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ↑ "Portman Road ready for England". The Football Association[dead link]. 2003-06-17. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Do you remember when Tina Turner performed to a packed out Portman Road crowd?". Ipswich Star. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ↑ "Elton makes Ipswich date". BBC Suffolk. 2003-12-20. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "R.E.M playing at Portman Road". BBC Suffolk. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Red Hot Chili Peppers". The Guardian. 2006-07-03. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Rod Stewart is set to rock Ipswich". Ipswich Evening Star. 2006-11-07. Archived from the original on 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ Andrew Warshaw (2002-02-03). "One in a thousand as Tractor Boys plough on". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ Alex Hayes (2001-03-18). "Reuser keeps tractor boys rolling". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Lee Croft hands Norwich victory over Ipswich in 90th East Anglian derby". The Times. 7 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ↑ "Johnson fails to add the finishing touch". The Independent. 12 April 1999. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
...this East Anglian derby never sparked into life...
- ↑ "Ipswich Town all time records". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "Club honours". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
