Ipswich Town F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Ipswich Town Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Blues The Tractor Boys |
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| Founded | 16 October 1878 | |||
| Ground | Portman Road | |||
| Capacity | 30,014 | |||
| Owner | Gamechanger 20 Ltd | |||
| Chairman | Mark Ashton | |||
| Manager | Kieran McKenna | |||
| League | League One | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 24th of 24 (relegated) | |||
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Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional football club from Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The club currently plays in the Premier League, which is the top football league in England. They recently earned back-to-back promotions from League One and the Championship.
Ipswich Town started in 1878 as an amateur team. They became professional in 1936 and joined the Football League in 1938. Ipswich won the league title in 1961–62, which was their first season in the top league. They also won the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup in 1981. A cool fact is that they have never lost a home game in European competitions! They have even beaten famous teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Ipswich plays their home games at Portman Road. They have a big rivalry with Norwich City, and their matches are called the East Anglian derby. The team's home colours are blue shirts, white shorts, and blue socks.
Contents
- Club History
- How it All Started (1878–1954)
- Reaching the Top League (1954–1963)
- Ups and Downs After Ramsey (1963–1969)
- The Amazing Bobby Robson Years (1969–1982)
- Moving Down and Back Up (1982–1994)
- Relegation and George Burley's Era (1994–2002)
- Years in the Championship (2002–2019)
- Back to the Premier League (2019–Present)
- Club Crest and Colours
- Home Stadium
- Club Supporters
- Club Records and Statistics
- Current Players
- Club Officials
- Club Managers
- Club Honours
- Ipswich Town Women's Team
- Images for kids
- See also
Club History
How it All Started (1878–1954)
Ipswich Town Football Club began as an amateur team in 1878. In 1888, they joined with the Ipswich Rugby Club to form Ipswich Town Football Club. The team won several local cups, like the Suffolk Challenge Cup.
They played in different local leagues before joining the Southern Amateur League in 1907. They became champions of this league in the 1921–22 season. Ipswich won the league three more times. In 1936, the club became professional and joined the Southern League, winning it in their first season.
Ipswich was voted into the Football League on May 30, 1938. They played in the Third Division South until 1953–54, when they won the title and moved up to the Second Division.
Reaching the Top League (1954–1963)
After being promoted, Ipswich went back down to the Third Division South the next year. But things changed when Alf Ramsey became manager in August 1955. The club won the Third Division South title again in 1956–57.
Ipswich then did very well in the Second Division. They won the division championship in 1960–61 and were promoted to the top league, the First Division.
In their very first season in the top league, 1961–62, Ipswich became champions of England! This meant they qualified for the 1962–63 European Cup, a big European competition. They beat Floriana from Malta but then lost to AC Milan. Alf Ramsey left the club in April 1963 to manage the England team. He later led England to win the 1966 World Cup and was made a Sir.
Ups and Downs After Ramsey (1963–1969)
After Alf Ramsey left, Jackie Milburn took over as manager. The team's performance got much worse. Just two years after winning the league, Ipswich went down to the Second Division in 1964. They let in 121 goals in 42 games, which was one of the worst defensive records ever.
Milburn left, and Bill McGarry became manager in 1964. Ipswich stayed in the Second Division for four years. McGarry then led them back to the top league in the 1967–68 season. In 1968, Steve Stacey became the first black player to play for the club in the Football League. McGarry left in January 1969, and Bobby Robson became the new manager.
The Amazing Bobby Robson Years (1969–1982)
Bobby Robson led Ipswich to win two major trophies and play in European competitions for many seasons. The team started to do well in 1973 when they won the Texaco Cup and finished fourth in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time.
In the 1974–75 season, they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and finished third in the league. By the late 1970s, Robson had built a very strong team. They had talented players like Arnold Mühren, Frans Thijssen, John Wark, Terry Butcher, and Paul Mariner. Ipswich was often in the top five of the league and played in the UEFA Cup.
A big moment was in 1978 when Ipswich beat Arsenal at Wembley Stadium to win their only FA Cup trophy. In the 1979–80 season, they beat Manchester United 6–0 at Portman Road.
The club almost won three trophies in 1980–81. They were leading the top division for most of the season. However, injuries and too many games meant they finished second to Aston Villa in the league and reached the FA Cup semi-finals. But Ipswich did win the UEFA Cup in 1981, beating AZ Alkmaar 5–4 over two games. They also finished second in the league again in the 1981–82 season.
Bobby Robson's success made him very popular. In July 1982, he left Ipswich to become the manager of the England national team.
Moving Down and Back Up (1982–1994)
Bobby Ferguson, Robson's assistant, took over as manager. Ipswich finished in the middle of the table for two seasons, but then their performance got worse. The club had also spent a lot of money on a new stand at Portman Road, which limited their budget. They had to sell key players.
Ipswich was relegated to the Second Division at the end of the 1985–86 season. Ferguson left in May 1987. John Duncan managed the team for three years. Then, John Lyall became manager in May 1990.
Lyall led Ipswich to win the Second Division title and get promoted to the new FA Premier League for the 1992–93 season. Ipswich started well, being fourth in the Premier League in January 1993. But their form dropped, and they finished 16th. The next season was also tough, and Ipswich only just avoided relegation. Lyall was sacked in December 1994 when the club was at the bottom of the league.
Relegation and George Burley's Era (1994–2002)
George Burley took over as manager, but he couldn't improve the team's results. Ipswich suffered a huge 9–0 defeat against Manchester United and were relegated.
Back in the second tier, Burley led the club to the promotion playoffs three times in a row, but they lost in the semi-finals each time. Ipswich finally returned to the Premier League in 2000. They beat Barnsley 4–2 in the playoff final at Wembley Stadium.
Ipswich did very well in their first Premier League season, finishing an impressive fifth. They almost got a spot in the Champions League. Burley even won the FA Premier League Manager of the Year award.
However, the next season was not good. The team won only one of their first seventeen league games and were at the bottom by December. Despite a better run of games in January and February, Burley couldn't save the club from being relegated back to the Championship. The club also faced financial problems. Burley was sacked in October 2002 after almost eight years as manager.
Years in the Championship (2002–2019)
Joe Royle became the new manager in October 2002. He helped the team improve, and they almost reached the playoffs. In the 2003–04 season, the club came out of financial administration. They finished fifth but lost in the playoff semi-finals to West Ham United.
In 2004–05, Ipswich again reached the playoffs but lost to West Ham United. The 2005–06 season saw Ipswich finish 15th, their lowest finish since 1966. Joe Royle resigned in May 2006.
A month later, Jim Magilton was announced as the new manager. In December 2007, businessman Marcus Evans took over the club, investing about £44 million. The Marcus Evans Group became the club's main sponsor until 2018.
Magilton was sacked in April 2009. Roy Keane, a former Manchester United player, replaced him. Keane's time as manager ended after 18 months, and he was sacked in January 2011. Paul Jewell then took over. After a very poor start to the 2012–13 season, Jewell left in October 2012.
Mick McCarthy was appointed manager on November 1, 2012. He helped Ipswich avoid relegation, moving them from the bottom of the league to 14th place. In the 2014–15 season, they finished 6th and reached the playoffs, but lost to Norwich City. McCarthy left the club in April 2018.
Paul Hurst became the new manager in May 2018, but he was sacked in October 2018 after a very poor start. He was the shortest-serving manager in the club's history. Former Norwich City manager Paul Lambert replaced him. However, Lambert could not stop Ipswich from being relegated to League One at the end of the 2018–19 season. This ended Ipswich's 63-year stay in the top two tiers of English football.
Back to the Premier League (2019–Present)
Lambert stayed as manager for Ipswich's first season in the third tier since 1957. Ipswich finished 11th, their lowest finish since 1953. The season's final standings were decided by points-per-game because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lambert left the club in February 2021. Paul Cook was appointed as his replacement.
In April 2021, a US investment group called Gamechanger 20 Limited bought most of the club. Former owner Marcus Evans remained a small shareholder. Mike O'Leary became the club's chairman.
Ipswich finished the 2020–21 season in ninth place. Expectations were high for the next season, but after some disappointing results, Cook was sacked in December 2021. On December 16, 2021, Kieran McKenna, a coach from Manchester United, became the new manager. Ipswich finished the 2021–22 season in 11th place.
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McKenna's first full season was much more successful. Ipswich had an amazing 18-game unbeaten streak in the league. They were promoted back to the Championship as runners-up in the 2022–23 season. They finished second with 98 points and scored 101 league goals.
After winning their last league game of the 2023–24 season, Ipswich achieved back-to-back promotions! They became only the fifth team to do this. They were promoted as runners-up, ending their 22-year absence from the top league. They finished with 96 points and scored 92 goals.
Club Crest and Colours
Team Crest
Ipswich Town's shirts didn't have a crest until the mid-1960s. They first used a design based on the Ipswich coat of arms. In 1972, a new crest was designed after a competition. It featured a Suffolk Punch horse and parts of the Wolsey Gate, representing the local area. This crest was used again in the 2020–21 season to celebrate 40 years since Ipswich won the UEFA Cup.
The crest was updated in 1995. The horse was made more dominant, and the background colour changed. In 2004, three stars were added to the team's away shirt. These stars represent the three major trophies Ipswich Town has won: the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup, and the old First Division title. The stars were moved to above the crest in 2007 and then to the back of the shirt in 2022–23.
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| Ipswich's orange away kit from the 1999–2000 season. |
Team Colours
Ipswich Town's traditional home colours are blue shirts with white shorts and blue socks. This is why one of their nicknames is The Blues. The club's first colours were blue and white striped shirts with black shorts. They started wearing all-blue shirts and white shorts in the 1936–37 season. These have been their main home colours ever since.
Over the years, Ipswich has used many different away colours. These include white, orange, red and black stripes, claret and green, and dark blue and claret. In 2006, the club gave 500 orange and blue-and-white shirts to children in Iraq.
Kit Suppliers and Sponsors
In 1981, Ipswich Town signed a sponsorship deal with the Japanese electronics company Pioneer Corporation. They were the first official sponsors of the club. Pioneer sponsored the club's kits until 1985.
After that, local radio station Radio Orwell sponsored the club for one season. Then, Fisons, a chemical company, sponsored the club from 1986 to 1995. This included the 1991–92 season when Ipswich won the Second Division and were promoted to the new Premier League.
Since then, Ipswich has had many kit sponsors, including Greene King (1995–2001) and energy companies like TXU Energi (2001–2003), Powergen (2003–2006), and E.ON (2006–2008). After Marcus Evans took over the club in 2007, his company, Marcus Evans Group, became the main sponsor from 2008 to 2018.
In 2018, the club signed a new deal with Magical Vegas, an online casino company. In 2020, Magical Vegas gave their shirt sponsorship rights to The Carers Trust charity for the 2020–21 season. On May 6, 2021, the club announced that famous artist and long-time Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran would be the club's new shirt sponsor. This deal was later extended until the end of the 2023–24 season. In June 2022, Ipswich signed a 4-year contract with Umbro to make their kits.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Secondary shirt sponsor | Shorts sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–1977 | Umbro | — | — | — |
| 1977–1981 | Adidas | |||
| 1981–1985 | Pioneer | |||
| 1985–1986 | Radio Orwell | |||
| 1986–1989 | Fisons | |||
| 1989–1995 | Umbro | |||
| 1995–2001 | Punch | Greene King | ||
| 2001–2003 | TXU Energi | |||
| 2003–2006 | Powergen | |||
| 2006–2007 | E.ON | |||
| 2007–2008 | Mitre | |||
| 2008–2014 | Marcus Evans Group | |||
| 2014–2017 | Adidas | |||
| 2017–2018 | East Anglian Children's Hospices | |||
| 2018–2019 | Magical Vegas | Nicholas Estates | ||
| 2019–2020 | East Anglian Air Ambulance | |||
| 2020–2021 | Carers Trust | Thank You NHS | Mortgagemove | |
| 2021–2022 | Ed Sheeran | |||
| 2022– | Umbro | Ipswich Town Foundation |
Home Stadium
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Ipswich Town played at two different grounds between 1878 and 1884. But in 1884, the club moved to Portman Road, and they have played there ever since. In 1890, Ipswich was one of the first clubs to use goal nets. The first wooden stand was built in 1905. In 1911, the roof was blown off, and the ground was used by the British Army during World War I.
When the club became professional in 1936, they started building terraces (standing areas) at the north end of the pitch. The next year, a similar terrace was built at the south end. By 1954, all sides of the stadium had terraces. Floodlights were put up in 1959 for night games.
The two-tier Portman Stand was built in 1971. The West Stand was made bigger in 1982 with a third level. This stand was renamed the Pioneer Stand because of sponsorship. In 1990, it was changed to all-seating. In 1992, following new safety rules after the Hillsborough disaster, the terraces in the north and south stands were also changed to all-seating. This made Portman Road the first complete all-seater stadium in the top English football league, with a capacity of 22,600.
Because the team was doing well, more money was spent on the stadium. Over £22 million was spent to rebuild the North and South stands. This made the current capacity 30,311, making it the largest football stadium in East Anglia.
In recent years, statues of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson have been put up outside the stadium. The North Stand was renamed in honour of Sir Bobby Robson in 2009. On March 31, 2012, the South Stand was renamed in honour of Sir Alf Ramsey. Portman Road now has two stands named after its two most successful managers. The West Stand was renamed the East of England Co-operative Stand in 2012, but it returned to being simply the West Stand in 2021. The East Stand is called the Cobbold Stand, named after the club's former owners.
The playing field at Portman Road is known for being very good. It has been voted the best pitch in the league many times. The stadium has also hosted many England youth international matches and one senior England friendly match in 2003.
Club Supporters
A recent nickname for Ipswich Town is "The Tractor Boys". This name came about when the club was in the Premier League from 2000–01 to 2001–02. They often played against bigger, more famous clubs. The nickname is a funny way to refer to Suffolk's farming history.
The nickname started during a game against Leeds United in 2000–01. Ipswich was winning 2–1, and Leeds fans started chanting, "We're being beaten by a bunch of tractor drivers." Fans of other Premier League clubs also used this chant. The nickname "1–0 to the Tractor Boys" became popular, and the media often uses it. Some people, like former manager Jim Magilton, didn't like the nickname, but players like Matt Holland found it amusing.
Ipswich has fans all over the world. The official Ipswich Town Supporters Club has branches in many countries. The club has a special friendship with the German club Fortuna Düsseldorf. Fortuna fans visit Portman Road every year, and Ipswich fans visit Düsseldorf to support Fortuna.
Club Rivalries
Ipswich Town's main rivals are Norwich City. When these two teams play, it's called the East Anglian derby. It's also sometimes called the "Old Farm derby," which is a funny reference to the "Old Firm Derby" in Scotland and the importance of farming in East Anglia. The rivalry started in the early 1900s. The first professional derby game was in 1939. Fans of both clubs often claim the title "Pride of Anglia" for their team, depending on who wins the derby or has a better league position or history.
Club Records and Statistics
Mick Mills holds the record for playing the most league games for Ipswich. He played 741 matches between 1966 and 1982. The club's top league goalscorer is Ray Crawford, who scored 203 goals. Ted Phillips scored the most league goals in one season, with 41 goals in the 1956–57 season. Allan Hunter played for his country, Northern Ireland, 47 times while playing for Ipswich.
Ipswich's biggest league wins were 7–0 against Portsmouth in 1964, against Southampton in 1974, and against West Bromwich Albion in 1976. Their biggest league defeats were 10–1 against Fulham in 1963 and 9–0 against Manchester United in 1995.
The record for the most fans at a home game at Portman Road is 38,010. This was for an FA Cup match against Leeds United on March 8, 1975. Because stadiums now have all seats, this record is unlikely to be broken.
The highest amount of money Ipswich has received for selling a player is £8.1 million for Connor Wickham in June 2011. The most they have spent on a player is £20 million for Omari Hutchinson in June 2024, after being promoted to the Premier League.
Bobby Robson managed Ipswich for the most games, 709 matches, between 1969 and 1982. Scott Duncan was the manager for the longest time, 6,487 days, from 1937 to 1955.
Ipswich still has an amazing record: they have never lost a home game in European competitions! This record started in 1962. For 45 years, Ipswich held the record for the longest unbeaten run of 31 home matches in European competition. This record has since been broken by a Dutch club, but it is still a record for British clubs.
Current Players
Main Squad
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Club sponsor and minority owner Ed Sheeran is honourably given squad number 17.
Players on Loan
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Young Players and Academy
Ipswich has a Category Two Academy, which trains young players. They plan to improve it to Category One. The academy was very successful in the 1990s, producing many first-team players like Kieron Dyer and Richard Wright. More recently, the academy has produced players like Connor Wickham and Luke Woolfenden.
Player of the Year
At the end of each season, fans vote for the 'Player of the Year'.
Hall of Fame
In 2007, the club started a Hall of Fame. People connected with the club are added to it each year. The first members were Ray Crawford, Mick Mills, Ted Phillips, and John Wark.
Club Officials
Board of Directors
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Mark Ashton |
| Majority-Owner |  ORG |
| Minority-Owner | Three Lions Group |
| Minority-Owner | Ed Sheeran |
Club Management Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Mark Ashton |
| Chief Operating Officer | Luke Werhun |
| Chief Financial Officer | Tom Ball |
| Director of Football Operations | Gary Probert |
| Club Secretary | Stuart Hayton |
First-Team Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Kieran McKenna |
| Assistant Manager | Martyn Pert |
| First-Team Coach | Lee Grant Sone Aluko Mark Hudson |
| Goalkeeping Coach |  Rene Gilmartin |
| Fitness Coach | Jon Ashton |
| Director of Performance | Andy Rolls |
| Head of Strength & Conditioning | Ivan Mukandi |
| Head Physiotherapist | Matt Byard |
| Sports Therapist | Alice Gindrod |
| Head of Athletic Performance | Matt Allen |
| Sports Scientist | Kit Barnes |
| Head of Analysis | Charlie Turnbull |
| Head of Performance Analysis | Jamie Osman |
| Head of Recruitment | Will Stephenson |
| Kit Manager |  Vacant |
Academy Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head of Coaching & Player Development | Bryan Klug |
| Under-21 Head Coach | John McGreal |
| Under-18 Head Coach | Olly Lee |
| Academy Manager | Dmitri Halajko |
| Head of Academy Goalkeeping | Carl Pentney |
| Head of Foundation Phase | Simon Tricker |
| Head of Academy Recruitment | Alex Kaufman |
| Academy Loan Manager | Chris Casement |
| Head of Academy Performance Analysis | Adam Cuthbert |
| Head of Academy Sports Medicine | Jack Wilce |
| Head of Academy Sports Science | Nathan Griffith |
| Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach | Vacant |
Information correct as of September 18, 2024
Club Managers
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- As of November 10, 2024. Only permanent managers are shown.
| Name | Nationality | From | To | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | 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 | 143 | 76 | 41 | 26 | 53.1 |
Club Honours
Domestic League Titles
- First Division (level 1)
- Champions: 1961–62
- Runners-up: 1980–81, 1981–82
- Second Division / First Division / Championship (level 2)
- Champions: 1960–61, 1967–68, 1991–92
- Runners-up: 2023–24
- Play-off winners: 2000
- Third Division South / League One (level 3)
- Champions: 1953–54, 1956–57
- Runners-up: 2022–23
- Southern League
- Champions: 1936–37
Domestic Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Winners: 1977–78
- Texaco Cup
- Winners: 1972–73
European Titles
- UEFA Cup
- Winners: 1980–81
Ipswich Town Women's Team
Ipswich Town also has a women's team, Ipswich Town Women. They play in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, which is the third level of women's football in England. They have a very successful academy for young players. The team plays their home games at The Martello Ground in Felixstowe.
Images for kids
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Ipswich – AC Milan 1962–63 European Cup programme from 1962.
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A statue of Sir Alf Ramsey at Portman Road.
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A statue of Sir Bobby Robson at Portman Road.
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Kieran McKenna became Ipswich Town's manager in December 2021.
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Kieran McKenna and players celebrate after Ipswich Town earned back-to-back promotions in May 2024.
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The Ipswich Town crest used from 1972 to 1995.
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Aerial view of Portman Road, Ipswich Town's home stadium.
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Average and peak attendances for Ipswich Town since 1936.
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Ipswich Town's league positions since the 1938–39 season.
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Alf Ramsey managed Ipswich Town from 1955 to 1963. He later led England to win the World Cup in 1966.
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Bobby Robson managed Ipswich Town from 1969 to 1982.
See also
In Spanish: Ipswich Town Football Club para niños
