Ipswich Town Odds

Ipswich Town Odds

Despite the fact that Ipswich have spent the last 14 seasons in the Championship, they’ve had near misses with promotion, so Ipswich Town promotion odds can be attractive. Equally, though, with the Championship being a division known for its shocks, odds on Ipswich Town to be relegated can be bet on, these Ipswich Town odds are usually long.

East Anglia derbies are always popular to bet on. Odds on Ipswich Town v Norwich City can also be subject to bookmaker offers, such as Paddy Power’s Money Back Specials.

As well as on the pitch odds, Ipswich Town manager odds can also be worth considering, especially after long-serving manager Mick McCarthy left the club.

History

Ipswich Town are a professional football club based in Suffolk, England. One of few English clubs to have won a European trophy, the club has spent the last 12 seasons in the English second tier, the Championship.

The history of Ipswich Town Football Club starts in 1878. Ipswich Town started life as Ipswich AFC. In 1888, Ipswich AFC joined forces with Ipswich Rugby Club and together they formed Ipswich Town Football Club.

The early part of Ipswich Town history was spent playing amateur football. Ipswich entered the Southern Amateur League in 1907, and after steady improvement the club won the league in the 1921/1922 campaign. Success in the amateur game continued, with Ipswich winning the league again in the 1929/1920, 1932/1933 and 1933/1934 seasons. Following this fourth title, Ipswich became founder members of the Eastern Counties Football League.

For the 1935/1936 season, Ipswich Town turned professional. They entered the Southern League and won the division in their first professional campaign.

In 1938, the club joined the Football League. They entered the Third Division South and made good, if slow, progress. In the 1953/1954 season, Ipswich won the Third Division South title and with it promotion to the Second Division.

The club’s stay in the Second Division was short. They were immediately relegated and returned to the Third Division South. In 1955, Alf Ramsey took the Ipswich Town manager job and straight away Ramsey exerted a good influence on the club. Another Third Division South title followed in 1956/1957 campaign and the club returned to the second tier.

The club avoided another immediate relegation. Instead, their Second Division performances improved with each season. In the 1960/1961 season the club won the Second Division title and won promotion to the First Division for the first time in Ipswich Town history.

Success continued for Ipswich. In their first season in the top flight, the club won the First Division title. With that historic title win, the club earned a place in the European Cup for the first time.

In 1963, the man behind Ipswich Town’s success Alf Ramsey left his role at the club to take the England national team’s manager position. He would go on to lead his country to their first and to date only World Cup win in 1966.

Jackie Milburn replaced Ramsey, but he couldn’t replicate the success of his predecessor. Just two years after winning the First Division title, the club were relegated back to the second tier. Milburn quit the role and the club spent the following four seasons playing Second Division football.

In the 1967/1968 season, Ipswich Town won promotion once more by winning the Second Division title. 1969 saw the arrival of another England great, Bobby Robson. The success the club had once enjoyed returned, starting in 1973.

In 1973, the club won a minor British trophy the Texaco Cup, and as the 1970’s progressed the Ipswich Town team got stronger. In 1978, the club won their first, and to date only FA Cup, beating Arsenal in the final.

In 1981, Ipswich Town won the UEFA Cup and finished as runners up in the First Division. With the club’s success under Bobby Robson, England once again came calling for the Ipswich Town manager and Robson accepted the role in 1982.

Robson’s reign was hard to recreate, and the Ipswich Town players performances dropped. Amidst financial worries, the club were relegated during the 1985/1986 season. 

The following season, Ipswich almost achieved an immediate return, but lost in the play-offs. It wasn’t until John Lyall took the manager’s job that Ipswich began to change their fortunes for the better. Under Lyall, Ipswich Town won the Second Division title and with it they became founder members of the newly formed Premier League.

Their first Premier League season started well but the team’s form dropped in the second half of the season. The following campaign also saw Ipswich struggle, and they only narrowly escaped relegation due to the teams around them losing their final games of the season.

Ipswich Town’s poor form continued and despite George Burley taking on the managerial reins the club were relegated. Several attempts at promotion were made, but the club lost three successive play-off semi-finals. 

In 2000, Ipswich Town’s luck in the play-offs finally turned as they beat Barnsley in the final to regain their Premier League status. The club did well on their return to the top flight, finishing fifth and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

However, Ipswich Town only spent two seasons back in the Premier League and the club were relegated once again. This led to serious financial troubles for the club, and they went into administration.

Their first season back in the second tier (at this point called Division One) started poorly and George Burley was sacked. Joe Royle, who had managed Manchester City from Division Two back to the Premier League in consecutive seasons, was given the job in the hope that he could replicate that with Ipswich. Royle’s tenure started well, another play-off place was won though the club yet again lost in the semi-final, but the following season saw Ipswich Town finish in 15th place. Royle left and was replaced by Jim Magilton.

In 2007, Marcus Evans launched a successful takeover bid, buying 87.5% of shares in Ipswich Town. This secured the club’s financial future, but on the pitch there was no improvement. 

The following five years saw a series of managerial changes. Magilton was sacked and Roy Keane and Paul Jewell came and went. It wasn’t until the appointment of Mick McCarthy in 2012 that Ipswich found some stability. McCarthy stopped the rot and Ipswich began to climb up the table. During the last three Championship campaigns, Ipswich have finished in the top ten.

At the end of the 17/18 season, Mick McCarthy left the club.

Crest

The first Ipswich Town football badge didn’t appear on Ipswich kits until the 1960’s. Then, the club created an Ipswich Town badge that featured a rampant lion in gold on a red and gold background.

In 1972, a new Ipswich Town crest was designed. This featured a Suffolk horse and symbols representing the local docks and the Wolsey Gate. Ipswich Town FC was also displayed.

In 1995, this Ipswich Town club crest was updated. The physique of the Suffolk horse was improved, and the colour on the outside of the crest was changed from yellow to red. This badge is used on Ipswich Town kits today.

Colours

The Ipswich Town colours have traditionally been blue. When the club joined forces with Ipswich Rugby Club to form Ipswich Town Football Club, the team wore blue and white striped shirts with white shorts and dark blue socks. From 1896, the short colour was changed to dark blue. From 1986 to 1936, the blue and white striped shirts remained but the club alternated between dark blue shorts and blue and white socks, and black shorts with black and white socks.

The Ipswich Town kit colours remained the same in 1936, but the style of the kit changed. Between 1936 and 1964, the club wore blue shirts with white sleeves, white shorts and blue and white hooped socks.

During the 1965/1966 season, the club played in all blue. White was reintroduced in 1966 with white socks worn, and from 1967 to 1971, white shorts were also worn.

From 1971 to the 2016, Ipswich Town have played in blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. The 2016/2017 season saw Ipswich play in blue shirts with white sleeves, blue shorts and blue socks.

Ipswich Town Stadium

The Ipswich Town stadium is Portman Road. The club have played at Portman Road since 1884.

Before their move to their current home, Ipswich played at Broom Hill and then Brook’s Hall, then moved to the newly opened Portman Road.

The Ipswich Town stadium capacity currently stands at 30,311, making it one of the largest grounds in the Championship.  The Ipswich Town stadium layout features four mains stands - the Cobbold Stand, the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, the Sir Bobby Robson Stand and the East of England Co-operative StandStand.

The stadium has undergone many reconstructions and extensions in its 122 year history. Each stand has been updated, the last being the Sir Bobby Robson Stand that was rebuilt in 2001.

Supporters

Ipswich Town supporters predominantly come from the town of Ipswich and other parts of Suffolk and East Anglia. There are however many Ipswich Town supporters clubs across the country, including the Ipswich Town Independent Supporters Trust.

Ipswich Town’s biggest rivalry is with East Anglia rivals Norwich City. When these two sides meet, the occasion is called the East Anglian derby, where the two clubs compete for the title of the ‘Pride of Anglia’.

Ownership

The Ipswich Town owner is Marcus Evans. Evans bought a controlling stake in the club, buying an 87.5% stake, and invested over £44 million into the club.

Marcus Evans’ company, the Marcus Evans Group, were the club’s sponsors from 2008 to 2013.

Stats

Ipswich Town stats start with the club’s all time record appearance maker. That Ipswich Town player is Mick Mills. Mills played 737 matches for Ipswich between 1965 and 1982.

John Wark is second on the all time appearances for Ipswich Town players list, making 670 appearances for the club over three spells, the first starting from 1974 to 1983, then 1987 to 1989 and finally from 1991 to 1996.

Three other players have made 500 or more appearances for Ipswich Town. These are Mick Stockwell, who made 555 appearances between 1982 and 2000, Paul Cooper, who took part in 575 games from 1973 to 1986, and George Burley, who played in 500 Ipswich Town matches between 1973 and 1985.

The Ipswich Town record goalscorer is Ray Crawford. Crawford scored 218 goals in 354 appearances for the club across two spells, the first coming between 1958 and 1963, and the following spell from 1965 to 1968.

Five other players have scored over 100 goals for the club. These are John Wark (190); Ted Phillips (181); Tom Garneys (143); Paul Mariner (135) and Trevor Whymark (104).

Matteo Sereni is Ipswich Town’s record transfer signing. Sereni was bought for £4.8 million from Sampdoria in 2001. The highest transfer fee Ipswich Town have received for a player is £12 million, a fee Sunderland paid for Connor Wickham in 2011.

Ipswich Town’s first match was a friendly at Broom Hill in 1878. The club played Stoke Wanderers and won the match 6-1.

The first league match Ipswich Town played in was in the Southern League in 1936, when Ipswich played Tunbridge Wells Rangers and won 4-1.

Ipswich Town played their first European match in 1962. They played Floriano in the European Cup preliminary round, winning 4-1.

Ipswich Town’s record win is 7-0, a scoreline achieved on three occasions. Firstly, against Portsmouth in the Second Division in 1964, secondly against Southampton in the First Division in 1974 and finally against West Bromwich Albion in the First Division in 1976.

Ipswich Town’s record defeat came in 1963. In the First Division, Fulham beat Ipswich 10-1. The club’s record Premier League defeat came against Manchester United in 1995, United winning 9-0.

The highest attendance at Portman Road is recorded as 38,010, the number of spectators that watched Ipswich Town play Leeds United in the FA Cup in 1975.

Ipswich Town Players

Ipswich Town players past and present have included some of the most well known names and best  in English football. These include Bill Baxter, Kevin Beattie, Terry Butcher, Ray Crawford, Allan Hunter, Paul Mariner, Mick Mills, Arnold Muhren, Frans Thijssen and John Wark.

The current Ipswich Town player of the year is Bartosz Bialkowski, who has won the award for three consecutive seasons. Since 1973, the Ipswich Town player that has won the most player of the year awards is John Wark. Wark won the award in 1989,1990,1992 and 1994.

Many players have played international football whilst playing club football at Ipswich Town. Billy Reed was the first Ipswich Town player to be capped for his country, appearing for Wales in 1954. Ipswich Town’s first England player was Ray Crawford, who earned his first cap in 1961. Mick Mills, though, is the most capped England player whilst still playing club football for Ipswich, making 42 appearances for England whilst on Ipswich’s books. Allan Hunter is the most capped player, with 47 caps for Northern Ireland.

The youngest player to make an appearance for Ipswich is Connor Wickham. Wickham was 16 years and 11 days old when he made his first appearance against Doncaster Rovers in 2009.

The oldest Ipswich Town player to make an appearance for the club is Mick Burns, who was 43 years and 219 days old when he played against Gateshead in 1952.

Ipswich Manager

The current Ipswich Town manager is Paul Hurst. Hurst took over in the summer of 2018.

In terms of trophies won, Bobby Robson is Ipswich Town’s most successful manager. Robson won the FA Cup and UEFA Cup during his time at the club.

Alf Ramsey was the only manager to win the top tier title for Ipswich, doing so in 1962 after winning the First Division title.

The longest serving Ipswich Town manager in terms of matches managed is Bobby Robson. Robson took charge of 709 matches from 1969 to 1982, winning 316 of them. 

Mick O’Brien has the best win percentage out of Ipswich Town managers. O’Brien won 25 of his 39 matches in charge from May 1936 to August 1937, giving him a win percentage of 64.1%.

In the Football League, Alf Ramsey has the best win percentage. Ramsey led his side to victory in 176 of his 369 matches in charge between 1955 and 1963. This gave Alf Ramsey a win percentage of 47.7%.

Honours

The Ipswich Town list of honours include one top tier title (1961/1962); one FA Cup (1977/1978); and one UEFA Cup (1980/1981).

The club also won three second tier titles, two third tier titles and the Texaco Cup.