Notorious for their European success with Trevor Francis and Paul Mariner playing the leading parts in the 1970s,the Tractor Boys have struggled seriously in the last fifteen years.Administration affected the club in 2002 came to relegation from the Premier League and the sacking of George Burley in October the same year.The Scot had been manager at the club for eight years.
The club was purchased in 2003 successfully and Ipswich aimed to get back to the Premier League.The playoff defeats became monotonous for the fans ,and neither Joe Royle or Jim Magilton could do the job.The trouble was,Magilton had been given extra funding but didn't use it to buy players.
Former Manchester United star Roy Keane was appointed and things looked up.However,a slide down the table and he was out to allow Paul Jewell to step in.Jewell left by mutual consent in September 2012 and was replaced by a face Roy Keane hated-Mick McCarthy.
THE GROUND-PORTMAN ROAD
Portman Road officially became the new home of Ipswich in 1884.The stadium is known for his close surroundings to the train station and there was a tobacco processing factory nearby.The capacity is 30,111 thanks to a redevelopment project in the early 1990s which saw old wooden seating removed from the away end.
THE GAFFER-MICK McCARTHY
South Yorkshire lad Mick was named as the manager of Ipswich Town in November 2012,with Terry Connor as his assistant.
A boyhood Leeds United fan,Mick signed his first deal at Barnsley and spent six years at Oakwell from 1977 to 1983 where he made 250 appearances.He moved to Manchester City soon after,winning promotion to Division One with them in 1984.He then played in Scotland for Celtic,where he won the Scottish Cup,and left the UK for Lyon in France in 1989.
His career as a manager began in 1992 at Millwall.After six years of football in London,he was named the manager of the Repbulic of Ireland national team in 1996 to replace Jack Charlton.After failure to qualify for the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000,Ireland qualified for the 2002 World Cup.This was known for Roy Keane and McCarthy falling out and Spain knocking them out.Mick quit in November 2002.
He succeeded Howard Wilkinson at Sunderland in 2003 but didn't save them from being relegated.The year after,they lost in the playoffs and the year after that they won promotion.Life in the top flight was too tough for the Black Cats and with ten games left,McCarthy was fired in March 2006.
Soon after,Mick joined Wolves and led them to Premier League football in 2009.He kept them up so many times,but his tenure ended in February 2012 after a 5-1 loss to WBA.He reunited with assistant Terry Connor at Ipswich and guided them to safety in his first season.
SIX OF THE BEST
SCOTT LOACH-GOALKEEPER
Scott has spent the last few months sidelined with an injury but last season was pivotal in the team.Nottingham-born Scott,25,was a part of the Watford team for several years,eventually holding the number one spot until his release last year.
AARON CRESSWELL-DEFENDER
Aaron signed for his local club Tranmere Rovers in 2008 after leaving school.He was popular in the area but interest rose from big clubs in 2011 and he was let go.He was Ipswich's Player of The Season for 2012.
JAY TABB-MIDFIELDER
Jay has been to the highs of the Championship with Reading and then suffered the pain of relegation during a three-year-stay in Berkshire,after he signed for Steve Coppell in 2006.Jay was signed by Ipswich this summer on a free.He has played since,scoring three times and playing for Ireland.
PAUL ANDERSON-MIDFIELDER
Paul,now aged 25,had played for Nottingham Forest from 2009 to 2012 where he was just shy of 100 games prior to his move to Bristol City.He never settled in at City and following a swap with Ipswich he found life in the East comfortable.He has made nine appearances and scored twice.
CARLOS EDWARDS-MIDFIELDER
Trinidadian veteran midfielder Carlos was in his thirties when he made a move from Sunderland to Ipswich in 2009.He now leads the line for the club since Lee Martin's departure and can trick midfielders from opposing teams with a sense of passion and intelligence in his movement.
DAVID McGOLDRICK-STRIKER
Unsurprisingly,David has been a real gem of a goal machine for Ipswich.When new faces at Nottingham Forest ended up with him spending loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry,he was signed by Mick McCarthy as soon as possible.He has scored thirteen goals so far,and last weekend's volley against Watford was a Goal of the Month contender.
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