Favourites win

 Sunday 26 November 2023

Another double day!

1030am - Holbrook Swan 0 Borussia Martlesham 3 - Ipswich Sunday Football League, Premier Division, Reade Field

Reade Field is in the Holbrook village, a village playing field with a children's playground, plus an old pavilion/large shed /wooden changing room block. The field feels enclosed , as houses one side and the back of the shops the other, field not visible from the road. The Holbrook Swan team take their name from the local pub, which does back onto the field. The field is owned by the Royal Hospital School and lease to the village for one Reed a year ( not sure what value that is with current currency exchanges!!!)

Chose this ground, as had not been before and also thought football may be of good standard as the visitors had a good run in the national FA Sunday Cup last season. i seemed to have chosen well as both teams attempted to play a passing game, and with the help of a good ref, we did not have the niggle/dirty games you can get on a Sunday. Goalless at half time as both teams missed good chances, but in the second half Borussia dominated and their first two goals were almost identical, coming from powerful headers from corners. In the end it was an easy win, from what was an enjoyable game to watch. End of the game, just a 20 minute drive to Felixstowe for the next game.

1pm

Ipswich Town Women 8 Sutton Coldfield Town Women 0

Women's FA Cup, 2nd Round

At Felixstowe and Walton United

Higher placed Ipswich gave their midland opponents a football lesson, could easily have been double figures on what was very cold afternoon on the coast. stand out player was Lenna Gunning-Williams, who bagged a hat trick ( she is on a season long loan from Spurs)

Felixstowe doing well financially from having Ipswich sue their ground as the food counter queue never seemed to go down from kick off to the finish.

Good to see the 'Spanner; bench in place.

Yet another cup game!

 Wednesday 7 October 2020, Walsham-Le-Willows 1 Ipswich Town Under 23s 3 - Suffolk Premier Cup, 2nd Round, Summer Lane

Another cup game and another win! To make it even better, a win with style, opponents also played good football, a good crowd and a world class goal from a young Ipswich centre back!

We might not be able to watch the first team at the moment, but at least the Under 16s and a young Under 23 side are keeping us entertained! 

Cod Army Double

Saturday 5 October 2019, 4 Lancashire Regiment 7 21 Engineer Regiment 2 - Army Super Cup Final, Poolfoot Farm, Fleetwood Town Training Ground

Then:

Fleetwood Town 0 Ipswich Town 1, Highbury, League One

Twitter gave me notice of an army cup game and as luck would have it, to be played at lunchtime at Fleetwood Town training Ground, when I would be in the same town for the Ipswich game - to good an opportunity to miss.

An impressive training ground, where unlike some, spectators and the public are made very welcome, with a café and even children's play equipment ( unless that was for Joey Barton).

The Army Super Cup pits the Regular Army Cup winners v the Reserve Cup winners and I expected a close game but the Regulars to win, how wrong was I?

The Engineers took the lead early on but after that the reservists, 4 Lancs totally dominated and obvious that some of there played at a good level of non-league football, I heard Bamber Bridge mentioned.

It was a good way to start the day before driving back into town for the main game.

When you arrive at Highbury you are made very welcome, maybe not on the pitch where the 'Cod Army' are undefeated in 8 months but visiting fans are made very welcome and the home fans did not seem surprised that Ipswich came out on top, possibly both sets of players and fans were just hoping they would not see the same Ref again this season.

Not like 1981

Saturday 17 September 2016, Ipswich Town Aston Villa - Championship, Portman Road

80/81 season, played each other 3 times and we won all three, full house at Villa Park - they pip us for the league and we end up also losing in a FA Cup semi but did pick up some silverware with the UEFA Cup in Amsterdam.

The following season we finish again close to the top of the table whilst Villa win the European Cup (Champions League, for younger readers) - how times have changed? We now meet in a Championship game with Villa not having a great start to their return to a lower division.

Today they had most of the ball and ex England international on the bench, a player tipped as a future England star pulling the strings in midfield and missed a sitter - but it is  Ipswich who should have won, we had 5 great chances in the 8 minutes of injury time and Freddie Sears had 3 of those chances - after today i would not be betting on Villa making a quick return to the top division.

Top non league ground

Tuesday 5 August 2014, AFC Sudbury 2 Ipswich Town Reserves 4, Pre-season friendly - Wardale Williams Stadium

A nice run out for the reserves but you do wonder about how many trial players now get a game, two more tonight for 45 minutes- neither looking that great, would it be better playing our own youth players?

Sudbury have a great non-league ground with superb social facilities- now need to just get their act together on nthe pitch to return to their position as one of top non league clubs in the area - well worth a visit.

Closer than the two Dundee clubs- the Tram track Budapest rivals

Sunday 27 October 2013 , BKV Elore v Gyori ETO II, Hungarian Third Division at Sport Utcai Stadium

A visit to Budapest, with the hope of watching a game at the MTK ground - where the famous (Pele and Ipswich dominated) match in the war film 'Escape to Victory' was played/filmed. But their game was moved to Friday night but I did manage to watch a third division game at their neighbours, BKV Elore- that close that only a tram track divides them! BKV seem to be the Tram workers official works team and were formerly called - Budapest City Unified Railway Association (BEVVE)

The main stand is great to sit in, i say the main stand it is the only stand! The back of the stand can even be seen in the 'Escape to Victory' film.

A small crowd and a defeat to the Reserve team of Gyori ETO- Quickly realised it was a Reserve team when the lowest shirt number on view was 32 with keeper 84. But a nice sunny day, a beer and like the locals a packet of sunflower seeds. About 150 at the game, wondered if any of the older fans had been next door at the MTK Ground when Pele scored with a bicycle kick?

Trams and footballers

Above, the main stand and below the view of the MTK Ground from it:

The back of the stand and the tramline/street that divides the two clubs

Ipswich Town FC in Europe

This afternoon I visited the 'Ipswich Town in Europe' Exhibition at the Town Hall Galleries. I enjoyed it, as I was fortunate to have seen that great 1981 team ( the exhibition also marks the 30th anniversary of the 1981 UEFA Cup win) it is always nice to be reminded how great that 1981 team was.

The exhibition maybe centered on the 81 season but it also looks at all our travels in Europe from Malta in 1962, Barcelona in 77, Milan in 2001 and then our final trip to the Czech Republic.

The highlight of the trip today was the opportunity to have your picture taken with the 'genuine' UEFA Cup. The trophy was in town for the 30th anniversary dinner tonight.




Not the 'real' UEFA Cup

Most of the items on display are owned by the club, many are mementos given by opposing teams who we have played in Europe, pewter cups, crystal glass, plates - some are more 'regional' based, with a Delft plate from Twente Enschede. wonder what we gave the likes of Real Madrid and FC Koln? A pint of Cobbolds?

Did like the way Lazio Roma gave each player a male grooming kit!

A trick was missed by the Colchester and Ipswich Museum service, far more exhibits could have been found if they had asked supporters to contribute. A few years ago, a previous exhibition was put on that looked at sport and pastimes in Ipswich, this had far more public contributions.



The Cruyff shirt

My favourite piece? - just beating the Lazio Roma grooming kits, the Barcelona shirt of Johan Cruyff, given to Roger Osborne after he had marked the great Dutchman out of the game in a fantastic 3-0 win for Ipswich over the Catalan giants.

Selhurst Park - worst ground in London (for away fans?)

Saturday 26th December 2009

Yet another visit to South London and Selhurst Park - Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town - Championship, 3-1

Easy ground to get to, good public transport, loads of pubs but the Arthur Wait Stand is probably the worst away end in the top two divisions- desperate need of a makeover, then again the whole ground itself is a mis match of stands.
Not one for the ground connoisseur!