Advantages: Extremely fluent football, highly skilful, excellent sporstmanship, canny manager, Disadvantages: Can be overpowered, extremely small squad,Now viewed as serious threat to 'big four's' challenge for honours
...prospects for next season. The Ipswich review written here was first written in Mid-February, where defeats at Sunderland and Chelsea had been part of a poor run which had seen town eliminated from the 'Worthless Cup'
and drop down the league to sixth place.The original review will be followed by end of season reflections.
The return of Ipswich Town to the Premier League in 2000 came as some surprise to those expecting them to once again fail in ... ...reasons are severalfold:
1/ Ipswich have been in the playoffs for the last four seasons. You do not get to the top six of the First Division by losing a lot of games. As losing can become a habit, so does winning and this young side had become accustomed to winning.
2/ A good side - make no bones about it, Ipswich are a very good side (more on this later) George Burley has fashioned a highly compact side, which plays fluent football, and always ...
bwsr2 18.02.2001 (09.06.2001)
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Advantages: Great football when on form Disadvantages: Not in the Premiership.... yet!
...close and what's this? Ipswich Town, not in the play offs?? There has to be some mistake - I demand a recount!! Ipswich are always in the play off's dammit!
Ok, so the point is that the 2005/2006 season has not been a resounding success for the Tractor Boys. Burdened with heavy debt and a dearth of skilled players, we have really begun to struggle. Achieving a Championship finish of only 15th is a far cry from the 2000/2001 season finish of 5th ... ...Suffolk, Stowmarket to be precise, Ipswich Town were geographically my closest team. My Granddad was listening to them on the radio in the car (outside the hospital) whilst I was being born (we won by the way) and as soon as I was old enough he used to take me to watch their home games at Portman Road. To be honest, I don't remember much about the actual games but I do remember being the only little girl in my Primary School class to be able to list ...
jovichick123 26.05.2006
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Advantages: Exciting, good mentality, hardworking, attacking Disadvantages: cant get a ticket for love nor money
...Wilnis at present.
When Ipswich approached George with the managers job he was managing local affiliates Colchester United after a brief spell with Air in Scotland. George was un inexperienced manager but the risk has paid off. He learnt a lot from the play off disappointments and a large proportion of the clubs success this season must be down to him.
George must be rated as one of the top managers in the English Game. Alex Ferguson would come ... ...the Pride of Anglia. Ipswich have enjoyed many spells in a higher division to Norwich, where as Norwich have only enjoyed one short stint in the late 80’s.
Over the last couple of years Norwich have really fallen away somewhat. Thus Charlton and West Ham are realistically Ipswich’s closest rivals from a league and location point of view.
Presently Ipswich’s biggest rivals are Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. All top clubs ...
rjs26 15.03.2001
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Advantages: A squad of little-known, hard working, dedicated players. Disadvantages: Will the squad be deep enough when injuries hit?
...the sinking ship that was Ipswich Town. He was the man in charge when we got slapped 9-0 at Old Trafford, but in truth the combined powers of Sir Alex himself, Houdini and God Almighty couldn't have saved us that season. He then spent the next four seasons putting together a team that arguably has more chance of staying up than the Second Division champions of 91-92. Could be the man to complete the Ipswich Town holy trinity - Sir Alf Ramsey, Bobby ... ...player last season. He pulled some incredible saves out in uninspiring games against lesser teams, and without his lightning reactions, we might have struggled to make the play offs. Some people moaned about the sale of Kieron Dyer, but that move made us - and also meant we got to keep our prize asset Wright.
Mark Venus looked on his last legs in our play off season. He was frequently done for pace and struggled to keep up with even some of the ...
Plissken 13.12.2000 (01.01.2001)
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Advantages: attractive football Disadvantages: defence is a bit weak
...and his saying, i think Ipswich Town are the new team who play sexy football. Well last season they did anyway. Coming 5th in the premiership after coming through via the play offs and not spending a huge amount of money the summer before, Ipswich acheived the unthinkable last season and qualified for Europe.
They haven't actually got any big named players, although they are big named now. Its just the team work around for each other and everyone ... ...for Burley.
In midfiled Ipswich are strong. Matt Holland holds them together along with the experienced Jim magilton (former oxford). On the sides is either Martijn Reuser who is a talented two footed dutchmen, youngster jermaine wright, or crowd favourite jamie clapham.
Defence is sometomes a problem. Titus bramble is an extremely good prospect and is goood going forward, but he does have a tendancy to do the odd silly thing due to his inexperience. ...
JSPorter 20.09.2001
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Advantages: they play some games at home Disadvantages: not good enough by a long way
No hopers, Ipswich Town - sorry and all that. But it has been proved in recent years that unless you can buy intelligently and possibly BIG, you will struggle.
Ipswich came up to the Premier at the end of last season after several seasons of knocking on the door. Good luck to them - they deserve their season with the 'big boys' - BUT and it's a big but, they don't really have a chance.
Watford showed last year the gulf between the Premiership big ... ...but suffered thereafter. If Ipswich get off to a half decent start they may stave off the inevitable for a while - but otherwise 'mother, is the turkey ready yet - Ipswich are relegated.
They will have the comfort of making a few £million from the Sky deal and the big home games against Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool etc....but staying up - NO WAY ...
flashpointz 12.07.2000
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Advantages: Playing well, room for growth. Disadvantages: The better they do, the more pressure they'll be under.
Ipswich Town fought well and valiantly to make their way into the Premiership. All credit to them for that. However, now that they’ve reached this lofty height they’ll fall back down and settle in the First Division for a while. Well, that’s what I thought at first. Wait... before you judge me too harshly, I think I’m being fair enough to say that I wasn’t the only one who had similar thoughts.
In case you stumbled into this review seeking, perhaps, ... ...quickly summarise what’s going on; Ipswich are doing surpassingly well.
Why?
That’s a jolly good question and I would have to be one of the elite Premiership Managers or The-Man-In-The-Pub (tm) to answer that with any degree of certainty. Having said that, I’m going to try anyway.
There is this man called Marcus Stewart who will, if given the chance, boot the ball with his left foot. Some people laughed when they considered how Marcus would perform ...
Manx 13.12.2000
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Advantages: Excellent manager, great Football, etc Disadvantages: Whether they can keep hold of their Stars
...I have first-hand experience of Ipswich Town F C, seeing as though they beat us at home the other day.
I know Liverpool have a habit of losing to the so-called smaller teams (no disrespect to Ipswich), but I have to say I have been very impressed with Ipswich Town this season.
I think they play the game the way it should be played, patient passing, skillful build-ups, and no long-ball tactics (as a lot of the newly promoted teams seem to do, not ... ...who is very under-rated, and Herman Hreidarsson a towering ball-playing centre-back as well as lots of good young up and coming stars.
I think Ipswich are here to stay for a few years, as long as they can keep hold of their star players and of course their excellent manager. ...
brianlfc 15.12.2000
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Advantages: Good side, fantastic keeper, drew with Man Utd, deserved to be promoted Disadvantages: They beat Swindon at the County Ground
...I was destraught to see Ipswich fight back to a 4-1 victory and to be honest, the damage done to my pride could have been a lot worse.
My friends watched the match with me, jeering me. They were shocked at our goal but it was to be short-lived. When I saw Man Utd could only score 1 goal against you in the beginning of the 2000/2001 series I thought: "does that mean we have an equally good outfield as Man Utd and a shit goalkeeper." What do you think, ... ...I am happy for Ipswich - I just wish they could have got up the season before instead of bloody Watford!!!!!!!
I cannot decide who I want to stay up Bradford/Man City/Charlton/Southampton/Arsenal and Ipswich - well Arsenal will probably stay up!!!!
In an ideal world I would like to see Charlton, Man City and Southampton go down. I really want to see Bradford do another marvelous job of staying up by beating Liverpool last season - Great goal David ...
fiisch 26.08.2000
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Advantages: Fighting spirit after all the near misses in Div 1 Disadvantages: Money
Finally Ipswich Town have made it to the Premiership. The most unlucky play-off team of the last few years made it at the end of last season, yet again through the play-off’s. Many people expect them to go back down but I think that, although they will be involved in quite a relegation battle, they will survive and manage 16th. Not exactly a superb position to be in, but it would be something to build on as I’m sure that they would love to return ... ...early 80’s when Bobby Robson led them to success. So far they have not made many signings, although they have been chasing Claus Jensen of Bolton Wanderers for a reputed £3million. It’s believed that Bolton want about £3.5 million and this would be a massive outlay for quite a small club such as Ipswich. Not many more big money signings could be made after this one, but hopefully they could pick up some Bosman bargains to go with people such as John ...
andybain 14.07.2000
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this is a team quite local to me and after four years of play off failure they have finally made it back to the premiership for the first time since three teams get relegated instead of four. these boys from portman road have their work cut out if they are to stay in the top flight,but they have shown optism early on by getting the lead briefly at white hart lane and earning a draw with the legendrary man u. they have a couple of good players such ...
steveymacca 11.09.2000
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Advantages: Excellent team spirit, attractive passing side Disadvantages: Perhaps need a bigger squad
Ipswich have surprised everyone this season, including themselves infact. After missing out on promotion from the 1st Division Play-Offs three times in a row, it was a case of fourth time lucky for George Burley's boys in blue. But this season, luck has had nothing to do with it - as I write they are in fourth place, and they are so for a reason: teamwork, workrate, movement and passing. Not to mention the fact that in George Burley they have a top-class ... ...to be bold and say Ipswich will stay the course and finish in 4th place. Providing they stay reasonably free of injuries I see no reason why their passing style of play should suddenly stop working and, if they can maintain their excellent away form, a place in Europe is there for the taking.
Prediction: 4th ...
nikeair 15.01.2001 (17.01.2001)
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Advantages: Up the blues Disadvantages: all the others
...It has been said that Ipswich will spend three seasons in the premier league- autumn winter and spring. Watch out we defy all the laws of chance in football and we could surprise a few teams. george Burley has made a few good signings and we have a massive fan base for a small club. So if enthusiasm counts that will see us through to another season with the top guns. We have been here before defying the odds and even surprising the big European boys ...
cabletow 14.08.2000
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Advantages: GOOD TEAM SPIRIT Disadvantages: SMALL CLUB
Who would have thought that Ipswich Town Football Club would have ever reached the dizzy height of THIRD POSITION in the Premiership!!!
Whilst I appreciate that it is still early in the season,this is still quite an achievement.
George Burley seems to be a prodigee of Sir Bobby Robson,one of the greatest football managers of modern times who gave George a tremendous example to build upon.
The objective,this season,is to stay in the Premiership ... ...be a force to be reckoned with at this level.
Drawing with Manchester United--Winning at Leeds,this could not have realistically been predicted.
The title of "TRACTOR BOYS" is a somewhat unpopular one but I AM SURE WE WILL PLOUGH THROUGH THE OPPOSITION AND SOW THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS AND HARVEST THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS!!!!!!!!! ...
maatcat 04.12.2000
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Advantages: Still ahve time to invest in the team Disadvantages: Look a bit weak as a team as they are now
Ipswich definately deserved to get out of division one and have a crack at the Premiership again, but they seem to have done little during the summer to really strenthen their chances of staying up on the top flight, they have a couple of really good players, but like last season they won alot of games, but never really totally killed teams off, which suggests they may struggle when they come up against some tough premiership sides. It would be good ...
andyluk 08.08.2000
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