He shoots, he scores...

Ipswich captain Jason De Vos celebrates a goal against Hull City.

Introduction

Ipswich Town are the most historically successful club in East Anglia.

Although they have flitted between the top two divisions, the club, which plays at Portman Road, has won some of the top prizes in the game.

They were the first club promoted to the highest level to then win the English League Championship in their first season in the top flight in 1961-62.

More silverware followed in 1978 when they beat Arsenal 1-0 to win the FA Cup at Wembley. They followed that up in 1981 by winning the UEFA Cup.

Ipswich have been helped along the way by some of the biggest names in football management.

England World Cup winning manager Sir Alf Ramsey led Town to glory before going on to take the national job.

Sir Bobby Robson also experienced success with Town before taking the reins of England.

Jim Magilton is the current manager and he is trying to take Ipswich back up to the Premier League - although this is not going to happen this season (2006-07).

The club takes pride in its production of home-grown players, with many of them going on to represent their country.

In recent years these have included Kieron Dyer and Richard Wright for England and Lewis Price for Wales.

I'm the boss..

Ipswich manager Jim Magilton casts a critical eye on proceedings at Portman Road.

And there have been occasions in the last couple of years when as many as five or six of the starting eleven have been nurtured through the club's academy.

The team play in front of regular crowds of around 25,000 with the Portman Road ground undergoing a facelift during the past five years.

Gone are the single tier stands behind each goal. They have been replaced by much bigger stands bringing the ground capacity up to 30,000.

Such is the quality of the facilities that Portman Road is now hosting concerts with big name musicians such as Elton John and REM playing live.

Getting to Portman Road

Portman Road
Portman Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DA
(01473) 400500
Official Ipswich Town website

By car
Take the A14 around the perimeter of Ipswich until you reach the A137, which will eventually take you directly past the ground. There are three pay-and-display car parks nearby, and more in the town centre, which is about a ten-minute walk away.

By rail
Portman Road is about a five-minute, quarter-mile walk from Ipswich Station, and the ground is visible from the station. One Railway

By bus
For all bus route inquiries visit Ipswich buses

Useful links

Official Ipswich Town website
Ipswich buses
One Railway