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Club history

Ipswich Town Football Club was founded in 1878 as an amateur side and remained amateur for nearly six decades. The club turned professional in 1936 and was elected to the Football League in 1938, joining the Third Division South — the third tier of English football at the time. They have played their home matches at Portman Road throughout, and remain the only fully professional football club in Suffolk.

Key dates

The Alf Ramsey years

Ipswich won the Third Division South title in 1953–54 under manager Scott Duncan, but were relegated straight back the following season. Alf Ramsey — later Sir Alf, and later still the manager who won England the 1966 World Cup — took charge in 1955 with no prior managerial experience. In his second season he led Ipswich to the Third Division South title again, in 1956–57. The rise continued: Second Division champions in 1960–61, then, remarkably, First Division (top-flight) champions in 1961–62 — Ipswich's first season ever in the top division, and to date the club's only English league title. Ramsey left in 1963 to manage England, and Ipswich were relegated the following season.

The Bobby Robson years

Ipswich returned to the First Division as Second Division champions in 1967–68 under Bill McGarry. Bobby Robson — later Sir Bobby — was appointed manager in 1969 and built one of the most admired sides in the club's history. Robson's Ipswich won the FA Cup in 1978, beating Arsenal 1–0 in the final, and the UEFA Cup in 1981, Ipswich's only European trophy. The side also finished First Division runners-up in both 1980–81 and 1981–82, and were unbeaten at home in European competition throughout, defeating sides including Real Madrid, AC Milan, Internazionale and Barcelona along the way. Robson left in 1982 to manage England.

The modern era

Ipswich won the old Second Division title again in 1991–92, earning a place in the inaugural FA Premier League the following season. After relegation in 1995, they returned to the top flight via the play-offs in 2000, coming from behind to beat Barnsley 4–2 in the final at the old Wembley Stadium. Under George Burley, the club finished a remarkable fifth in the Premier League in 2000–01 and qualified for the UEFA Cup.

The following years saw the club move between the Premier League and the second tier, before relegation to League One in 2019. Under Kieran McKenna, Ipswich won League One in 2023 and secured promotion back to the Premier League in 2024 — back-to-back promotions for the first time since the Alf Ramsey era.

Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and the club's history article. See the about page for full source credits.