Ipswich Town

I bet you didn’t know there’s a European trophy at Ipswich Town! In fact, if you’re pretty new to this English football thing, you might not know Ipswich Town even exists—because they haven’t been relevant for a while.

The club’s history can best be divided into four segments: the Ramsey days, the Robson days, the malaise, and the more recent dream times.

Ramsey is Sir Alfred, usually just Alf, who took over as manager in 1955 and by 1961 had won the Second Division. Then, in their first-ever top flight season, they won it! This got them into the European Cup, where they lost in the two-legged first round to eventual champions AC Milan, despite beating them at Portman Road. Ramsey left in 1963 to eventually win the 1966 World Cup with England, and he now has a statue and a stand named for him.

The next hero was Sir Bobby Robson, who took over in 1969 and led them to a long run of success, including their only FA Cup (1978 over Arsenal in the Final). For three seasons starting in 1979, they finished third, second and second in the league, and they won the 1980–81 UEFA Cup (basically today’s Europa League). Fun fact: They have never lost a European game at home!

Robson, inevitably, moved on—also to the English national team, whom he took to the semifinals of the World Cup in 1986, and later to great success at Newcastle and Barcelona. He also has a stand and statue honoring him, and there is a wonderful documentary about his life called “Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager”.

Robson left Ipswich in 1982, and over the next 20 years they managed a few seasons in the top tier but won nothing. They slipped into the second tier (then called Division 1, now the Championship) in 2002, and remarkably stayed there for 17 seasons! In 2019, their 63-year run in the top two divisions ended with relegation to League One.

New and mainly American ownership arrived in April 2021, and they have at least spent some money on the stadium. Kieran McKenna was also appointed the new manager in 2021, and after his first full season as manager in 2022–23, Ipswich Town secured promotion back to the Championship after finishing second in League One with a club-record 98 points. Then they just went and did it again, finishing second last season to make the Premier League for 2024–25! They also became only the fifth club in English football history to secure back-to-back promotions to get to the Premier League. They thus became only the fifth club in English football history to secure back-to-back promotions to get to the Premier League. That they finished 19th and were relegated again was not a complete surprise.

The club also has one of the funnier nicknames around: the Tractor Boys. This apparently started in the 2000–01 season, when they were in the Premier League and beat Leeds United, whose supporters shot back about the agricultural scene in Suffolk. Being British, they took on the insult, and it’s been Tractor Boys ever since. Their fierce East Anglian derby with Norwich City is sometimes called the Combine Clasico or the Old Farm, a play on the Rangers-Celtic “Old Firm” in Scotland.

2024–25 SEASON: 19th in Premier League (relegated), 5th Round FA Cup, 2nd Round League Cup

2025–26 SEASON: Championship (relegated in 2025)

As noted, it’s all about Norwich City, essentially the only major club anywhere near them. Another factor here is that they are each in a different county, so most of their fans don’t know any of the others. So it is county versus county with few friendships mixed in. It is, in a word, tribal, somehow made more so because no one outside of either county cares at all who wins.

Another reason for the enmity: they are evenly matched. As of 2024, in 152 meetings since 1902, it’s 60 wins for Ipswich Town, 60 for Norwich City, and 32 draws. It’s back on for this season, as well.

East Anglian Derby: Norwich City vs Ipswich Town

I love a derby day. It’s the peak experience of watching English soccer. And the East Anglian Derby featuring Norwich City vs Ipswich Town is a lesser know example (outside of England anyway) of a proper rivalry. This post was...

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Last season, the Ipswich Town Women are in the FA Women’s National League Southern Division meaning they will be in the Women’s Super League 2 this season. Home games are at the Martello Ground, home of Felixstowe & Walton United.

Nothing in particular we noticed

It’s not often one walks out of a train station and is greeted by the sight of the local football ground, but this is another good aspect of seeing a game at Ipswich Town. The long sides look positively old school, with the Cobbold Stand (named for former owners) built in 1971 and the West Stand in 1957, although updated in 1990. Behind each goal, the Ramsey and Robson Stands are more modern but still go back to 2001.

At around 30,000 seats, Portman Road feels close in and cozy, with old-fashioned touches all over. Behind the West Stand is a large fan zone with food, beer and live music.

Away fans will be in the Cobbold Stand, over towards the Ramsey Stand. So if you want a good view of them, go for the West Stand; if you want to be among the jumpers and shouters, they are in the Robson Stand, especially the eastern end of the lower tier.

TOURS: None 

It’s a 10-minute walk from the main rail station. You can go from Liverpool Street Station in London to the Portman Road turnstiles in about 90 minutes.

PUBS: The Station Hotel is, you guessed it, right by the station on the River Orwell—and yes, this is where Eric Blair, aka George Orwell, got his pen name. That’s the main away supporters’ pub. Over in the redeveloped waterfront along Neptune Marina, there’s a cool-looking old pub called Isaac’s on the Quay. The glass-enclosed, heated domes on the porch can be booked in advance. In town between there and the ground, look for the modern Brianbank, the 17th-century Lord Nelson Inn, and small, quaint Spread Eagle. Right by the ground, the big modern Curve will be packed with Tractor Boys.

GRUB: There are several places to eat over in the Neptune Marina, including a restaurant on a boat called Mariners.

AROUND TOWN: Ipswich is said to be a center for the arts, and it’s a highly-rated place to live for being clean, affordable, and just over an hour by train from central London. But aside from the Neptune Marina, a short walk through the old town, a few pubs and the football ground, even the locals didn’t have much to say about what else to do in town.

Groundhopping at Ipswich Town FC

A lot of English people look at me kind of funny when I say things like, “I really enjoyed seeing a game at Ipswich Town.” But it’s true! I genuinely like places like Portman Road, where history trumps glamour and...

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