Nine games is a very long time in a season, but what a change in fortune the last nine have had for Ipswich Town and indeed, a previously beleaguered Paul Jewell.
When I finished my last blog, basking in the light of a superb 5-1 home win over West Ham, I promised another entry before the Hull City away trip on March 10. Unfortunately, external factors have limited my blogging opportunities as well as my chances to watch Town in action.
Thankfully, Town have been less than tardy in going about their business of late and the recent run of results (one defeat in nine) is a welcome relief to the Blue and White faithful, who it’s fair to say have endured somewhat of a frustrating few seasons.
While the recent upturn in form means Championship status appears secure for another season, some fans will be wondering yet again, how has this club underachieved in a division where it should realistically be challenging the top six?
The last ten games will be accompanied by the all-too-recently-familiar “playing for league position end of season pride” feeling. Perhaps the explanation for another year of mid-to-lower-table obscurity lies at the feet of the club’s management. What are Paul Jewell and his backroom staff not doing to identify the players and coaches with the potential to take the team back to the top flight?
Or perhaps, the fans should take a portion of the blame? Continued home attendances averaging around 18,000 in a 30,000 capacity stadium can hardly do much for creating an atmosphere or inspiring the players. Those who continually stay away – and this includes me for reasons such as distance and financial constraints – will quite rightly argue little has been done to entice them back to Portman Road more regularly.
This farcical situation reared its head last month during the abandoned Middlesbrough home game when the mid-winter temperatures plummeted to record lows. Quite rightly the game was called off, but the way in which Chief Executive Simon Clegg handled the refund policy in the days after was shameful.
I went to that game along with a group of five others, who were all flabbergasted to hear they would have to pay again to watch the rearranged fixture. This looks like being my last visit to Portman Road this season and it’s hardly one I will hold fondly among the memories of the last 20 years of watching the club. Sadly, Ipswich will face Boro on Tuesday March 27 for the new date in an even more subdued atmosphere, as no doubt dozens others like myself can’t get to the game or are unwilling to shell out even more for the privilege.
Going back to the question about Paul Jewell and his long-term strategy for the side, how much more will he be backed by the owners this summer in the transfer market? This presuming he is still in the job beyond the end of the season – remember how Jim Magilton was jettisoned so abruptly by Marcus Evans?
A huge turnover of players has taken place in the last four seasons and there are hardly any survivors from the pre-Roy Keane days. Some new additions this season have been a success like Michael Chopra, others hit and miss, such as Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and the rest, complete flops, in the form of former Wigan striker Nathan Ellington.
However, what has been central to the upturn in form since late January has been the resurgence of players from the pre-Jewell days. Lee Martin, Luke Hyam and Tommy Smith are three of those who’ve rediscovered their form and taken their respective opportunities to nail down regular places in the starting line-up. Add another name to that list in Andy Drury – scorer of some superb goals of late – but still you’ve only got one of Jewell’s signings making a significant impact.
It’s been a torrid 14 months in the job for Jewell really, form has never been conistent, the defence has been far from secure and he has arguably avoided the sack by 45 minutes on at least two occasions. Come May, will the mysterious Marcus Evans decide to part company with him and plump for another candidate? Or, having learned his lesson from the ill-fated Roy Keane experiment, will he stick with the man in the hot seat for one more season?
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town blogger
Take a look at the date of my last blog entry and you’ll quickly realise it coincided with Ipswich’s 5-3 win over Barnsley on December 10.
You’d been well within your rights to chant at me: “you only blog when you’re winning”. But, the honest truth is I’ve been holding off posting for the last six weeks as there’s been so many elements to the soap opera of this season, you’re just never sure if you’ll keep up with the latest twist in the plot.
Since that crazy second-half display at Oakwell, Town followed it up with an unconvincing 1-0 win against Derby, but then had to wait another eight games to record their next three points, an equally ridiculous 5-1 home win against league leaders West Ham.
Between those two headline-grabbing performances though have been some real concerning and alarm-ringing episodes both on and off the field. Where do you start? Paul Jewell’s ill-judged comments towards assistant referee Amy Fearn after the late defeat to Birmingham at St Andrews or the series of shocking defensive lapses to surrender winning positions against Blackpool and Leeds?
The answer is they’ve all contributed to possibly the lowest confidence rating among fans for more than 25 years. In the same week Simon Grayson has lost his job at Leeds United, it still astounds a significant number of Town supporters that Paul Jewell has survived in his post this long.
Personally, I would’ve sacked him after the defeat at Birmingham and the media frenzy that followed the next morning from his “to a man, but not a woman” comment.
I felt at that point in time, he had lost all ability to instill confidence in his players and that luck was clearly not going to be on his side. Those who watched that game will rightly tell you Ipswich dominated for long periods and were more than worthy of three points. The following game at Elland Road saw Town take a first-half lead then capitulate with three howling errors to give the hosts a 3-1 win. At this point, I couldn’t see a way he could possibly continue as manager. Before all this, Town had also managed to allow Forest to score their only six goals in nine games. Truly embarrassing.
But then, out of the blue, from as right field as right fields go, an astounding 5-1 rout of West Ham.
How the hell did this happen? Speak to regulars who watch home and away and they’ll tell you it’s down to selecting a group of players hungry to prove themselves when handed the opportunity. Luke Hyam, Andy Drury and Tommy Smith are just three players who’ve been out-of-favour for long periods, but now appear to be thriving on the chance of a continued run in the side.
In fact, Drury has been nothing short of inspirational since his return from a loan spell at Crawley. The League Two side seemed extremely keen to keep hold of him and it’s not hard to see why.
The midfielder played a key part in the build-up to the goals against West Ham and has also found the back of the net against Leeds. Hyam, given his first chance in a blue shirt by Roy Keane last season and then quickly discarded, is back in the engine room of midfield and this week earning himself a one-year contract extension.
Smith, for a long time on the fringes as a centre back, has undoubted potential and looks like being ready to take responsibility in the absence of other talismanic figures in the squad.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas finally looks to have found time to stop tweeting and start scoring, inspiration no doubt for his much-anticipated collaboration with pop pal Chipmunk!
Sadly, Town could not renogotiate loan deals to bring back either Keith Andrews or Danny Collins, but I’m sure all fans wish the pair well as they move on to their respective new challenges. The sole capture this transfer window of midfielder Ryan Stevenson from Hearts will have disappointed many, especially when other deals seemed so close to happening right up to the final few hours. But, the West Ham win shows we have the players in the squad for a fight and a fight it will continue to be with relegation still a huge threat.
I just hope our next win comes well before the next blog entry, otherwise I’ll be writing to you again when we’ve scraped a win at Hull on March 10!
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town blogger
It’s less than 24 hours since I and many thousands of other Ipswich fans witnessed a comeback bigger than Lazarus on live television against Barnsley.
Understandably, I was a bit delirious after seeing an astonishing 45 minutes in which Town scored five goals. For a brief period, they were exhibiting the skills and finesse of Real Madrid and Barcelona, who followed Ipswich on the listings later that night.
But, now that we’ve had a night of celebrating a memorable win and also pinched ourselves on the Sunday morning to realise it did actually happen, let’s disect what’s gone on since mid-October to see the club go on their worst run in sixteen years.
Saturday’s 5-3 win at Oakwell was a bit of a farce when you break it down. At half-time, Ipswich were 2-0 down and probably should’ve been behind by more. They looked rudderless, low on confidence and devoid of ideas. We probably all thought Paul Jewell had 45 minutes left in charge of the club as he trudged off down the tunnel in front of the travelling supporters.
Whatever he said at half-time or perhaps, whatever some of the players said, worked a trick.
Here is where I put the dampners on the win again. Keith Andrews and Danny Collins scored the first three of the five goals in that comeback. Both will soon end their loan spells at the club and when they do, will leave huge holes in an already fragile line-up.
Added to that was the indecision shown by another loan signing, David Stockdale. When you’re away from home, on a terrible run of form with a leaky defence in front of you, the last thing you need to do is give away a silly penalty. The defending for Barnsley’s second goal was also non-existent and schoolboy-esque. First Carlos Edwards failed to track his man and then Lee Bowyer wanders off the post to allow Ricardo Vaz Te the chance to head past a stranded keeper.
In a 45 minute window, that summed up the problems Ipswich have had over the last eight games. The defence is bar far the worst in the division, there are some creaking bodies out there in terms of age and despite some signs of talismen emerging – Andrews and Collins head this list – we are yet to find someone who can organise and lead this team consistently.
Saturday’s three points were a huge relief, but it’s hard to ignore the rapid descent since Ipswich’s previous win some 55 days earlier. Paul Jewell still has an immense job on his hands convincing a large element of supporters he is the man for the job and that his team selections show signs of progressive, solid football and not a collection of big names who look good on paper.
There’s a long way to go to pull ourselves out of the mire and I sincerely hope we didn’t just witness a flash in the pan on Saturday evening.
OK, so I’ve dished out some negatives in this blog, now for some positives. What a response by 11 players in blue and white in the second half at Barnsley and some well-crafted goals to boot. Considering Barnsley have been on a tremendous run recently, their capitulation was even more astounding.
Jason Scotland had possibly his best 45 minutes in an Ipswich shirt. His hold-up play and confidence to run at defenders with the ball was exemplary. He capped off a fine performance with the last goal and was my man of the match.
Alongside him, Michael Chopra continued his knack of scoring important goals and his finish for 4-2 oozed real confidence and belief.
So, for now the nightmare is over. We can all look forward to the next game with a bit of excitement, rather than trepidation. Christmas certainly came early at Oakwell, but let’s hope it can continue for a few more weeks yet.
UP THE TOWN!
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town blogger
Wind the clock back just three weeks to mid-October and everything was looking rosy in the Ipswich Town garden on the back of a six-match unbeaten run with a starting eleven who remained unchanged throughout.
But, three matches and three defeats later the team suddenly look woefully short of depth, ideas and a creative spark.
October began positively with a come-from-behind win at home to Brighton, followed a couple of weeks later by an encouraging and slightly unfortunate draw at Cardiff – a dubious handball decision for a penalty while 2-1 ahead making it two points dropped, rather than a point gained.
A less than convincing 1-0 home win against Portsmouth came next, but fans weren’t so bothered as signs Ipswich were becoming a “win when not playing well” side were emerging.
Sadly, as I hinted rather pessimistically in my previous up-tempo blog at the end of September, injuries (where do you start? Mainly Ibrahima Sonko) – absence for personal reasons in Michael Chopra and suspensions to the likes of Aaron Cresswell have coincided with a dip in form that’s seen defeats at the hands of Crystal Palace, Millwall and Doncaster and a drop from 6th to 14th in the table.
Breaking up the midfield diamond quartet of Jimmy Bullard, Lee Bowyer, Keith Andrews and Grant Leadbitter has illustrated the team’s lack of depth and adequate cover. That goes for not just the midfield, but all over the park, as the likes of Nathan Ellington, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Ivar Ingimarsson have yet to make their mark when handed an opportunity.
Added to that, question marks now hang over the gang of players aged 30+ and if they can keep up with the pace and tempo of a Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday playing schedule.
While this has happened, fans have had to revise their expectations for the rest of the season. Paul Jewell has come out and said this is a “work in progress” side and promotion this campaign may not be the ultimate aim. This might not sit comfortably with some supporters, but it does have an element of sense.
Firstly, losing seven games out of fifteen is certainly not promotion form. To elaborate, since the start of 2011 when Jewell took over, Ipswich have gone from the midst of a relegation scrap to having improving top-half prospects. The last three games have shown they are still searching for the right blend of faces and more importantly, those strong enough to press the first-choice eleven and be up to the task when they step in.
Some fans might not share his long-term vision though. After all, Ipswich are the second longest serving side in the division behind Coventry and mid-table-obscurity has been the tale of too many recent seasons.
Without doubt, there are at least ten sides on their day in the Championship who could contest the promotion and play-off places. Breaking into that promised land might need to be the first aim for Paul Jewell’s men before looking to stretch their ambitions somewhat higher.
Back to matters closer to hand and while the last international break may well have come at a bad time, with the side in the midst of a good run, this next one might just have happened at the right time. The Blues need Sonko back and fully fit, Bullard to knuckle down and work harder on his match fitness and more time on the training ground to find tactics and formations which can threaten the pace and confidence of younger, more energetic sides.
The rest of November sees Ipswich travel first to Nottingham Forest, still very much a side coming to terms with dramatic changes, then a home encounter against an always dangerous Reading, rounded off with a midweek trip to Burnley.
Three games to show how the club can bounce back from some poor results, but three games that will test the team’s still fragile defence.
Finally, it would be wrong of me not to pay tribute to the tremendous gesture shown by fellow Town supporters during the defeat to Doncaster when Billy Sharp scored the visitors’ second goal of the game. Paul Jewell’s made no secret Sharp has been and still is on his wish list, but whatever might have transpired before paled into obscurity when we all learnt of the tragic death of his two-day-old son.
His choices and affinity to Rovers went out of the window both during that game and when he scored in the game before against Middlesbrough.
The applause and subsequent standing ovation he received at Portman Road clearly touched Sharp as his poignant post-match interview on the Football League Show revealed. It also served as a timely reminder that after all, football is just a game and life and death are far more important.
UP THE TOWN!
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town blogger
Calm down, I’m not about to get all Shirley Bassey on you, I’m just going to wax lyrical about Paul Jewell’s latest tactical masterstroke.
Ipswich Town have gone from defensive clowns to rigid midfield generals during September. Jimmy Bullard, Keith Andrews, Lee Bowyer and Grant Leadbitter have been instrumental in a month that’s seen two wins, a draw and a defeat, but more significantly, three clean sheets in a row.
While you might read those four names together and question why they are all occupying the same team sheet, worry not. Their four-pronged partnership has lifted spirits both on and off the field, as well as lifting the side up the table.
Added to this, the central defensive partnership of Ibrahima Sonko and Danny Collins has given Town another sheet of steel. It’s a far cry from the horror week in August when 12 goals were shipped in the space of two games against Southampton and Peterborough.
Personally I had my doubts when Bullard, Bowyer, Andrews and Leadbitter lined up alongside each other for the first time, but the level of understanding between them in the midfield diamond appeared almost telepathic at times away to West Ham this week. What’s even more impressive is how full backs Aaron Cresswell and Carlos Edwards bomb on and push forward into the wide spaces ahead of them, even away from home.
Lets not forget that the midfield four have also chipped in with goals. Andrews has three to his name and Bowyer has now silenced the critics in the perfect way, by netting a thoroughly deserved late winner against his old club West Ham to cap off a stellar individual performance.
Perhaps the biggest task on Paul Jewell’s hands now is keeping everyone in his squad happy. The likes of Lee Martin and Josh Carson are surplus to requirements in the current system, but need time on the pitch to keep on their toes and feel part of the bigger picture. Sometimes the diamond won’t work, some sides will come up against us, home and away, and have the capacity to counter our system. Brighton this coming Saturday could well be one of those, so what’s Paul Jewell’s plan B you might ask?
Also, how likely is it that the experienced heads (and legs) of Bullard and Bowyer will last the pace of three games in a week? At times during the West Ham win, we looked a little leggy, but eventually weathered the storm. Sharper, hungrier players could pick apart those lethargic moments and lapses in concentration.
The only other issue which niggles at the back of my mind and most likely, many other Town supporters, is the fear on-loan keeper David Stockdale could return to Fulham at the drop of a hat.
The highly-rated number 1 has impressed so far between the sticks, but Mark Schwarzer’s age and fragility means Martin Jol could trigger the 24-hour recall clause in his contract and draft Stockdale back into his Craven Cottage squad. Hopefully, that won’t have to happen and Stocko can continue to enhance his growing reputation in an Ipswich shirt rather than a Fulham one.
Fingers crossed, Steve Kean and Tony Pulis won’t be dialling Paul Jewell’s mobile to beg for Keith Andrews and Danny Collins to return amidst an injury crisis.
But, enough worrying about uncontrollable variables and time to reflect on a job well done in September. It’s important the momentum continues into October, starting at home to a Brighton side who will be desperate to respond to their shock home defeat to Palace this week.
The weeks ahead include tricky trips to Cardiff and Millwall, but also very winnable home games against Palace and Portsmouth.
My hopes for October include more goals for a hard-working Michael Chopra, a continued resurgence in form from Jason Scotland and another set of strong away performances.
A few more clean sheets wouldn’t go amiss either.
UP THE TOWN!
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town Blogger
So five games into the new football season and what have we learnt as Ipswich fans?
Well, firstly Paul Jewell is a far more successful purchaser of players than Roy Keane ever was and secondly Ibrahima Sonko is soon going to have the best website ever created.
The first month of this season has been a curious one, where it’s fair to say more questions have been posed than answered. Remember that balmy Saturday afternoon in August when we basked in the glory of being top of the league? Well you should do, it was only three weeks ago, yet in that time the joy of Michael Chopra’s opening day double at Ashton Gate has been diluted by a flood of goals at the wrong end.
The embarassment of being pulverised in front of the Sky cameras by an overweight Peterborough striker in Lee Tomlin and your team almost lambasted by their own manager in the post-match interviews was unbearable. Thankfully, I was a guest at a friend’s wedding that afternoon so didn’t have to endure the torture of the 7-1 humiliation in my own living room. I dread to think how the faithful who watched it in the flesh were feeling on their return.
Days earlier, Southampton made us look like schoolboys as their confident squad ran rings aroud our dazzled “defenders” in a 5-2 demolition. But, we had shown some signs of fight in that game to come back from 3-0 down to 3-2, before our lack of steel was exposed yet again.
This was of course preceded by a 1-0 defeat at home to Hull when reports claimed we created few clear cut chances.
All the while, panic has been setting in from some quarters of the support. But, how badly did we need a scrappy 2-1 win against Leeds to stave off the doom merchants before the international break?
All in all, Paul Jewell has now brought in 11 new faces over the summer and before the end of the transfer window including the likes of Michael Chopra, Lee Bowyer, Nathan Ellington, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Keith Andrews, David Stockdale and many people’s returning Messiah, Jimmy Bullard.
An impressive haul when looked at on its own, but when you consider the strength in depth squads now have in the Championhip, it’s essential in order to compete at the right end of the table.
Some of the additions have worked well, others less so, but when you introduce that many new faces into a side, it will take time for them to bed in.
If new man Ivar Ingimarrsson can get himself fit for a month of tough tests in September, we’ll have the makings of a rigid set of central defenders with Delaney and Sonko. One imagines one, if not both, of Tamas Priskin and Jason Scotland will leave before the deadline passes, but at least Jason might have at least raised his asking price with a belter of an equaliser against Leeds.
We now have experience and goal-scoring potential in Bowyer, Bullard and Andrews (it’s three goals in three for the Republic of Ireland man) and hopefully Daryl Murphy’s second loan spell at Portman Road will prove equally as prolific as his first the season before last.
So lets keep the faith, back the squad and the manager. This isn’t going to be an overnight fix and every side’s season has its peaks and troughs. Hopefully the scrappy nature of the win against Leeds will have done something to lift the malaise of the home support and get the nerves off the players’ backs.
In Paul Jewell we trust!
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town Blogger
I’ve written about the ins and outs of Jimmy Bullard’s Hull City career more times than I care to remember. Well not anymore I won’t be.
His move to Ipswich Town was finally, thankfully, sealed today. While City fans breathe a sigh of relief, Town fans will look to their new player and pray he helps them out of their current shocking start to the season.
Rather than review, yet again, his time with the Tigers, here is the blog that I came up with in January when he was first loaned out to the Suffolk side:
I wanted to write a lengthy blog here, detailing Jimmy Bullard’s Hull City career, giving a full rundown of the highs and lows.
But when I set my mind to it I realised he really wasn’t deserving of it, or of my time.
Had City signed a player called Joe Bloggs, unheard of, from the lower leagues, and he had gone on to make 18 starts in two years, scoring six goals, what would I write about him? Probably not a lot.
There is so much to discuss about Bullard – the contract, the knees, the hair, the jokes, the brawl-in-the-park, the goal celebration – but it’s all been said before, in lengthy detail.
So here, in short, is my synopsis of Jimmy Bullard’s Hull City career…
We signed him, we celebrated.
He played, he got crocked.
We waited, he waited.
He came back, he was immense.
We loved him, he loved us.
He got crocked, we waited again.
He came back, he wasn’t the same.
We went down, he wouldn’t go.
He collected his money, we paid for his drinks, clothes, cars, new house.
He played, we were over him.
He left, we shrugged.
Ipswich fans, I really hope you get to see the best of Bullard. His range of passing, striking of a ball, marshalling of midfield, all contribute to make him, on his day, potentially the best player in the Championship.
Written by Marcus Dysch, We Are Going Up’s Hull City Blogger
After Peterborough United’s 7-1 demolition job over Ipswich Town on Saturday, it is only fitting that this week’s top ten takes a look at some other big victories in Football League history.
Football is all about putting the ball into the opposition’s net and the vast majority of league fixtures will be settled by a couple of goals at the most. Sometimes there are dull, drab affairs with little goalmouth action, however occasionally there are matches which go against the norm.
Defences go walkabout while attacking sides run riot, having the sort of goal-gluttinous day they can only dream about. One goal quickly turns to two, two to three, three to four…..you get the picture. As one team bangs them in, the other looks on in bemusement and suffers complete embarassment. Such games go down in folklore – for the winning team anyway. Here’s ten memorable games from the Football League where one of the sides involved went goal-crazy:
10: Portsmouth 6 Leicester City 1 2010
Seven games into last season, both Portsmouth and Leicester found themselves nestled at the wrong end of the Championship table. Pompey, under new boss Steve Cotterill, were attempting to rebuild after Premier League relegation months before, amid financial woes which saw Cotterill working with a small, depleted squad. Leicester, having finished in the play-off spots the season before also had a new man in charge, Paolo Sousa, but the Portugese only picked up five points from his first seven matches and it was about to get worse for The Foxes.
Having beaten Pompey in the Carling Cup a few days previously, Leicester stayed on the South Coast ahead of this Friday night fixture, which got off to a bad start as centre-back Michael Morrison handled the ball in the box ten minutes in, Liam Lawrence converting the resulting penalty. Lawrence added a second twelve minutes before the break and as the teams headed off at half-time with the score 2-0, few could have predicted what would happen during the next 45 minutes.
Thirteen minutes into the second half David Nugent’s finish from a tight angle made it 3-0 then the striker turned provider for Dave Kitson, as he set up the former Reading man who netted with a chipped effort. Down to ten men after Migel Vitor rugby-tackled Nugent during the first period, Leicester’s defending went array follwoing Steve Howard’s consolation goal for 4-1. Kitson grabbed his second after the Foxes failed to clear a corner and then Michael Brown went on a sauntering run from midfield before slotting home from an acute angle to make the score 6-1. Leicester were humbled and Sousa was axed not long after with former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson arriving to steer the East Midlanders to mid-table safety come the end of the season.
9: Burnley 2 Sheffield Wednesday 7 2003
This game involved a side already relegated from Division One. Neutrals looking at the scoreline would’ve thought that team were Burnley, instead it was Sheffield Wednesday, doomed to the drop, who would sign off their campaign in the second tier with a thumping victory at Turf Moor.
Paul McLaren opened the scoring for the visitors with a long-range effort which Burnley goalkeeper Nic Michopoulous failed to save. Two minutes later Ashley Westwood added a second with a close-range tap-in from the brilliantly named Brian Barry-Murphy’s left-wing cross. It got worse for the hosts as Ian Moore was sent off on 21 minutes for a cynical challenge on Barry-Murphy.
Defender Richard Wood made it 3-0 to Wednesday, his first senior goal coming as he volleyed home Grant Holt’s header. Burnley manager Stan Ternent hauled off Michopoulous, replacing him with sub-goalie Marlon Beresford. The Clarets pulled one back through a Robbie Blake penalty but the substitution failed to stem the flow of goals. A minute after the break, Richard Evans beat Beresford with a cross-cum-shot from 35 yards before Blake pegged The Owls back again with a left-footed drive.
Chris Turner’s side quickly restored their three goal advantage as Steven Haslam scored from Alan Quinn’s free-kick and within seven minutes they had another. Burnley’s French defender Artur Gnohere put Grant Holt’s cross past his own goalkeeper before Wednesday set the seal on their performance as Quinn hit an excellent 30-yard drive past Beresford for an unexpected 7-2 away win.
8: Oldham Athletic 1 Cardiff City 7 2002
In the 2001/02 season both Oldham Athletic and Cardiff City were gunning for promotion from Division Two and the sides met at Boundary Park in March 2002, where Cardiff sent out a real statement of intent, leaving their hosts stunned.
It was a nightmare return to the Latics for veteran Scottish goalkeeper Andy Goram. He played for the club between 1981 and 1987 and was brought in by boss Mick Wadsworth to resolve a goalkeeping crisis, which he could not solve as he shipped seven goals. Scott Young put the Bluebirds ahead early on before Leo Fortune-West and Peter Thorne gave them a 3-0 lead after just 23 minutes.
Andy Campbell made it four half an hour in before Oldham’s Matty Appleby was sent off making his side’s day even worse. Fortune-West hit the fifth and his second of the afternoon just before half-time and after the break striker Campbell completed his hat-trick, netting in the 64th and 73rd minutes. Stuart Balmer pulled a goal back for Oldham, a mere consolation sixteen minutes from the end which did little to hide the total embarassment his side suffered.
7: Nottingham Forest 7 Swindon Town 1 2006
After Nottingham Forest suffered relegation into League One in 2005 they struggled to adapt to life in the third tier under manager Gary Megson. A series of humbling defeats at the likes of Yeovil and Oldham saw Megson leave by mutual consent in February with the team 13th in the table, four points off relegation. Assistant manager Frank Barlow and coach Ian McParland jointly took charge until the end of the season and resided over an fantastic run which nearly saw the Reds reach the playoffs as they won 8, drew 4 and lost 1 of the pair’s 13 games in charge. The highlight came during their second match in the dugout as the Reds ran riot against Swindon Town.
Nicky Southall bagged a hat-trick as the Reds stuck seven past their visitors at the City Ground, Southall opening the scoring just three minutes in with a half-volley which flew into the top corner. Wes Morgan and Ian Breckin nodded home corners to make the score 3-0 before the half-hour mark. After the break Swindon continued to ship goals as Forest’s passing football and the pace of Nathan Tyson down the left stretched them, Southall heading home his second goal before rifling home from close-range to complete his hat-trick. Morgan scored his second from another corner before Jerel Ifil received his marching orders for Swindon.
Football League journeyman Trevor Benjamin netted a consolation for The Robins, but Forest finished off the rout as Jack Lester’s deflected effort looped into the net to complete a memorable afternoon’s football for the Reds.
6: Preston North End 6 Cardiff City 0 2009
Two teams hoping to secure Championship play-off spots met at Deepdale in April 2009 and while the result may not have instantly affected Cardiff’s chances of a top-six finish, come the end of the season they would go on to rue their heavy defeat.
Neil Mellor opened the scoring on 17 minutes as his strike deflected into the net off Cardiff defender Roger Johnson then made it two on 41 as he got the final touch to another deflected effort, this time from captain Paul McKenna. Billy Jones then conceded a penalty, offering the Bluebirds a chance to get back into the game, but Ross McCormack saw his spot-kick superbly saved by Andy Lonergan.
In the second half Jon Parkin made it 3-0 as he raced onto Mellor’s pass and slotted a composed finish beyond the on-rushing Stuart Taylor and Mellor contributed to Preston’s fourth as his cross was headed into his own net by Mark Kennedy. Mellor was soon replaced but the goals kept coming as sub Chris Brown headed a fifth with fifteen minutes to go and Lee Williamson completed the scoring, making it a 6-0 thrashing four minutes from the end.
On the final day of the season Preston beat QPR 2-1 while Cardiff lost 1-0 against Sheffield Wednesday leaving the two sides level on points and a goal difference each of +12. By virtue of goals scored it was Preston who occupied the final play-off place having scored 66 goals to Cardiff’s 65 – an agonising near miss from Dave Jones’ men courtesy of that 6-0 defeat.
5: Millwall 1 Watford 6 2010
Newly-promoted Millwall went into this Championship encounter against Watford proudly defending a ten month unbeaten record at home. Ironic then that their defenders went missing as the Hornets racked up an unexpected five-goal win at the New Den in September last year.
John Eustace bundled home Don Cowie’s corner after seven minutes to give Watford the lead, which Jordon Mutch extended six minutes later, lashing the ball into the back of David Forde’s net after seeing his first effort blocked. Marvin Sordell’s left-footed effort rolled over the line two minutes into first-half stoppage time leaving Millwall 3-0 down at the break.
Nine minutes after the restart another Cowie corner was not dealt with by the Lions and Adrian Mariappa took advantage, heading Watford into a four goal lead. Liam Trotter reduced it to three two minutes later but that was as good as it got for the hosts, Danny Graham rifling a powerful finish into the top corner to restore the four goal cushion for Malky Mackay’s side. They got a sixth in added time as Martin Taylor directed a header low into the bottom corner to compound Millwall’s misery.
4: Peterborough United 7 Ipswich Town 1 2011
Darren Ferguson returned to London Road midway through last season and steered them to promotion via the League One play-offs. He’s done it before in 2009 but as was well-publicised, he left the club a few games into the Championship season which saw Posh relegated amid a host of managerial changes. You sense the club has learned from that experience, Ferguson too from his unsuccessful time as Preston boss and all parties are better for it now. At the weekend they hosted Paul Jewell’s Ipswich Town and blew them away with a performance which has made the rest of the league sit up and take notice. The loss of 35-goal man Craig Mackail-Smith to Brighton left some fearing whether Posh would have the firepower to compete in the second tier but with Paul Taylor, Lee Tomlin, and Grant McCann finding the net they have goals in the team. It was the visitors who went in front though as midfielder Keith Andrews slammed a 25-yard effort in off the post. Paul Taylor levelled with a fine volley from the edge of the area and Tomlin made it 2-1, chesting down a lofted ball forward, skillfully turning away from his marker and hitting an excellent shot into the far top corner. Taylor then pounced on a loose ball and sprinted away from the Ipswich defenders before slotting a composed finish past goalkeeper David Stockdale. Soon it was 4-1 as Tomlin grabbed his second, running onto McCann’s superb through ball and cooly rolling the ball through the ‘keeper’s legs.
Ipswich winger Lee Martin then saw red for a rash challenge on Mark Little and the controversial decisions continued as, 71 seconds after the break, Town subsitute Tommy Smith was sent off for bringing down Tomlin in the D, outside the penalty area. Despite that, the referee gave a penalty which McCann stepped up and scored with applom. Ten minutes after the break it was six as Lee Frecklington’s low cross was converted, via a deflection, by McCann for his second. In injury time the impressive Tomlin completed his hat-trick, following up on his cleared effort to make it 7-1, leaving Ipswich boss Paul Jewell reflecting on what he called an ‘embarassing’ defeat.
3: Hartlepool United 1 Plymouth Argyle 8 1994
This Third Division clash in May 1994 saw a relegated side host a promoted one and the gulf in class was easy to see, Plymouth Argyle thrashing United as they looked forward to a place in the third tier. Dwight Marshall set the visitors on their way with a 29th minute strike and Steve McCall added a second ten minutes later. Richard Landon and Paul Dalton made it 4-0 at half-time and there was no let-up after the break as Landon hit number 5. Steve Castle added yet another goal before Hartlepool midfielder Nicky Peverell grabbed a consolation effort with 20 minutes remaining. Landon completed his hat-trick on 77 minutes to restore Argyle’s six goal advantage and midfielder Paul Dalton completed the scoring with a minute to go, as the Devon side racked up a remarkable 8-1 away win.
2: Crewe Alexandra 8 Cheltenham Town 1 2010
One of the stand-out performances in the Football League last year came at the Alexandra Stadium as Crewe Alexandra decimated visitors Cheltenham, hitting eight goals as they chased a play-off place.
Clayton Donaldson opened the scoring for the hosts four minutes in, slotting home from Shaun Miller’s pass. The latter then added the second as he tapped in from Danny Shelley’s pass before Shelley laid on the third for Donaldson. Joel Grant made it four just before half-time and Cheltenham pulled one back after the break, Wesley Thomas with a close-range finish. Alexandra midfielder Ashley Westwood scored his side’s fifth as he converted Matt Tootle’s cross and Donaldson completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Steve Elliott handled in the area. Grant scored his second with a tap in and got his own treble with two minutes remaining as he netted Crewe’s second penalty of the match, awarded following a trip on Donaldson in the area. It would be a long trip home south for the travelling Cheltenham fans.
1: Norwich City 1 Colchester United 7 2009
As Norwich City began life in the third tier for the first time in half a century, no one could have predicted their opening day result at home to Colchester United as the visitors secured a memorable 7-1 victory in front of a stunned Carrow Road.
Kevin Lisbie gave the U’s the lead after ten minutes, Clive Platt netted twice, David Fox netted from a free-kick and Lisbie found the net again as Norwich were 5-0 down within 38 minutes. Cody McDonald netted for the Canaries after the break but David Perkins’ volley and Scott Vernon’s close-range finish made it 7-1 to the visitors – a fantastic performance from Paul Lambert’s side inflicting Norwich’s heaviest home defeat in their 109 year history.
Norwich sacked manager Bryan Gunn within a week of the thrashing and turned to the man who masterminded it, Lambert being appointed the new boss at Carrow Road. He galvanised the team and led them to promotion as Champions, before embarking on a memorable season the following campaign as the Canaries finished 2nd in the Championship to secure Premier League football for the first time since 2005.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up blogger
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So football is back and it still seems like yesterday that Swansea City were celebrating their play-off final win over Reading to reach the promised land – something 24 clubs in the Championhip will be craving to emulate from August 6th.
For Ipswich Town, this season is already being viewed as a crucial one by many supporters. They say patience is a virtue and it would be fair to say Town fans have had theirs somewhat tested in recent seasons. 2011/12 will mark the clubs 10th consecutive season in the Championship since Premier League relegation. Only Coventry City have remained at this level for longer, a whole 12 months longer to be precise.
That extended stay in the division has been highlighted by how our neighbours up the road in Norfolk have done in the last two seasons. Whilst they have been relegated and then enjoyed two successive promotions, Town have finished 9th, 15th and 13th in the last three Championship seasons. Their last play-off appearance came in 2004/05 at the end of a campaign in which automatic promotion should have been sewn up weeks earlier.
The man in charge of the Wigan Athletic team who pipped Town to second place that spring was none other than Paul Jewell. Now firmly settled into the Portman Road manager’s office after taking over in January, fans will be hoping the club now has a boss who can instil some much needed steel and backbone to performances. The Roy Keane era came and went without little change in terms of league position and promotion prospects – in fact relegation became a very strong threat during the Irishman’s unstable tenure. But Keane did help bring in some key players who remain after his departure. Perhaps most significantly, his willingness to throw Connor Wickham into the limelight went a long way to raising the young striker’s profile and his price tag.
Connor’s departure has been the most significant this summer and all Town fans wish him well at Sunderland, a club which will not only give him the time on the pitch he deserves, but also mentor him in the right way. Other key faces who headed out of the exit door were Gareth McAuley, David Norris and instrumental loanee Jimmy Bullard. In their place have come, amongst others, Michael Chopra, Nathan Ellington, Ivar Ingimarsson and Lee Bowyer. Jewell has also secured the services of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas from Arsenal and keeper David Stockdale from Fulham on a season long loan.
That means optimism is high with fans, who feel the new additions will give Town an extra cutting edge. However, pre-season performances have yet to show that additional goal threat. Draws against lower league opponents have done little but raise an air of negativity amongst some supporters. Many still want to see the club go all out and get hold of Bullard again, but instead Jewell should be identifying a player already in the squad who can feed off the energy the charismatic midfielder brought to the dressing room.
In Chopra, Town should have the man to bag 20+ goals this season, something which a striker in blue and white hasn’t managed since Darren Bent in 2004/05. What will probably go a long way to determining the side’s promotion prospects though will be the defence. Shaky and inexperienced at times last season, Ingimarsson should add some much needed steel alongside Damien Delaney, who put in impressive performances last season, most notably against Arsenal in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg. Highly-rated full back Aaron Cresswell has also arrived on a free from Tranmere and could be the man to add a bit more flair on the counter attack.
What perhaps will be more telling in weeks to come is who else leaves the club before the transfer window closes. Jason Scotland struggled to settle following his arrival from Wigan last season and has been linked with a return to Swansea. Stockdale’s arrival as keeper may also signal the end of Marton Fulop’s time as Portman Road’s no.1. Despite securing seven new faces already this summer, Jewell has also admitted he’s looking to bring in at least two more. This will please supporters after Keane’s forays into the market proved protracted and often fruitless. What we all want to see now is that vision turned into points and impressive performances.
Written by Adam Williams, We Are Going Up’s Ipswich Town Blogger
Nine games is a very long time in a season, but what a change in fortune the last nine have had for Ipswich Town and indeed, a previously beleaguered Paul Jewell.
