Manager:
Jim Magilton
Ground Name:
Portman Road
Capacity:
  30,300
Last Season Prediction:
14th in the Championship
Last Season Position
8th in the Championship
Official Web Site:
www.itfc.co.uk
Unofficial Site:
http://ipswichtown.rivals.net
     
Betting Odds
from
Paddy Power
   
To Win the League 16/1
To Get Promoted 11/2
 
Players In

Pim Balkestein (Heerenveen)
Gareth McAuley (Leicester)
Kevin Lisbie (Colchester)
Richard Wright (West Ham)

Pre Season
 
Date Opponents
Score
14th July Cliftonville
7-0
17th July Chelmsford
2-2
19th July Glentoran
3-1
23rd July Gillingham
1-1
26th July West Brom
1-2
29th July Brighton
3-2
4th August West Ham  
     
Last Season

Ipswich ere a Jekyll and Hyde side last year. They were brilliant at home but woeful away where they failed to win on the road until February.

If they had won just a few more away games or even got some draws they would have been in the playoffs. They even managed to throw away a two goal lead at local rivals Norwich which must have hurt.

Jim Magilton had them playing some lovely football and his young side were more than a handful at home where they were all out attack and a joy to watch.

They excelled with the attacking talents of Haynes, Lee and Walters helping them to a top half finish and always in with a shout of the playoffs until the final few weeks when the away form caught up with them

How Will They Fare

Ipswich not only have one of the brightest young managers in the country but also one of the best set of young players in the division and to top that off they have money to spend. Jim Magilton has struggled to part with his cash this summer though with long term target David Nugent turning them down.

Magilton has added Kevin Lisbie though who could be a shrewd signing. He scored bags of goals for Colchester last season and in a side that creates as many chances as Ipswich he should do well.

The return of fitness of David Norris will also be a help to them in midfield and should help improve that away form which will again be key whilst Richard Wright back at his old club could be a good move.

Once again I don't see them having many problems at home where very few teams will walk away with any points but on the road I still think they can be beaten and will be which may cost them a top six place.

PREDICTION: 9th in the Championship

Ipswich Town Fans View

I asked Ipswich fans on an unofficial message board for their thoughts on the new season and here is what they had to say.

How do you think Ipswich will fare this season?

Top six

Who are your players to watch out for?

Jon Walters

Is your Manager the right man for the job?

Yes

Which three teams will be promoted this season?

Reading, Ipswich and QPR

Which teams will be relegated?

Norwich, Doncaster and Swansea

How do you think QPR will fare this season?

Top two

Player Connections

One of Ipswich Town's best ever players Alan Brazil had a short spell at QPR in 1987 but the Scottish forward had put a bit of weight on and looked like the Michelin man in hoops.

He scored one goal for QPR before retiring from football with a back injury blaming the Loftus Road pitch rather than all the pies he had been eating.

Chris Kiwomya is another famous striker to have played for both sides. He helped Ipswich to promotion to the Premiership in 1992 and was a top goalscorer for them before joining Arsenal in 1995.

He came to QPR in 1998 and got his chance towards the end of the season scoring some crucial goals including a hat trick on the final day of the season to keep us in the division.

He was top scorer in 1999/00 season with Stuart Wardley and was just behind Peter Crouch for top scorer the following year before being given a free transfer after not showing the best of attitude to our relegation battle.

Georges Santos has also played for both sides along with Simon Walton.

Previous Meetings

When this site first started this was a regular fixture. In the 1998/99 season Kevin Gallen looked like he would give us a 1-0 win just days after Gerry Francis won the manager of the month award. Gallen's goal was cancelled out in the last minute by Matt Holland to send them home with a point.

The return fixture was always going to be tough as Ipswich sat in the playoffs and we looked doomed to relegation. Chris Kiwomya gave us an early lead but it didn't last and the home side ran out comfortable 3-1 winners.

After defeat in the playoffs that year Ipswich were one of the favourites to go up the following season. Rangers stunned them though with two brilliant wins in the 1999/00 season. Ipswich took an early lead and threatened to run riot against us at Portman Road.

Gavin Peacock got us level just before half time before we took control after the break. Two goals from Rob Steiner and one from Stuart Wardley gave us our biggest away win of the season and sent us all home very happy.

The return game saw Rangers run riot again. Even Sammy Koejoe looked a different class as he got on the scoresheet along with Peacock and Kiwomya in a 3-1 win. Rangers fans joyfully sung "Your gonna lose in the playoffs" to the dejected Ipswich fans but they had the last laugh by winning the playoffs and then finishing in the top five in the Premiership a year later.

In 2004/05 the two sides produced a couple of entertaining games. Ipswich dominated the first half at Loftus Road taking a deserved lead as their former trainee Adam Miller made his home debut for QPR. Paul Furlong scored two sensational goals to put Rangers ahead at the break but Ipswich finally turned their possession into goals in the second half and ran out 4-2 winners.

The Ipswich players mocked QPR with the soccer am Easy chant when the third went in but they weren’t laughing quite so hard a few months later when the two sides met again.

Highly rated goalkeeper Kelvin Davies fell on his arse after 2 minutes and allowed Paul Furlong to give us the lead before Dan Shittu wrapped up a welcome the points in the second half.

In the 2005/06 season Rangers produced their best home performance of the season against them as goals from Gallen and Rowlands helped us to a 2-1 win which could easily have been a much bigger win. The away game was an enjoyable one as Stefan Moore got on the scoresheet along with Paul Furlong to give us a 2-1 lead. Typical Rangers though we threw it away in injury time to leave with just a point.

In 2006/07 Ipswich did a rare double over us. At Loftus Road Simon Walton was among the scorers for Ipswich as they thrashed us in front of the Sky cameras. The return game wasn't much better for us as Furlong scored for us but we still managed to lose 2-1.

Last season we drew both games with Ipswich. The home game saw Sylvan Legwinski score a screamer to open the scoring before substitute Marc Nygaard came on to grab us a point.

The game at Portman Road was a good one with both sides going all out for a win but were unable to break the deadlock on a 0-0 draw.

Click on the match for a report of the game from this web site.

       
Season Venue Score Scorers
Coca Cola Championship
2007/08 Away Ipswich 0 QPR 0  
2007/08 Home QPR 1 Ipswich 1 S.Legwinski M.Nygaard
2006/07 Away Ipswich 2 QPR 1 P.Furlong A.Lee, J.Walters
2006/07 Home QPR 1 Ipswich 3 K.Gallen S.Walton, J.De Vos, D.Bowdich
2005/06 Away Ipswich 2 QPR 2 P.Furlong, S.Moore J.De Vos D.Haynes
2005/06 Home QPR 2 Ipswich 1 K.Gallen, M.Rowlands S.Parkin
2004/05 Away Ipswich 0 QPR 2 P.Furlong, D.Shittu
2004/05 Home QPR 2 Ipswich 4 P.Furlong (2) J.Van De Vos, D.Bent, S.Kuqi, D.Currie
Nationwide Division One
1999/00 Home QPR 3 Ipswich 1 G.Peacock, S.Koejoe, C.Kiwomya, J.Magilton
1999/00 Away Ipswich 1 QPR 4 G.Peacock, R.Steiner (2), S.Wardley M.Holland
1998/99 Away Ipswich 3 QPR 1 C.Kiwomya D.Johnson, J.Scowcroft M.Holland
1998/99 Home QPR 1 Ipswich 1 K.Gallen, M.Holland

 

 

 

 



 


 


Previous Meetings
       
 
Queen's Park Rangers wins
draws
Ipswich Wins
League Game
19
15
22
Cup Games
2
1
1
Total
21
16
23