Ipswich or Leicester?

Gentlemen, I've a question for you. Ever since the 94/95 season when both yourselves and Ipswich were struggling at the bottom of the Prem, I always kind of lumped both Clubs together. When thinking of one, I'd think of the other. I want to finally find out definitively which is the bigger Club?

So, taking account of the usual criteria when discussing the size of a Club (history, tradition, stadiums, attendances, nationwide/Worldwide appeal etc), which of the two Clubs do you think is bigger and why?

(I've just posted the very same thread over on the Ipswich Board)

 

I've often thought the same thing regarding QPR and Burton Albion to be fair.

 

Burton Albion by a mile, QPR (Loftus Road) (No history) Is a derelict brick out house on a grubby council estate (Shepherds Bush) Whereas Burton is a large brewing Town with a new (Pirelli stadium).

 

Right, folk seem to be taking offense to this. Maybe its the way I worded it although I'm not sure where the problem is.

Do you perceive Ipswich to be that small a Club so as to be offended by even being compared to them?

C'mon guys, what's the problem here?

 

It is a bit of a strange question tbf. I can't say I know much about Ipswich's history and I imagine Ipswich would say the same of us. It's the same of most clubs in this division. I'd be biased and claim that Leicester are the bigger side but I don't really have anything to back it up, barring recent form and head-to-head records. In recent years, we've certainly been the better club but Ipswich have had their fair share of years in the PL. There's no animosity between the clubs as far as I'm aware, barring perhaps the infamous 'Snow-gate' incident a few years back, which has prompted decent jokes among both sets of fans.

 

Average attendance 2013/14

Leicester 23,500
Ipswich 17,000

QPR 16,000

 

Speaking as a Town fan all I can say is that I have nothing but he utmost respect for Leicester and the way they have gone about things. There is absolutely no animosity between us and Leicester as far as I know so I don't really see the point of this thread! Ipswich and Leicester are similar in size and both clubs have a proud tradition and history and I guess both have known far better days! The big difference between us at the moment is that Leciester appear bound for the Premiership this year whereas we are still some way off achieving this.

I hope that Leicester up as Champions this season The best team we have played this year.

 

What happened there mate?

(And yes, I know its a strange question so apologies!)

Fox, I don't know what miffed you off in the OP. Maybe it was the "struggling at the bottom of the Prem" bit. I meant nowt by that, only that that's when I started looking at both Clubs as similar sized outfits that's all.

Chill bro

 

Didn't you lads win the UEFA Cup or something under Bobby Robson? The Foxes won a Cup under Martin O'Neill as far as I remember and qualified for Europe too (I think).

What about top division finishes? Did either Club ever come close to winning the old first Div?

 

We played them in heavy snow a few years back, they beat us 3-0 and the ref kept postponing play but continued it despite about 5 players going off injured. Not the fault of either team- Ipswich dealt with the conditions better and had a snowball fight when they scored, but it was all a bit of a farce because the sky cameras were there. Every time the two teams meet now this incident always pops up a few times (eg. 'You only win when it's snowing' chants).

 

Good post Johnny.


I'd say we're very similar too. Both have had good spells in the Premier League/Division 1 and have been successful in terms of trophies.

Ipswich's 'golden era' came under Sir Bobby Robson where ours were under M'ON.


Ipswich have what Leicester have never managed (despite 4 finals), an F.A. Cup. They also have a European Cup to their name, something Leicester fans can only dream of.

Ipswich were very good from the last 60s to the early 80s before having a 'hit and run' spell in the Premier League in the last 90s, we were very good from the mid 90s to the early noughties.

 

We have won the First Division Championship more recently than Spurs!

We won the league in 1962 under Sir Alf Ramsey

FA Cup winners in 1978 UEFA Cup Winners in 1981

We have played 40 home games in European Competitions and remain unbeaten.

Those were the days!

 

Ipswich did in '63.

We were runners up in '29.


We won 2 cups under MO'N and a runner-up.

 

One of my most cherished memories was at your old Filbert Street ground but it wasn't against you!

We played Leeds in an FA Cup 5th Round replay in 1975 and I still remember our winning goal that day and a certain John Wark made his debut as a centre back for us that day too!

Leicester are a decent club and good luck to them!

 

I only mentioned Burton Albion because Qpr had a plastic pitch and Burton Albion did............................probably?


On no account was I wumming - no sir.

 

Top post Andy, that's what I was looking for.

The big difference seems to be that they were Champions of England. There's not an awful lot of mid-sized Clubs who can claim that.

They also have a European tradition. I remember about 12 years ago or something they finished 5th in the PL, went into Europe the next year, beat Inter Milan I think?, and then got relegated.

Did you lads enter Europe on the back of your League Cup successes or did that not qualify you at the time?

 

Preston, Huddersfield, Burnley, Derby, Florist, Leeds, Portsmouth....

 

Was there myself that night, Walky, there were loads of Leicester in with us on the Poplar Side that night who were cheering us on, (well, we were playing Leeds), a real friendly atmosphere with us and them mixed on the night and they were all congratulating us on our win.

Always had a lot of time for Leicester since then.

 

I think ii's that the OP seems rather random (perhaps even rather bizarre) and therefore people are a little suspicious of the motive ...

Giving the benefit of the doubt in that your sentiments are genuine I'll give it my two penneth... in the interests of constructive debate ...

Firstly, Ipswich have had more success by some distance in absolute terms, a League Championship, and FA Cup and a European trophy ... indeed there are not that many clubs in English football that have that trinity ... but success in football can change over time and not many would consider the Lancashire clubs of Blackburn, Bolton, Preston, Burnley and Blackpool as bigger than us or Ipswich, yet historically they (and many others) have more titles and trophies ...

Frankly I've never felt anything 'linking' us to Ipswich in footballing terms other than a blue shirt ... certainly we've never viewed them as particular rivals ... and as the only poster on the equivalent thread on their board (last I looked) has mentioned Leicester has a population 3 times the size of Ipswich so there is really little in comparison in terms of nature of each metropolis ... indeed Leicester is, I believe, the 10th biggest city in the UK in terms of population ...

So there you have it ... now QPR and Reading on the other hand

 

Yeah I remember that day vividly my old man was with me god rest him and we got talking to some Leicester fans. They were a friendly bunch and I have liked Leicester ever since.