You must log in or register to see images
Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg
Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Norwich City
FT 90 +4
HT 1-1
You must log in or register to see images
You must log in or register to see images
Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Norwich City
FT 90 +4
HT 1-1
Attendance: 29,166
Date: Saturday 9th May 2015
Venue: Portman Road
Kick-Off: 12:15
KIO's not606 Match PreviewDate: Saturday 9th May 2015
Venue: Portman Road
Kick-Off: 12:15
This Saturday the Canaries make the relatively short journey down the A140 to take on Ipswich Town in the first leg of the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final. The tie is billed as the biggest East Anglian derby to date with the prize a Wembley final against either Middlesbrough or Brentford and the chance to win a place in English football's and arguably Europe's top league. Having finished third in the Championship table eight points ahead of sixth placed Town, City will undoubtedly feel that promotion should rightfully be theirs but the league rules dictate otherwise.
You must log in or register to see images
Lewis Grabban celebrates his goal at Portman Road in August with his team mates
Norwich have been defeated only once in their last ten outings cruising to a 4-2 victory over Fulham at Carrow Road last time out. After relegation from the Premier League last term City managed to hold on to most of their perceived better players for the 2014-15 campaign and with the wealth of talent Norwich manager Alex Neil has at his disposal they are considered favourites by many pundits to proceed to Wembley.
After over a decade stagnating in the second tier Town however have had to rely on youth prospects and manager Mick McCarthy's shrewd transfer acquisitions and loan deals with a total season's spend of just £110,000. The football may not have been easy on the eye at Portman Road but it has generally been effective and McCarthy deserves to be applauded for his side's sixth place finish.
You must log in or register to see images
Daryl Murphy who has been in fine form this term with 27 goals to date
On paper City should be too strong for Town over two legs but as we all know football isn't played on paper and 'form goes out of the window' when it comes to local derbies.
Although Norwich have beaten Ipswich twice already this season it will count for nothing if they fail to secure victory in this two-legged affair.
You must log in or register to see media
'Boom' Bradley Johnson's thunderbolt doubles City's lead at Carrow Road in MarchThe Blues will undoubtedly be fired up for the sweetest of revenges but if City play to their full potential they should go into the return fixture at Carrow Road on level terms at the very least.
Mick McCarthy's Match Preview
“I could be home now, planning my holidays, knowing I’m going to be miserable wherever I am having not made the play-offs, so having made them I’m delighted. It’s a great chance for us after no one gave us a cat-in-hell’s chance. We are relishing the prospect.”
“It’s a brilliant tie for us to be playing Norwich. The build-up has been fantastic as soon as we drew them and I’m immensely excited.”
You must log in or register to see images
Town Chief Mick McCarthy barks out instructions
“It doesn’t really bother me when we play them – across two semis or the final at Wembley – to get to the Premier League we have to play two teams and beat them and it starts with a tough challenge against Norwich.”
Alex Neil's Match Preview
You must log in or register to see media
Alex Neil Previews tomorrow's matchCurrent Form
Ipswich Town: WWDWL
Norwich City: WWLDW
Match History
The first derby held between the two clubs was on 15 November 1902, when both sides were still playing at amateur level. The Norfolk & Suffolk League fixture was played in Norwich and finished 1-0 to 'The Citizens'. City were the first of the two to turn professional in 1905, Ipswich following in 1936. Ipswich were elected to the Football League in 1938 and the first league game between the two clubs was on 2 September 1939 in League Division Three (South). The game was played at Portman Road with the match finishing 1-1, although the league was abandoned that year due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Two of the more notable meetings between the two clubs have come in cup competitions. In the 1972-73 season Ipswich beat Norwich 4-2 on aggregate to win the two legged Texaco Cup final, with 2-1 wins in both games. In 1985 the clubs met in the semi-final of the League Cup, Ipswich won the first leg 1-0 at Portman Road but Norwich scored early in the return leg at Carrow Road to level the tie. With extra-time looming Steve Bruce scored a late winner to send Norwich to Wembley.
You must log in or register to see images
Steve Bruce wheels await in delight after netting the winner for City in the Milk Cup semi final 1985
The East Anglian derby has been contested 109 times in competitive games, 56 of which have been played at Ipswich and 53 at Norwich. The clubs have also played each other in friendlies and testimonials. The highest attendance in the derby at Portman Road is 35,077 in a First Division match in September 1975 while Carrow Road hosted 39,890 spectators in an FA Cup match in January 1962. John Wark is Ipswich's leading goalscorer in the derby with nine goals, while Hugh Curran remains Norwich's top scorer with five, a record that has stood since 1968.
Overall the two rivals have met 140 times, Ipswich having the slight upper hand with 59 wins to Norwich's 55
Highest Ipswich Town score
Ipswich Town 5 Norwich City 0 – 21/02/1998 League Division One (2nd tier)
Highest Norwich City score
Ipswich Town 1 Norwich City 5 – 21/04/2011 Championship (2nd tier)
Highest aggregate (7)
Norwich City 3 Ipswich Town 4 – 03/02/1968 League Division Two (2nd tier)
They played for both clubs
Clive Baker, Keith Bertschin, John Deehan, Louie Donowa, Alan Lee, Kevin Lisbie, Andy Marshall, Johnny Miller, Trevor Putney andClive Woods are among those to have turned out for both the Blues and the Canaries.
You must log in or register to see images
Clive Woods playing for Town FA Cup semi final 1978
Did you know ?
Ryan Bennett, City's £3.2M signing from Peterborough was a youth player at Town
Former Ipswich and England star Kevin Beattie did scouting work for City when Mike Walker was Canaries manager.
Ian Crook was involved in a "controversial" signing for Town in June 1996 he never actually played for Ipswich before re-joining City.
The late Justin Fashanu had unsuccessful trials with Ipswich when he tried to resurrect his career in 1990.
Danny Haynes, scorer of a controversial 'handball' derby goal trialled with City before joining Town in the of spring 1994.
…............and finally
According to the Football Rivalries Report 2008, the East Anglian derby is the second fiercest rivalry in England after the Black Country derby between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
You must log in or register to see media
More than a derby
You must log in or register to see images
Match to be broadcast 'live' on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD
You must log in or register to see images
Full match commentary
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra on DAB Digital Radio
and ..............
BBC Radio Norfolk
You must log in or register to see images
with Chris Goreham and guest match summariser Jamie Cureton
You must log in or register to see images
OTBC !
Last edited:


