In the close season, whilst there's little current to talk of bar transfer rumours and the odd transfer fact, it's a good opportunity to share memories of things past. Often these relate to glory and memories of great successes and happy times (unless you're a budgie!) But, I wonder what your worst moments as an ITFC fan have been? When did you jump to the rooftops in joy and when did clasp your head in your hands in despair? For me, I have personally enjoyed the euphoria of two wins at Wembley. Best memory; was leaving Wembley having just beaten Arsenal 1 v 0 to win the FA cup. But, I have also been witness to departing the FA cup twice at the semi final stage - once to WHU in a replay at a snowy Stamford Bridge (Clive Thomas!) and also to Man City (Paul Power!) in extra time at Villa Park. My worst memory was leaving Stamford Bridge in the snow that night, thoroughly dejected (Alan Taylor!) and getting in a cab with a very chirpy cockney driver who was so full of it, because he'd won a bet on an all London Final - WHU vs Fulham that year (Bobby Moore!), which by the way was 1975. The fact that all the neutrals kept telling me the wrong team was in the final really didn't help, as the records only show us losing and West Ham as cup winners courtesy of a 2 v 0 win against Fulham (Alan Taylor again!). Top Trumps anyone?
Good Post Tim Its just so hard to know where to start and pick out one memory over nearly 40 years of following the Town! The one memory that will live with me til my dying day is back in 1978 after the FA Cup tie with Millwall. My first away game and I watched the mighty Town demolish Millwall. I was a young kid back then and I will always remember our coach being pelted with bricks. My Dad got badly cut from flying glass and I remember cowering under my seat while the thugs were screaming disgusting abuse at us. I know its not strictly football related to a game but this memory unfortunately will never fade with time.
Not a nice memory JWM but it qualifies as a reply to this thread. My first adventures to Portman Road were with my dad too. I remember leaving the ground one day as a teenage lad and a real thug of a QPR fan (cut off jeans, Doc Martins, Silk scarf tied to his wrist and a proper bone head hair cut) just walking up to me and nicking my blue and white scarf (which sad to admit, but I will; my mum had knitted for me!) My old man didn't see this happening but I caught him up very distraught and he hailed a copper who's only comment was "that's the last you'll see of that" to which he replied "do you want a bet?!" We then turned and marched back up Portman Road towards the railway station with my dad saying "when you spot him tell me"! I did. I remember the fear as he waded through the departing crowd of QPR fans and affronted this guy; "is that your scarf?" to which the rather feeble and shocked reply was "err yeah", at which point my dad pulled if off him and turned on his heel back to me scarf held safe in hand again. Footnote; the copper had followed us up Portman Road fearing the worst and as we left we saw the QPR fan being pulled to the side of the road by him - I always hoped he said "You're nicked son!" Dads - they're all just heroes!!!
1976 At home to West Brom probably the best single game of football I have ever seen at Portman Road. We would have turned anybody over on that day. Mariner had a superb debut with a fantastic solo goal and as for the team goal that culminated in Whymark smacking it in from 30 yards was just sublime and had us all in raptures! Don't even have enough time to describe Beats left foot thunderbolt! Wonderful entertainment TWTD! Mind you saying that the 2nd Leg playoff semi against Bolton sure competes on the excitement level! REUSER its FIVE!!!!!
I personnally think my worst moment/s following the Town, has been anytime when we have played at Portsmouth during the week, winter months and it has pi--ed down with rain.. We would stand at the far open end of the ground and just get drenched. Its far enough at anytime for a midweek match, but when you have lost and are soaked, arrgghhhhhh. There have been so many highs that I have been witness too since my first game way back in 1970.. The FA Cup Final victory against Arsenal, the UEFA Cup Final win, the Play-off Final win against Barnsley. So so many, I think I need to sit, recall and pick my fav one... I'll be back COYB
I had my head in my hands during most of RK's reign, from the starting eleven every week through to his substitutions I was constantly baffled and spent most of the time peering out at my computer screen through my fingers wondering how he came to such decisions. Really wish I could make more matches but I haven't been a regular for over 10 years after spending so much time in Amsterdam and now being here it's even worse. I can't even pop over at the weekend like I used to. I have to be up at 7:00am just to listen live, imagine what time I get up for lunch time kick offs. My wife still doesn't understand why I have to listen to it live and I don't think she ever will but she does understand that football comes first and the day has to be planned around my matches, bless her. Thank heavens for sites like this where you can read the views of people who do get to see us play every week.
Worst moment has to be for me 1981 at Villa Park, the FA Cup semi against Man Citeh! We lost to a Paul Power goal in extra time. We could all tell that our players were knackered after playing so many games very often 3 in a week without a break. To cap it all Kevin Beattie broke his arm in what was to be his very last game in a Town shirt. I remember watching as some dirty scum bag Citeh supporters spat at him as he was helped away to the dressing rooms. A very **** day but a few weeks later total Euphoria in Amsterdam!
This is quite hard for me. Supporters of my age (20) would/should roll of playoffs/premiership seasons as their best moments but being honest it was only really the 2005 season where something finally clicked i stopped being a glory supporter and began supporting town for real, but saying that, i always look fondly on the trips to Portman Road in earlier times, the 6-1 thrashing of Barnsley in 1999 standing out especially since that was after i'd moved from Woodbridge up to Wales. But really it doesn't feel right to use that as part of my 'evaluation' of my time as a proper Ipswich fan which makes it hard to pick a best moment because, well, theres been a lack of highlights. but, best memories - Chester 2005 - the match where it all clicked and Mike Holmes the Ipswich town fan was born, even if the match was awful and i remember the only highlight on the highlight show was a Chester player putting it narrowly past the post. Before the game Gary Roberts came up to us and threw my little brother at the time the training gloves he'd been wearing was the real highlight of the evening. Burnley 08 where we beat them 3 -0 at turf moor, simply for the atmosphere, if memory serves me correctly i think it was the match me and my older brother had got to on our own now he could drive that wasn't a 0-0 draw. Leeds 06 (the pitch invasion) - Some may put this on their bad memories but weather was great over the whole weekend i was staying Leeds with friends and i felt it was great 'fun' (wrong word to use - maybe amusing might fit better, but want to avoid offending anybody who got hurt) to watch the idiots on the pitch Leeds '11 - travelling up from uni with my now girlfriend, match had everything except goals another fantastic day Beating Arsenal - Do i need to explain?, my only regret is i wasn't there, but great tv moment all the same Worst moments Barnsley, whenever it was they beat us 4-0 at Oakwell - got there early with no idea how to get to the stadium from the away fan parking, got caught in a massive rainstorm while walking there, got to the stadium weren't allowed in it yet, walked back through barnsley to get a Tea from morrisons, found our way back to be delivered that second half 'performance'. Stoke 07 - 0-0 not so much bore draw but it was cold no goals and not the most exciting much, and car on the on the way home heaters wernt working and not much cash First months of Keanes Reign, first off that newcastle game 'ruined' my last night and home before uni and during those first few months the whole yeah im an Ipswich fan, yes i know we haven't won yet it begun to get embarrassing, this seasons collapse, in particular the 6 game run of defeats and then obviously the games which certain people will go on about forever
Best..my first ever game in the early 80's when we beat Man United 3-1, Walked all the way from Bramford road and went with my Grandad and stood on a stool in the Pioneer stand dreaming of when I would be old enough to watch in the North stand! Worst...cant remember the year but thinking late 80's early 90's was a 0-0 bore Draw against Notts County...was also gutted a few FA Cup matches where Liverpool always knocked us out both home and away as I always went with glory hunter Liverpool fans to and from the game! Was at Portman road when we went up as Champions but was a bit of an anti climax for me! Also I used to love the boxing day home derbys with the Budgies, it might be rose tinted glasses but I dont remember us losing many?
Boy oh boy there are so many. But for me, worst by far is the play off defeats to West Ham. Both '04 and '05, but the latter more so. I know so many west ham fans, and they are all delusional. I have had so many arguments with them, but to lose after we drew at upton park was heartbreaking. Fondest memory...it would haveto be when we beat the budgies, with Gunn's air-kick, and the atmosphere when we ran on the pitch! Unfortuantely, the good memories are slowly being taken over by the bad! But hey ho, we will be back in the prem again soon!
Gosh you lot have evoked some great and some, not so great memories. My worst moment was in '75 ish and Dad took me to West Ham away with my Great Grandad sadly we arrived 5 minutes late and ended up right up at the back which meant I didn't see any of the game ( being only 8 years old and small ). I remember we scored the winner in the dying seconds and Hammer fans being quite upset. Outside the ground Dad sat the two of us on a bench and went for the car, unfortunatley we then got caught up in a ruck as WHU ran at Town fans. One WHU fan saw my scarf and headed towards us, really scary moment ...then WW1 veteran Albert stood up waved his stick and shouted something and the fan turned on his heels and headed off. My Dad laughed his head off when I told him and said that no one used to mess with Bert. One of my fave moments was Paul Mariner v Liverpool 1976 ' One - Nil '. We were over them like a rash and I thought we would never score, Mariners first season and his third goal for the club in front of 35000 fans. One of those moments...roof came off...goosebumps...couldn't stop shouting...looking at my Liverpool supprting Dad...Priceless.
Being 21, I missed out on the Uefa cup, league and FA Cup wins... But One of my favourite games, other than the play-off final, was our 2-1 win over then Paul Jewells Wigan at Portman Road in 2004! What a game that was, It was a sell out, and I was sitting in that really terrible attempt of a corner stand, between Cobbold and South stand. So didn't have much of a view! But managed to witnessed Baines' screamer...we were gutted at the time, and being underneath the Wigan fans, they were taunting us, as they were now top of the league, we had stuff thrown at us aswell, so the evening was just getting worse by the minute...until Naylor equalised from a Currie free kick! But it still wasnt enough to shut the Wigan fans up as they were still at the top! But jubilation accross everyone when Bent slid in to lob the keeper with 3 minutes to go... 2-1! 3 points... and Town were top of the league, the contrast of emotions through that game was amazing! Never forget that game...although the view of the match was dire, the atmosphere and the two amazing goals I did witness made that game special!
Jimbo I was at that Wigan game too but at the other end... I remember a fog coming across the pitch briefly in the first half and someone behind us shouting 'I CAN'T SEE' but in such a way that you know he expected someone to move it for him. Very funny, you kinda had to be there but still makes me smile today. And it was a great night, Portman Road emptied that night with everyone singing ' we are top of the league '. Wonder when that will happen again?
It's a tale of two semis for me(ooh err missus) Best 1978 against West Brom( we finally made it to Wembley) Worst 1975 against West Ham (We wus robbed!) But many other highs and lows since.
I have to say it was nice to see Alex Bruce get sent off in last years match at home to Leeds. I always said that boy was a liability on the old 606 and continuosly got slaughtered for it 'cos everyone loved him 'cos he was a 'no nonsense defender'. No nonsense defender my arse, no skill more like and trying to make up for it with harsh tackles and effort to cover up his lack of ability. It was nice to see him get a red card for another team instead of ours.
