Blackburn Rovers vs Ipswich Town, Saturday 19th January 15.00 Kick off.

[K-Hod]

Having seen off Millwall at their place at the weekend, we welcome the division’s basement boys Ipswich Town to Ewood this weekend. They beat fellow strugglers Rotherham last time out, so will be buoyed by that result, if nothing else.

Being totally honest, Ipswich look doomed and have done for a while. It would be one of THE great escapes if they managed to avoid relegation this season.

I’ve been to Portman Road myself and I can confirm even without doing a point to point search via the medium of Google Maps, it’s REALLY FAR AWAY!

It was a sunny day, the first day of the season and that silly Scottish man who succeeded Sam Allardyce was still our manager. On the plus side, there was a beer & food festival in Ipswich that day and the sun was shining. We drew 1-1 and continued our alcohol consumption on the way home.

As then new signing Colin Kazim-Richards had scored the only goal, the newly adopted anthem for him was repeated on numerous occasions on the coach on the way home!

 

Saturday’s Opponents

Initially founded as an amateur side, they were known as ‘Ipswich A.F.C.’ until a merger with

Ipswich Rugby Club. The club was formed 3 years after we were in 1878, but rather unusually, they didn’t turn professional until 1936 and were then elected to join the football league 2 years later.

They played in the Division Three South until the end of the 53-54 season and it was at this point, they won the title and were promoted to Division Two.

Unfortunately, after just one season at a higher level, they were relegated back to Division Three South.

It’s probably fair to say that one of the most successful periods in the club’s history came under World Cup winning England Manager Sir Alf Ramsey.

Taking over in 1955, he led the club to the Division Three South title that year.

Under Ramsey’s leadership, the club were able to establish themselves in Division Two and by the 60-61 season, he had led the club to Division One for the first time in the club’s history.

The team would go on to became champions at their first attempt at the top flight in 61-62.

(Can anyone imagine that happening today??)

Ramsey would eventually leave the club in April 1963 to take charge of the national team.

Regrettably, following the departure of Ramsey, the club fell into something of a decline.

Jackie Milburn, (one of those ‘famous Newcastle number 9s’ the media often references) took over and wasn’t a success.

Indeed, by 1964, just two years after winning the league title, the club returned to the second division. In that season, the club conceded a whopping 121 league goals in 42 games.

This remains one of the worst-ever defensive records in English Football.

(And we think we have defensive problems!!)

This led to Jackie Milburn tendering his resignation and he was replaced by Bill McGarry.

The club remained in the Second Division for four years, until McGarry was able to guide the club to promotion in the 67-68 season.

McGarry would leave the club in  January 1969, to be replaced by another future national team manager in Bobby Robson.

Robson would take the reins for the next 13 years and lead the club to FA Cup & UEFA cup success as well as finishing runners up in the league twice. Before Robson was poached by the Football Association for the national team manager’s job.

Since 2002, the club have been in The Championship, though as I alluded to in the beginning, this position looks seriously under threat.

 

Records

Biggest Win- 7-0 vs Portsmouth (1964), vs Southampton (1974), vs WBA (1976)

Biggest Defeat- 10-1 vs Fulham (1963), 9-0 vs Manchester United (1995)

All-Time Top Goalscorer- Ray Crawford- 203 Goals.

Record Appearances- Mick Mills- 591 Appearances.

Record Attendance- 38,010 vs Leeds United (1975, FA Cup 6^th Round).

 

Famous Fans

Ed Sheeran (Middle of the road crooner and the world’s most famous ginger)

Kevin Painter (Darts player and apparently a season ticket holder and shareholder at Portman Road!)

Keith Deller (Darts Player)

Jolyon Palmer (F1 Driver)

Charlie Simpson (Busted/Fightstar Singer)

 

Past & Present Connections

(Feel free to add to these lists, they are by no means exhaustive!)

The most obvious one is the colours they play in!

Managers

Paul Lambert (This Forum’s favourite son…..)

Tony Mowbray (Interim Manager there once)

Players

Tony Mowbray

Mark Venus

Alan Judge (Fresh, this one)

Cameron Stewart

Jordan Rhodes

Leon Best

Tom Lawrence

Luke Varney

Shefki Kuqi

Gary Croft

Jonathan Walters

Liam Feeney

DJ Campbell

Jonathan Douglas

Paul Taylor

 

Head to Head:

Ipswich have the upper hand with 20 Wins to Rovers’ 16.

There have been 18 Draws between the two sides over the years.

Edited January 16, 2019 by K-Hod

[tomphil]

The skin of the large banana has been peeled off and is sat on the already greasy floor going nicely brown and slimy.......

Heavy legs, patched up team, over confusing selection and tactics.

Rovers  0  Ipswich  1

[tomphil]

8 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Having seen off Millwall at their place at the weekend, we welcome the division’s basement boys Ipswich Town to Ewood this weekend. They beat fellow strugglers Rotherham last time out, so will be buoyed by that result, if nothing else.

Being totally honest, Ipswich look doomed and have done for a while. It would be one of THE great escapes if they managed to avoid relegation this season.

I’ve been to Portman Road myself and I can confirm even without doing a point to point search via the medium of Google Maps, it’s REALLY FAR AWAY!

It was a sunny day, the first day of the season and that silly pathological liar who succeeded Sam Allardyce was still our manager. On the plus side, there was a beer & food festival in Ipswich that day and the sun was shining. We drew 1-1 and continued our alcohol consumption on the way home.

As then new signing Colin Kazim-Richards had scored the only goal, the newly adopted anthem for him was repeated on numerous occasions on the coach on the way home!

 

Saturday’s Opponents

Initially founded as an amateur side, they were known as ‘Ipswich A.F.C.’ until a merger with

Ipswich Rugby Club. The club was formed 3 years after we were in 1878, but rather unusually, they didn’t turn professional until 1936 and were then elected to join the football league 2 years later.

They played in the Division Three South until the end of the 53-54 season and it was at this point, they won the title and were promoted to Division Two.

Unfortunately, after just one season at a higher level, they were relegated back to Division Three South.

It’s probably fair to say that one of the most successful periods in the club’s history came under World Cup winning England Manager Sir Alf Ramsey.

Taking over in 1955, he led the club to the Division Three South title that year.

Under Ramsey’s leadership, the club were able to establish themselves in Division Two and by the 60-61 season, he had led the club to Division One for the first time in the club’s history.

The team would go on to became champions at their first attempt at the top flight in 61-62.

(Can anyone imagine that happening today??)

Ramsey would eventually leave the club in April 1963 to take charge of the national team.

Regrettably, following the departure of Ramsey, the club fell into something of a decline.

Jackie Milburn, (one of those ‘famous Newcastle number 9s’ the media often references) took over and wasn’t a success.

Indeed, by 1964, just two years after winning the league title, the club returned to the second division. In that season, the club conceded a whopping 121 league goals in 42 games.

This remains one of the worst-ever defensive records in English Football.

(And we think we have defensive problems!!)

This led to Jackie Milburn tendering his resignation and he was replaced by Bill McGarry.

The club remained in the Second Division for four years, until McGarry was able to guide the club to promotion in the 67-68 season.

McGarry would leave the club in  January 1969, to be replaced by another future national team manager in Bobby Robson.

Robson would take the reins for the next 13 years and lead the club to FA Cup & UEFA cup success as well as finishing runners up in the league twice. Before Robson was poached by the Football Association for the national team manager’s job.

Since 2002, the club have been in The Championship, though as I alluded to in the beginning, this position looks seriously under threat.

 

Records

Biggest Win- 7-0 vs Portsmouth (1964), vs Southampton (1974), vs WBA (1976)

Biggest Defeat- 10-1 vs Fulham (1963), 9-0 vs Manchester United (1995)

All-Time Top Goalscorer- Ray Crawford- 203 Goals.

Record Appearances- Mick Mills- 591 Appearances.

Record Attendance- 38,010 vs Leeds United (1975, FA Cup 6^th Round).

 

Famous Fans

Ed Sheeran (Middle of the road crooner and the world’s most famous ginger)

Kevin Painter (Darts player and apparently a season ticket holder and shareholder at Portman Road!)

Keith Deller (Darts Player)

Jolyon Palmer (F1 Driver)

Charlie Simpson (Busted/Fightstar Singer)

 

Past & Present Connections

(Feel free to add to these lists, they are by no means exhaustive!)

The most obvious one is the colours they play in!

Managers

Paul Lambert (This Forum’s favourite son…..)

Tony Mowbray (Interim Manager there once)

Players

Tony Mowbray

Mark Venus

Alan Judge (Fresh, this one)

Cameron Stewart

Jordan Rhodes

Leon Best

Tom Lawrence

Luke Varney

Shefki Kuqi

Gary Croft

Jonathan Walters

Liam Feeney

DJ Campbell

Jonathan Douglas

Paul Taylor

 

Head to Head:

Ipswich have the upper hand with 20 Wins to Rovers’ 16.

There have been 18 Draws between the two sides over the years.

My god we haven't half shared some shite players with them you can certainly see why both clubs have had more big struggles over good times in recent years !

[Admiral Nelsen]

Looked like Dack and Reed were struggling at times during extra time. Small mercy that it was on a Tuesday not a Wednesday.

Not as confident as I would've been a few weeks ago, but still expect three points. Mulgrew returning should make a big difference. 

[oldjamfan1]

Another Blackburn (though not Rovers) connection to Ipswich is Mark Brennan, who played many games (100+) in midfield for them in the mid to late 80s.

Mark was the captain of Blackburn & Darwen schoolboys when they got to the last 8 of the English Schools' Cup in the very early 80s and a very classy player with a sweet left foot. Similar in style to Simon Barker, for those who remember him.

I think he went to St Marys College.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

Another Blackburn (though not Rovers) connection to Ipswich is Mark Brennan, who played many games (100+) in midfield for them in the mid to late 80s.

Mark was the captain of Blackburn & Darwen schoolboys when they got to the last 8 of the English Schools' Cup in the very early 80s and a very classy player with a sweet left foot. Similar in style to Simon Barker, for those who remember him.

I think he went to St Marys College.

and Glen Keeley...I think it was his first club..

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Three players missed out from the list of those who played for both teams -

Alan Hunter, a terrific Northern Irish centre half who we sold to Ipswich for a big fee where he the became the mainstay of their defence for many years. Just what we need now.

Bobby Bell, who came in the other direction in part exchange for Hunter and cash. Blink and you missed him, amazingly he was sold for big bucks after playing just 3 games for Rovers. Vanished from sight immediately after that. If you can say " I saw Bobby Bell play " you're a very rare person.

Roy Stephenson, a bit part player /reserve in the great Rovers forward line of the late 1950's Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, MacCleod. Only a reserve at Ewood but Alf Ramsey turned him into a First Division Championship medal winner. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Admiral Nelsen]

Don't forget this boy

[K-Hod]

6 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Don't forget this boy

I've not deliberately forgotten him from the list above, but I've deliberately tried to forget he was ever here.....

[LA1Rovers]

As long as Travis is in CM I'll be happy. 

Please not the two crabs together. (Love that phrase!)

 

2-1 t'rovers

[Tom]

Frustratingly I imagine this may have been a game for Palmer, feel he may throw Conway back in though now 

[Admiral Nelsen]

20 minutes ago, LA1Rovers said:

As long as Travis is in CM I'll be happy. 

Please not the two crabs together. (Love that phrase!)

 

2-1 t'rovers

Seeing him breaking out into sprints deep into extra time was an absolute joy. Some engine on him, that boy.

[LA1Rovers]

10 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Seeing him breaking out into sprints deep into extra time was an absolute joy. Some engine on him, that boy.

Yeap - smallwood had 3 weeks off and still couldn't last! Allthough I thought Smallwood played okay yesterday. He, for me, isn't good enough. Along with Evans.

[SBlue]

Betting the house on Alan Judge anytime goalscorer

[Ewood Ace]

23 minutes ago, Tom said:

Frustratingly I imagine this may have been a game for Palmer, feel he may throw Conway back in though now 

I hope not he's no way near the required level. Last night he was a bit embarrassing when he came on well of the pace and looked knackered after 10 minutes, I'd rather see someone from the under 23's given a chance than him plodding up and down the wing.

[DE.]

Losing this one would be extremely embarrassing, as Ipswich are by far the worst team in the division. They beat Rotherham at home last weekend, yes, but this is the same Rotherham that had to scrape through the League 1 playoffs to get into the Championship this season so we aren't exactly talking a giant killing. Pretty much all of Ipswich's wins have been total flukes. They've had some new arrivals recently but it's really just rearranging deck chairs on the proverbial titanic. 

3-1 Rovers.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, Ewood Ace said:

I hope not he's no way near the required level. Last night he was a bit embarrassing when he came on well of the pace and looked knackered after 10 minutes, I'd rather see someone from the under 23's given a chance than him plodding up and down the wing.

He took the only free kick we got last night in a " Mulgrew " position and just banged it right at the wall ! Grr.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, DE. said:

Losing this one would be extremely embarrassing, as Ipswich are by far the worst team in the division. They beat Rotherham at home last weekend, yes, but this is the same Rotherham that had to scrape through the League 1 playoffs to get into the Championship this season so we aren't exactly talking a giant killing. Pretty much all of Ipswich's wins have been total flukes. They've had some new arrivals recently but it's really just rearranging deck chairs on the proverbial titanic. 

3-1 Rovers.

They'll be well up for this after watching us play for 120 minutes last night and sickness in the camp. James Collins is a good signing for them. Rovers will be looking at the League table and thinking it'll be easy.  I'm expecting a scrappy draw 1-1.

[philipl]

Excellent preview.

Ipswich will not make it easy for us but it is essential for us to win to keep momentum and fans' belief going.

Rovers need to press them from the first whistle.

Ipswich league record to date is:

P 27 W 3 D 9 L 15 F 22 A 46 GD -24 Pts 18 Add in their Cup results- Knocked out by Exeter and Stanley and they have been defeated in 17 out of 29 competitive games this season.

Of course 2 of those 22 goals scored in 27 games were against us... Even so, no excuse at all for us to be set up defensively because they let in goals for fun at the back. We righted two dropped points earlier in the season against Millwall last Saturday so surely we should/must also put Ipswich to the sword. Let's score early and often...   

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 hours ago, K-Hod said:

I've not deliberately forgotten him from the list above, but I've deliberately tried to forget he was ever here.....

A tad harsh. Always gave his all and we had far, far worse players and much worse characters. He still speaks highly of Rovers, although with how some fans speak of him, I wonder why he does.. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Need to take 3 points here. 

It is interesting in the games since Mulgrew was out, Lenihan has taken on the leadership role and looks a far better players. I just wonder do him and Mulgrew compliment each other that well? 

[G Somerset Rover]

Have a funny feeling Lambert’s going to ‘do us’ on Saturday. Our players were out on their feet last night and this bug won’t have helped. They’re scrapping for their lives and I think that will make the difference in a 2-1 win. 

[K-Hod]

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

A tad harsh. Always gave his all and we had far, far worse players and much worse characters. He still speaks highly of Rovers, although with how some fans speak of him, I wonder why he does.. 

It was only a joke, mate......

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 minute ago, K-Hod said:

It was only a joke, mate......

I'm not in a joking mood! 

Ah no, come on now, he gets an unreasonably hard time. He is no Leon Best or Bradley Orr! 

[Bigdoggsteel]

                      Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell

            Travis Smallwood 

Bennett      Dack       Armstrong

                  Nuttall

If reed is fit get him in instead of Smallwood. I'm afraid Graham will be out on his feet after last night. 

We need to press these ,get on top, first goal ,take our chances and put it to bed. 

Have an awful feeling they will score first 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel