LLA: 2008 Part 1
By Leggi
December 29 2008
STB messageboarder Leggi is back once more, today casting his eye over the first part of 2008 as Leggi Looks At: 2008.
LLA: 2008 Part 1
Things were looking bright at Ipswich Town Football Club for 2008. The team were unbeaten at, the now, Fortress Portman Road for over 9 months, we had just been taken over by multi-millionaire Marcus Evans, we were sitting pretty in 6th place in The Championship table and it was the 30th anniversary of Ipswich Town winning The FA Cup back in '78. Things were definitely 'on the up' in Suffolk.
January
As we nursed our sore heads and hangovers, Town opened 2008 with an excellent 2-0 victory over table-toppers and soon to be Champions West Brom at Portman Road. David Wright and captain Jason De Vos scoring for The Blues. And despite our poor away form where we had gained no wins all season, Town's supporters started to believe this could be the season we returned to the promised land.
The FA Cup 3rd Round followed, the magic balls threw up a home encounter with Premiership Portsmouth, a game that will sadly be remembered for one of the most absurd refereeing decisions ever. Top flight official Mark Halsey sending off Town's young midfielder Liam Trotter for what looked like a perfect tackle, a decision most TV pundits found baffling too. Despite being down to 10 men Ipswich dominated the Premiership opposition and only England 'Keeper David James' save after save keeping Jim Magilton's boys from a place in the 4th Round. Soon to become an Ipswich target, David Nugent scored a breakaway goal for Pompey to send the eventual winners of the Cup into the velvet bag for the next round. But in no way were Ipswich embarrassed by the top flight outfit.
Back to the League it was then for Ipswich and our form at 'The Fortress' started slipping a bit. Consecutive draws against Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle at home and a lucky point away in freezing Blackpool left Town in 10th place and playing catch up for our play off spot, we were 2 points outside our target zone.
The transfer window closed leaving The Blues faithful feeling a bit bemused. Goalkeepers Neil Alexander and Shane Supple both being allowed to leave for Glasgow Rangers and Falkirk (loan) respectively, only to be replaced by now 'past it' Nick Colgan and Derby's 3rd choice 'stopper' Stephen Bywater, the latter only on a loan deal. Bywater was still not forgiven for his fisticuffs with Alex Bruce the previous season, and his past connections with West Ham, I don't reckon he enjoyed his time with us.
Other arrivals to Portman Road were Alan Quinn, Velice Shumulikoski and Plymouth's golden boy David Norris. Town fans were still a bit miffed as to why Jim added more talent to our already overcrowded midfield when really we were crying out for a centre half and a 20 goal a season striker.
February
Bywater,
Quinn and (as a sub) Shumulikoski all made their debuts for Ipswich
away at Sheffield Wednesday. Quinn and Alan Lee scored in the 2-1 win,
and sent the Ipswich faithful back to Suffolk in party mood after
picking up our first three points away from Portman Road all season.
But, just like Roy Castle's old TV programme as one record breaks, so
does another, the following Saturday saw Watford come to our Fortress
and be the only club to do the 'double' over Ipswich, and leave Town
pointless at home for the first time in 11 months. The drawbridge had
opened.
In the next game Town won at Crystal Palace, their second
away win in two weeks, then a home win against seasiders' Blackpool
left Ipswich with a four point cushion in the final play off spot,
having played a game more than the chasing pack below. An unusual
sending off occurred in our next game when manager Jim Magilton saw red
at Stoke City, for complaining about the unfair multi ball system being
used by the home side. Town eventually lost 1-0 to the bullying
potteries side, which sent Stoke to the top of the table and let Town
slip into 7th spot, leapfrogged by Burnley who had won their game in
hand in midweek.
March
This was the month that would cost us our season, we kicked off the Spring with a 1-1 draw away at relegation threatened Southampton, and followed this up with yet another draw against Sheffield United at Portman Road. Then in a snow and hail battered Tuesday night fixture in Barnsley it all went wrong. Pablo Counago put Town one up in the first half, but a calamitous performance by Town and in particular 'keeper Stephen Bywater, allowed The Tykes to inflict a 4-1 hammering on the Blues. The lowly South Yorkshire club had knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup the previous weekend. Ti's a 'funny old game' as they say.
A home win against Charlton got us back on track, but the boos for Bywater had far from gone.
Manchester
United's Danny Simpson arrived on loan for our next game away at
Scunthorpe United. We secured our 3rd away victory of the campaign with
goals from Pablo Counago, who later got sent off, and Luis Castro Sito
who notched his first goal for the club after a tremendous run, beating
four players to send Town fans delirious. Counago's sending off came
for allegedly spitting in Scunthorpe's Jack Cork's face. The red card
led many Town fans to believe it cost us our place in the play-offs at
the end of May. A striker Suspended, Jim needed back-up and called upon
former fans favourite Shefki Kuqi to help our promotion push. A 0-0
draw with Queens Park Rangers ended March with Town left in 7th place,
1 point behind Wolves who were 6th.
April
Town made their last ever trip to Layer Road, Colchester, and it was one to forget. The Essex side winning by two goals to nil and left some fans starting to wonder if Jim Magilton had taken us as far as he could. A draw with FA Cup finalists Cardiff City came next, then a 2-1 triumph over East Anglian foes Norwich City at Portman Road ensured we remained 'The Pride Of Anglia'. Away draws followed at Wolves and Preston which left Town in 8th place 2 points outside the top 6 and needing to rely on other teams to do us a favour on the final day.
May
Ipswich once again made the live Sky game on the final day, It was the last game for our captain Jason De Vos before he retired from football, against promotion chasing Hull City, sun swept Portman Road saw an Ipswich dominated game but only a substitute Alan Lee goal the difference between the two teams. Sadly though the 1-0 win was not enough, Ipswich missed out on the play offs by 1 point and ended the season in 8th position. Hull would go on to deservedly win the play off Final and get their chance to play in the best League in the world.
A star was born during the 2008/09 campaign for Ipswich Town, Jon Walters was outstanding all season and collected all the end of season gongs, lets hope he carried on his form into the new season.
We had the squad, we had the money, surely it would be our turn to follow West Brom, Stoke City and Hull City into 'The promised land' next season.
Part one
Things were looking bright at Ipswich Town Football Club for 2008. The team were unbeaten at, the now, Fortress Portman Road for over 9 months, we had just been taken over by multi-millionaire Marcus Evans, we were sitting pretty in 6th place in The Championship table and it was the 30th anniversary of Ipswich Town winning The FA Cup back in '78. Things were definately 'on the up' in Suffolk.
January
As we nursed our sore heads and hangovers, Town opened 2008 with an excellent 2-0 victory over table-toppers and soon to be Champions West Brom at Portman Road. David Wright and captain Jason De Vos scoring for The Blues. And despite our poor away form where we had gained no wins all season, Town's supporters started to believe this could be the season we returned to the promised land.
The FA Cup 3rd Round followed, the magic balls threw up a home encounter with Premiership Portsmouth, a game that will sadly be remembered for one of the most absurd refereeing decisions ever. Top flight official Mark Halsey sending off Town's young midfielder Liam Trotter for what looked like a perfect tackle, a decision most TV pundits found baffling too. Despite being down to 10 men Ipswich dominated the Premiership opposition and only England 'Keeper David James' save after save keeping Jim Magilton's boys from a place in the 4th Round. Soon to become an Ipswich target, David Nugent scored a breakaway goal for Pompey to send the eventual winners of the Cup into the velvet bag for the next round. But in no way were Ipswich embarassed by the top flight outfit.
Back to the League it was then for Ipswich and our form at 'The Fortress' started slipping a bit. Consecutive draws against Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle at home and a lucky point away in freezing Blackpool left Town in 10th place and playing catch up for our play off spot, we were 2 points outside our target zone.
The transfer window closed leaving The Blues faithful feeling a bit bemused. Goalkeepers Neil Alexander and Shane Supple both being allowed to leave for Glasgow Rangers and Falkirk(loan) respectively, only to be replaced by now 'past it' Nick Colgan and Derby's 3rd choice 'stopper' Stephen Bywater, the latter only on a loan deal. Bywater was still not forgiven for his fisticuffs with Alex Bruce the previous season, and his past connections with West Ham, I don't reckon he enjoyed his time with us!!
Other arrivals to Portman Road were Alan Quinn, Velice Sumulikoski and Plymouth's goldenboy David Norris. Town fans were still a bit miffed as to why Jim added more talent to our already overcrowded midfield when really we were crying out for a centre half and a 20 goal a season striker.
February
Bywater, Quinn and (as a sub) Sumulikoski all made their debuts for Ipswich away at Sheffield Wednesday. Quinn and Alan Lee scored in the 2-1 win, and sent the Ipswich faithful back to Suffolk in partymood after picking up our first three points away from Portman Road all season!!! But, just like Roy Castle's old TV programme as one record breaks, so does another, the following Saturday saw Watford come to our Fortress and be the only club to do the 'double' over Ipswich, and leave Town pointless at home for the first time in 11 months. The drawbridge had opened.
In the next game Town won at Crystal Palace, their second away win in two weeks, then a home win against seasiders Blackpool left Ipswich with a four point cushion in the final play off spot, having played a game more than the chasing pack below. An unusual sending off occured in our next game when manager Jim Magilton saw red at Stoke City, for complaining about the unfair multiball system being used by the home side. Town eventually lost 1-0 to the bullying potteries side, which sent Stoke to the top of the table and let Town slip into 7th spot, leapfrogged by Burnley who had won their game in hand in midweek.
March
This was the month that would cost us our season, we kicked off the Spring with a 1-1 draw away at relegation threatened Southampton, and followed this up with yet another draw against Sheffield United at Portman Road. Then in a snow and hail battered Tuesday night fixture in Barnsley it all went wrong. Pablo Counago put Town one up in the first half, but a calamitus performance by Town and inparticular 'keeper Stephen Bywater, allowed The Tykes to inflict a 4-1 hammering on the Blues. The lowly South Yorkshire club had knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup the previous weekend. T'is a 'funny old game' as they say.
A home win against Charlton got us back on track, but the boo's for Bywater had far from gone.
Manchester United's Danny Simpson arrived on loan for our next game away at Scunthorpe United. We secured our 3rd away victory of the campaign with goals from Pablo Counago, who later got sent off, and Luis Castro Sito who notched his first goal for the club after a tremondous run, beating four players to send Town fans delerious. Counago's sending off came for allegidly spitting in Scunthorpes' Jack Cork's face. The red card led many Town fans to believe it cost us our place in the play-offs at the end of May. A striker Suspended, Jim needed back-up and called upon former fans favourite Shefki Kuqi to help our promotion push. A 0-0 draw with Queens Park Rangers ended March with Town left in 7th place, 1 point behind Wolves who were 6th.
April
Town made their last ever trip to Layer Road, Colchester, and it was one to forget. The Essex side winning by two goals to nil and left some fans starting to wonder if Jim Magilton had taken us as far as he could. A draw with FA Cup finalists Cardiff City came next, then a 2-1 triumph over East Anglian foes Norwich City at Portman Road ensured we remained 'The Pride Of Anglia'. Away draws followed at Wolves and Preston which left Town in 8th place 2 points outside the top 6 and needing to rely on other teams to do us a favour on the final day.
May
Ipswich once again made the live Sky game on the final day, It was the last game for our captain Jason De Vos before he retired from football, against promotion chasing Hull City, sunswept Portman Road saw an Ipswich dominated game but only a substitute Alan Lee goal the difference between the two teams. Sadly though the 1-0 win was not enough, Ipswich missed out on the play offs by 1 point and ended the season in 8th position. Hull would go on to deservedly win the play off Final and get their chance to play in the best League in the world.
A star was born during the 2008/09 campaign for Ipswich Town, Jon Walters was outstanding all season and collected all the end of season gongs, lets hope he carried on his form into the new season.
We had the squad, we had the money, surely it would be our turn to follow West Brom, Stoke City and Hull City into 'The promised land' next season???