Every season, Town seem win one or two of their half-dozen midweek away fixtures (just enough to keep the travelling army inspired enough to attend the next game) but what are the real stats involved?

The big question I wanted to answer, after last night's victory at Loftus Road, is "how often do Ipswich win two midweek away league matches on the trot?" The answer, predictably, is not very often.

In fact, it hasn't happened since 1998. But that wasn't just two consecutive midweek away league victories; it was part of an astonishing eight-match unbeaten streak spanning three seasons:

Wed 30/10/96 Queens Park Rangers - won 1-0
Wed 1/1/97 Charlton Athletic - drew 1-1

Tue 21/10/97 Crewe Alexandra - drew 0-0
Tue 28/10/97 Birmingham City - drew 1-1
Tue 27/1/98 West Bromwich Albion - won 3-2
Wed 18/2/98 Manchester City - won 2-1
Tue 3/3/98 Sheffield United - won 1-0

Tue 29/9/98 Tranmere Rovers - won 2-0

That's right, four midweek away wins in a row. And intriguingly, that run started at Loftus Road. It's the only time Town have won consecutive midweek away league games in the past 35 years, however. The previous back-to-back midweek away wins were in 1973/74, with a three-match run of wins at Norwich City, Sheffield United and Arsenal (who wouldn't mind those three now, eh?). Before that, you need to go back to a point where I wasn't even (quite) a twinkle in my Daddy's eye: two wins in March 1962 at Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

For what it's worth, here's the midweek away record since the return to the Championship:

Overall
2002-2003 P8 W2 D4 L2
2003-2004 P8 W4 D1 L3
2004-2005 P10 W5 D3 L2
2005-2006 P10 W1 D4 L5
2006-2007 P10 W3 D2 L5
2007-2008 P13 W5 D4 L4
2008-2009 P11 W4 D5 L2

Home
2002-2003 P4 W2 D1 L1
2003-2004 P2 W2 D0 L0
2004-2005 P6 W4 D1 L1
2005-2006 P4 W0 D3 L1
2006-2007 P3 W1 D0 L2
2007-2008 P7 W4 D3 L0
2008-2009 P6 W3 D2 L1

Away
2002-2003 P4 W0 D3 L1
2003-2004 P6 W2 D1 L3
2004-2005 P4 W1 D2 L1
2005-2006 P6 W1 D1 L4
2006-2007 P7 W2 D2 L3
2007-2008 P6 W1 D1 L4
2008-2009 P5 W1 D3 L1

This season of course is already quite intriguing; no midweek away defeats in the league at all yet, but then again, before the QPR game last night there'd only been the one trip, to Sheffield United. However, that's set to change, with Loftus Road being the first of four away games in six Tuesdays.

In the club's history, Town have played 234 away league matches on Tuesday or Wednesday, and have won by more than the odd goal on just 21 occasions, and by more than two goals on just 3 occasions:

1988-1989: Shrewsbury Town - won 5-1
1973-1974: Sheffield United - won 3-0
2006-2007: Hull City - won 5-2

Vic added 14:55 - Feb 10 That's some good anorak research CHB - very interesting stuff! Trouble is when it slightly deflates my already deflated optimism! Still, if there was ever a chance to get two back to back wins, let alone to away back to back wins it has to be these two! If we win on Tuesday I don't mind losing the other two away games - though on current form I wouldn't bet against us getting a point from one of them. 7 points from 12 wouldn't be bad would it!!!

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nobbyson added 23:27 - Feb 10 hhmmmm , wierdly enough i found this blog quite intresting...but you have WAY to much spare time ! ;)
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swifty added 14:27 - Feb 12 Agree, a very interesting article. Enjoyed reading it and would now like to see Ipswich beat Peterboro on Tuesday night in front of 2000 town fans.
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DrJeckyll added 18:28 - Feb 14 yep, interesting blog, like it
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Nthsuffolkblue added 08:15 - Feb 17 You really are statto aren't you?
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