On this day in 1981 Town won the UEFA Cup in Amsterdam, losing 4-2 to AZ Alkmaar on the night but winning 5-4 on aggregate, and to mark the occasion a new book about Arnold Mühren and Frans Thijssen is being published in the Netherlands.

Het Geheim van Ipswich (The Secret of Ipswich) has been written by Dutch journalist and Town fan Tom van Hulsen, 51, who worked for Voetbal International, the main Dutch football magazine, for 23 years and was editor-in-chief before becoming a freelance journalist earlier this year.

The book recalls Mühren and Thijssen’s time with the Blues under Bobby Robson. Van Hulsen interviewed a number of Town figures from that era, including former captain Mick Mills, ex-press officer Mel Henderson and Pat Godbold, secretary to every Town manager from Scott Duncan to George Burley, and also spoke to all the players who won the UEFA Cup about the influence the two Dutchmen had on English football.

Trots! Zojuist boek bekeken bij drukker Wilco in Amersfoort. Dit is 'm! Voor meer info zie https://t.co/TnHidRHCkB pic.twitter.com/AcfUhA7UDc– Tom van Hulsen (@tomvanhulsen) May 13, 2016

The book covers the period 1978-1983 and includes plenty of anecdotes related by members of the team and great stories told by Mühren and Thijssen themselves.

Het Geheim van Ipswich, which is currently only available in Dutch, will be sold in bookshops in the Netherlands but also through the website www.portmanroad.nl.

Photo: Action Images

December1963 added 10:08 - May 20 Sounds a great read. Phil can you please inform us if this becomes available in english. 2 of the greatest players ever to wear the blue shirt and to ever to play in this country. The memories of there style and skill brings a tear to the eye.
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Blue041273 added 13:35 - May 20 35 years eh? Almost a lifetime ago. One of the best nights of my life! Those were the Days. We were just so damn good! Love the memories of those times! Thank you SBR.
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mickeyjb added 15:17 - May 20 Laying on my bed listening to it on the radio as a ten year old. Your right those truely were the days. Legendary team
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Seasider added 17:37 - May 20 Ah sweet memories
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parhamblue added 19:00 - May 20 Good angle. Arnold and Frans were definitely a part of our 'secret'. Brilliant times, and lessons there to be learnt by today's club set-up. Then we invested in youth, kept and promoted them if they were good enough, yet were prepared to innovate to supplement home grown talent.
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SpiritOfJohn added 10:18 - May 21 Went to the home leg of the final. My family never listened to matches on the radio as there was a long-held belief that it brought the Town bad luck. However, we were three goals to the good so we decided to tune in for return match. The game was a bit of a rollercoaster affair with goals flying in at regular intervals. There were some heated exchanges in the family home about turning the radio off, as at one stage it looked like the jinx was going to help Alkmaar to achieve the unthinkable, but we came through in the end. The Dutchmen played their part but what a team we had back then...

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Pogle added 17:06 - May 21 The London dominated and Premier League obsessed media still fawns over Ardiles and Villa and mentioned Muhren & Thijssen as an afterthought. Yet, between 1978-1982, Ipswich with Muhren & Thijssen finished 6th, 3rd, 2nd & 2nd in the old Division 1. Tottenham with Ardiles and Villa finished 12th, 14th 10th and 4th. Over those four seasons, Ipswich beat Spurs 6 times, Tottenham won just twice. No contest who had the better two players, and the better team. Yet as a smaller club, history and media will portray it differently.

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