Former Town right-back Tommy Carroll has died aged 77.
Carroll joined the Blues from Cambridge City in July 1966 and made his debut the following March in a 1-1 draw at Hull City.
The Dubliner went on to make 124 starts and two sub appearances for Town, scoring three goals before moving on to Birmingham City in October 1971.
Carroll was a member of Bill McGarry’s Town team which won the Second Division title in 1967/68, making 38 league starts, scoring one goal.
In 1969/70 he was the only member of the squad to be ever-present in both league and cup.
Famously, he instigated the February 1971 dressing room fight involving himself, Billy Baxter and manager Bobby Robson by tearing down a teamsheet and thrusting it in the boss’s face having been left out of the side as the Blues were beaten 4-2 at home by Leeds.
Feeling threatened, Robson swung a punch at Carroll before Baxter - who had previously been stripped of the captaincy after an earlier indiscretion - and Robson’s number two Cyril Lea joined in on either side. After that, both Carroll and Baxter’s days at Town were numbered.
💙 The Club are saddened to hear the passing of former Town defender, Tommy Carroll.
The thoughts of everyone associated with Ipswich Town are with Tommy’s family and friends at this difficult time. #itfc pic.twitter.com/JgDxTnS6Kl— Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) August 16, 2020
Having been capped at U23 level, Carroll played 17 games for the Republic of Ireland at full level, eight of them while at Portman Road, scoring one goal, in a 1-1 draw with Sweden in 1970.
He played with hometown club Shelbourne both before and after his spell in England - winning the League of Ireland Championship and the FAI Cup during his first stint - and also managed Shels and Athlone Town.
Shelbourne FC is saddened to hear of the passing of FAI Cup and League winner Tommy Carroll.
With 17 caps for @FAIreland, Tommy, pictured back left, began his Shels career at just 15 playing with his brother Eddie.
Our thoughts are with Tommy’s friends and family. RIP. pic.twitter.com/7ar2kPTLBf– Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) August 16, 2020