Unless there's a goalfest on Tuesday night, this Wednesday will mark the third anniversary of the last time Ipswich scored four (or more) goals in a league match at Portman Road. That was the "majestic" demolition of Bristol City in November 2007 which was the fourth time we'd scored four or more in 10 home games (yes, all under Jim Magilton).

So that's 69 home league games now without seeing Town score four goals, comfortably beating Town's previous record of 54 matches, which were Bobby Ferguson's last 44 matches and John Duncan's first 10, from May 1985 to November 1987.

Away from home, it's now 40 league matches without a four-goal haul, the last being the 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace in January 2009. While that's hardly great, it's nowhere near as poor as the remarkable 138 away matches where Town failed to similarly fill their boots, between February 1968 and August 1974, which included Sir Bobby's first 100 away matches.

Home or away, it's 79 league matches since Town scored four goals. The club record is 103 matches, also in Sir Bobby's reign, from September 1970 to January 1973. In fact, if it hadn't been for a 4-0 home win over Manchester United in September 1970, the club would have gone an astonishing 174 matches back then without a four on the scoresheet.

Of course, more games ran up huge scores in the 60s than we see nowadays, although Joe Royle wasn't reading that script. And Town rarely let in four goals either these days: it only happened to Jim Magilton three times in three seasons, and only once to Roy Keane in his first season. For those who like to see the net bulging, it actually brings back a nostalgia for the Royle era...

Here's the list of all the Town managers who were in charge for 50 matches or more, and the percentage of league games which saw their teams score four or more goals:

Alf Ramsey: 54 out of 340 (16%)
Bill McGarry: 18 out of 177 (10%)
Jackie Milburn: 5 out of 51 (10%)
Joe Royle: 14 out of 170 (8%)
A Scott Duncan: 32 out of 436 (7%)
George Burley: 22 out of 338 (7%)
John Duncan: 8 out of 136 (6%)
Bobby Robson: 32 out of 562 (6%)
Jim Magilton: 7 out of 136 (5%)
Bobby Ferguson: 8 out of 210 (4%)
John Lyall: 5 out of 193 (3%)
Roy Keane: 0 out of 63 (0%)

Fatcatevans added 17:01 - Nov 7 And your point is exactly? It wouldnt bother me if we went another 5 years without scoring 4 or more as long as we were winning each week. if we are strong defensively hopefully we wont need to score 4 to win
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itfc12 added 17:18 - Nov 7 Good blog and very interesting. Seems ages ago doesn't it since the bristol city match?
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CherryHintonBlue added 20:38 - Nov 7 Every time I post some stats, someone says: "and your point is...?". My point is nothing. These are just some stats to make you think. Make of them what you will. As ever.
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Guthrum added 22:00 - Nov 7 Interesting blog. Wonder if it's a function not so much of stronger defences in recent years - and the Royle stat seems to give the lie to that - but more the fact that recently, in many clubs, the Manager's position seems to have become more precarious (obviously, I'm basing this on an impression rather than hard statistics). In other words, they're more likely to be sacked after a few losses by impatient Chairmen (tho not at Ipswich). This could lead to an increased managerial culture of 'shutting up shop' to protect a draw or narrow lead (or prevent a heavy loss, for the sake of the goal difference, even), thus making teams harder to score against. Would be interesting to know if there's a general trend, or if it's just us.

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SideShow added 02:06 - Nov 8 Ah i do miss the Royle days. They were entertaining to say the least. I have to say the 6-4 against crew was one of the weirdest matches i've ever seen. Even at that score, i still felt nervous as.
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WeWereZombies added 11:30 - Nov 8 I remember the 4-0 drubbing of Man Utd back in 1970 - Colin Viljoen absolutely ran that game. Interesting league table of managers that sees John Duncan above Bobby Robson!
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Brooke_Satchwell added 16:52 - Nov 8 The last time we scored 5 was probably when we beat Stoke when Sergei Baltacha made his debut...
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TractorRoyNo1 added 00:01 - Nov 9 bring back Alf!
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superblues9 added 12:14 - Nov 10 What was the one before that ? I missed the Bristol city game was in florida always remember my mate was txting me thought he was taking the Mick !
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Mungo added 22:55 - Nov 10 Funnily enough I was asking this exact same question just the other day. Thanks for researching CherryHintonBlue. We do seem a bit overdue for a goal-fest!
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moomoosereni added 16:16 - Nov 12 I remember some great big haul wins under George Burley. 6-0 against Swindon, 5-2 versus Stoke, and of course who can forget the 5-0 drubbing of the scum! And then I think the same part of the season didn't we stick 5 past Oxford? TWTD!
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Back_The_Boss added 19:03 - Nov 12 Very interesting read. Good facts about each managers record and how many times they scored four goals ore more.
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Normandyblue added 16:24 - Nov 13 Looking like 4 today.....
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Back_The_Boss added 07:07 - Nov 21 Portman Road is such a frustrating place nowadays! Great facts.
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Lightningboy added 10:45 - Nov 24 Just goes to prove how far backwards the entertainment value has dropped since this clown was put in charge...only 3 seasons ago we were tearing teams apart at PR..Jim should've been given more time.
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