 [Blog] Class of 2002: Where Are They Now?Written by Nuggets on Thursday, 16th Dec 2010 16:42 I think what all Ipswich fans need is a welcome distraction from the trials and tribulations of Roy Keane’s managerial tenure at the club. So I have decided to do what all Town fans do when challenged about the present, and look back to the past. What always attracted my interest are the “Where Are They Now†articles, so why not apply this to Ipswich? I’ve taken our 5-0 loss against Liverpool, not the most inspiring of choices, but it was the last time Ipswich lined up as a Premier League side eight years ago. So how have those players fared in comparison to the downward spiral of Ipswich? GK: Andy Marshall Who was he? – The goalkeeper who never really fitted in at Portman Road due to his Norwich connections. He always tried to prove his commitment to Town (wildly celebrating a clean sheet against Norwich) but was offloaded by Joe Royle to Millwall. Post-Ipswich fortunes – FA Cup runner-up medal at Millwall. Moved to Coventry on a free and was a fans' favourite there, winning Player of the Year in 2007. Where is he now? – Third choice goalkeeper at Aston Villa. Now 35, Marshall’s contract expires at the end of the year and is unlikely to be kept on at Villa Park. LB: Hermann Hreidarsson Who was he? – Icelandic left back cost £4.5 million in 2000. Hreidarsson developed into a key defender for Town. Moved to Charlton in March 2003 when Ipswich entered administration. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Became a regular for Charlton in the Premier League. However, when the Addicks were relegated, he joined Portsmouth where he won the FA Cup in 2008. Portsmouth were relegated with crippling debts last year. Where is he now? – Still at Portsmouth having signed a one-year contract extension last summer, but is struggling to get regular first team football. However he captains the Icelandic national side having won over 80 caps. CB: Mark Venus Who was he? – Signed from Wolves, Venus established himself as a first choice defender at Portman Road. He made 148 appearances for Ipswich before being released by Royle in 2003. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Joined Cambridge United, fell out with the staff and promptly left. He joined former team-mate Tony Mowbray as assistant manager at Hibernian and West Brom. Where is he now? – After leaving his post at number two with Celtic, Venus rejoined Mowbray as his right hand man, this time at struggling Middlesbrough. CB: John McGreal Who is he? – Signed from Tranmere Rovers in 1999 for a modest £650,000. McGreal became an integral part of Ipswich’s Premier League team. He played 123 games for the Tractor Boys until his move to Burnley in 2004. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Acted as a mentor to Gary Cahill in the Burnley defence. However McGreal was eventually replaced in the side and released in 2007. Retired from playing shortly afterwards. Where is he now? – Coaching at Colchester United, McGreal usually keeps out of the media spotlight. RB: Titus Bramble Who was he? – Highly rated local youngster, Bramble graduated through the Ipswich ranks. He made 48 first team appearances for the Tractor Boys, most of those in the Premier League but left for Newcastle in 2002 after Town’s relegation. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Joined Newcastle for £6 million but became a derided figure. Infamous for his lapses in concentration, Bramble rehabilitated his image when he joined Wigan, winning four player awards in 2009. Where is he now? – Bramble is at Sunderland having signed for £1 million. He has become a first team regular after accomplished performances against Manchester United and Arsenal. RM: Jamie Clapham Who was he? – Clapham won Player of the Year in the promotion winning campaign of 1990-00. He garnered a strong reputation at Portman Road. However, Clapham moved to Birmingham City in January 2003. Post-Ipswich fortunes – An ever-present at Birmingham until an injury in 2003 forced him out of the side. He left for Wolves where he only played for 26 times in an uneventful two-year stint. Moved on to clubs like Leicester City and Notts County. Where is he now? – At hometown club Lincoln City and has signed a one-year contract. He has currently played eight times for the League Two side. CM: Matt Holland Who was he? – Are you having a laugh? The influential Ipswich captain became the driving force in Ipswich’s midfield. He represented his country, the Republic of Ireland at the 2002 World Cup Finals. He played for Ipswich after relegation, but moved to then-Premier League side Charlton in 2003. Post-Ipswich fortunes – He became Charlton’s captain and was an ever-present in his debut season at the Valley. He amassed a series of individual awards including Fans' Player of the Year in 2008. Where is he now? – Works for the BBC as a pundit, recently covered the Norwich-Ipswich local derby for BBC One. CM: Tommy Miller Who was he? – Renowned for his penalty-taking expertise, Miller played for the club in two separate spells. He first joined Ipswich in 2001 but left for Sunderland on a free transfer. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Joined boyhood club Sunderland in 2005, but was part of the squad that finished bottom of the Premiership with 15 points, a record low at the time. Miller rejoined Ipswich in 2007 but failed to break into Roy Keane’s squad and was released. He signed for Sheffield Wednesday. Where is he now? – Still at Sheffield Wednesday, but now plays League One football after the Owls’ relegation last season. LM: Martijn Reuser Who was he? – The injury-prone Dutch midfielder was a talented player. Signed from Ajax, Reuser became the creative influence on the wing. Stayed with the club after relegation but injuries, loss of form and a falling out with Royle resulted in his exit in 2004. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Fans of Dutch football will know, he signed for Willem II and played 47 times over two years before moving onto RKC Waalwijk. He had a two-year spell there and then moved to NAC Breda. Where is he now? – He continued his career at NAC Breda but retired in the summer. ST: Darren Bent Who was he? – Young starlet who broke into the first team towards the end of 2002. Bent had an impressive career at Ipswich; he scored 19 goals in his last season there before moving to Charlton for £2.5 million plus clauses. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Good goalscoring record in the Premier League, 31 in 68 for Charlton, 18 times in 60 for Tottenham (mostly as substitute) before he moved to Sunderland for £10 million plus add-ons. Where is he now – At Sunderland, Bent is considered to be England’s most prolific striker. 31 goals in 50 Sunderland games speak volumes, one goal in seven international appearances, doesn’t. ST: Marcus Bent Who was he? – Came to Ipswich after stints at Brentford, Crystal Palace, Port Vale and, more successfully, Sheffield United and Blackburn. Marcus Bent played 61 times for Ipswich, scoring 21 times in his three-year spell. Post-Ipswich fortunes – Varying degrees of success. Low scoring periods at Charlton and Everton, before doing relatively well at Wigan. He joined Birmingham in 2008 but struggled to break into the first team. Where is he now? – Currently on loan at Wolves, has only played twice to date. Hopefully one day I will be able to write a similar article about the current team gracing the heights of the Premier League, although this looks doubtful on current form. Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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