| I know 'cos I was there. 08:33 - Apr 28 with 7107 views | PJH |
I do not think that Max Boyce, who loved that phrase, was at Portman Road on April 28th 1962 but I was.
On that day Ipswich Town became Champions of England and I know 'cos I was there.
I have made posts on this date for the last four or maybe five years commemorating that day and the months that preceded it so please indulge me as I again post my reminisces (fact checked where possible). This year is particularly poignant for me because my mum, one of the people that was with me that day, passed away in February, my dad having passed away in 2013.
In those days before substitutes each club basically had a first team and that team played if fit. I could just as easily name the Burnley or Spurs first team from that era as the Ipswich one.
Normally if a first team player got injured and had to miss a game or games he was replaced by a reserve and he was straight back in when fit although in one case that did not happen in 1961/62 at Ipswich.
Also if a player lost form he generally played on and on until he regained form although I suppose players did get dropped from time to time.
Short of having a leg broken a player injured during a game usually stayed on the pitch and went out wide so that even if he was more or less static he could still kick the ball if it came in his direction.
Bailey, Carberry, Compton, Baxter, Nelson, Elsworthy, Stephenson, Moran, Crawford, Phillips, Leadbetter-eleven names that Ipswich followers from that era should real off automatically.
They all played at least 37 of the 42 League games and all except Moran, Compton and to a lesser extent Baxter, made up the 2nd Division winning team from the previous season.
Bailey, Carberry, Elsworthy, Phillips and Leadbetter were also in the team that won the 3rd Division (South) in 1956/57.
Douglas Moran was the only new signing in the summer of 1961 and he became the inside-right.
John Compton came into the 1961/62 side after the third game when first team left-back Kenny Malcolm got injured and he kept his place for the rest of the season although Malcolm regained fitness and played 17 games for the Reserves. Alf Ramsey obviously made a conscious decision at some point not to bring back his 'first team' fullback.
Billy Baxter got into the side in December 1960 and played all of the last 19 games of that season so by the end of 1960/61 he was becoming an established first team player. He was doing National Service in those two seasons and I believe that I am right in saying that he had to get his Commanding Officer's permission to play before each and every ITFC game.
Crawford and Phillips were a great goalscoring partnership and they scored 61 of the 93 League goals between them in 1961/62 having scored 70 of 100 the previous season. They were goalscorers in their own right with Phillips having scored 41 goals in 41 games in the 3rd Division in 1956/57 and Crawford scoring over 60 goals in his second spell at PR with Phillips no longer around.
They were different though with Crawford getting a lot of goals from rebounds from Phillips' thunderous shots coming back off the keeper or the woodwork. Both were good in the air but Phillips was lethal from anywhere from thirty yards inwards because of the power of his shooting. He was also the penalty taker and not many goalkeepers tried too hard to get in the way of one of his penalties.
Although based on the goalscoring of those two the tactical genius of Alf Ramsey played a huge part in us winning the title. Wingers were normally quick and they would be expected to beat their fullback and get to the byeline and cross but Alf played Leadbetter and to a lesser extent, Stephenson much deeper and they crossed or passed from areas that wingers did not normally do back then.
The opposing fullbacks had a problem as to whether to move forward to where Stephenson and Leadbetter were playing from and leave gaps behind them or to stay in their conventional place and await a winger that might never arrive.
It took all other teams that season to work out how to combat that tactic but Bill Nicholson at Spurs had his winghalfs marking Stephenson and Leadbetter and his fullbacks marking our inside forwards in the Charity Shield game at PR in August 1962 and Spur swon 5-1 but Ipswich losing Carberry to injury did not help.
Apart from the Charity Shield game that actual title winning team did not play together again until a win at Birmingham in April 1963, a game that I was also at.
So we are now at April 28th 1962 and ITFC go into their last game of the season against Aston Villa with a two point lead over Burnley but with 2 points for a win and Burnley having 2 games to play and a better goal average even a win would not guarantee the title.
The official attendance figure that day was 28932, it was NOT all ticket.
It took until the 72nd minute for us to score, Ray Crawford scoring with a diving header after John Elsworthy had headed a Stephenson freekick against the bar.
Crawford got a second goal four minutes later although that goal does not appear on the film that I have seen of that day, it is in my head though!
We then had to wait for the Burnley result and we eventually heard that they had drawn 1-1 at home to already relegated Chelsea so they could no longer catch us and WE were Champions. Burnley also lost their last game but that was irrelevant.
On hearing the result there were pitch invasions and the players were hoisted onto shoulders.
I have not started rambling about other memories from that season but will leave it there apart from mentioning three things that I always associate with those times.
Firstly, the team running onto the pitch to the tune 'Entry Of The Gladiators'.
Secondly, the crowd singing 'Keep Right On To The End Of The Road' which was and is a Birmingham City song and I have no idea when ITFC supporters adopted it or finished using.
Thirdly, Ipswich bus conductor Swede Herring going round the pitch pumping up the supporters 'One, Two, Three, Four , Who are we for, I-P-(you know the rest)
On April 28th 1962 Ipswich Town became Champions Of England and I know 'cos I was there.
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 13:13 - Apr 28 with 1617 views | Vic |
Great post PJH. It’s great having you guys on here; these stories give us hope.
The thing that stood out for me in all that was that in 56/57 we were a 3rd division outfit. 5 years later we won the 1st division. 5 seasons!
OK we may not win the prem, but moving up to to league from where we are can be done. Our EA cousins up the road went from 3rd to Prem, Southampton did something similar. Leeds and Wolves both there too after stints in Div 3.
Uppa Towen |  |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 13:25 - Apr 28 with 1604 views | oldburian |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 12:49 - Apr 28 by Churchman |
Brilliant post. Thank you for this. Please continue to post this each year! Ipswich Town’s finest moment. I’d love to have seen it. My dad was there and I think his dad too. Lucky devils! |
I had bronchitis and pleurisy and sat in front of the TV with the dog watching Grandstand. I shouted so much the dog went under the table! What I remember of that year was the away win at Spurs, 3 - 1 in front of a crowd of 57,000 plus. Crawford was awesome that night, he scored the equaliser and then laid on a tap in for Phillips when he could have easily scored himself. Ted had been going through a barren spell and that goal ignited him. When he headed the third in the second half it was to almost total silence, neither set of fans could believe it for different reasons. That was the season I scored against ex-ITFC goalie Tom Brown but no film clips of that exist. |  | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 13:43 - Apr 28 with 1576 views | Churchman |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 13:25 - Apr 28 by oldburian |
I had bronchitis and pleurisy and sat in front of the TV with the dog watching Grandstand. I shouted so much the dog went under the table! What I remember of that year was the away win at Spurs, 3 - 1 in front of a crowd of 57,000 plus. Crawford was awesome that night, he scored the equaliser and then laid on a tap in for Phillips when he could have easily scored himself. Ted had been going through a barren spell and that goal ignited him. When he headed the third in the second half it was to almost total silence, neither set of fans could believe it for different reasons. That was the season I scored against ex-ITFC goalie Tom Brown but no film clips of that exist. |
My dad went to the Arsenal away game near the season’s end and reckons it was of the best laughs he’s ever had at a football ground. The Highbury faithful were dishing out the abuse from the off. ‘Load of rubbish’, ‘disgrace this lot are at the top of the league’, ‘awful team’ etc etc, usual London supporter moaning.
Ipswich hammered them 3-0 and Arsenal walked off bewildered. And the rest is history! |  | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:15 - Apr 28 with 1558 views | solemio |
Jaykay, blame Dr Beeching please. Not poor Sir Thomas Beecham.
Thanks so much PJH. Takes me right back to that wonderful day.
A few folk have mentioned Baxter. He is probably mentioned more for his opposition to Bobby Robson than for being a very important member of that great 61 - 62 side, which is a bit of a shame. I also think that perhaps Roy Stephenson deserves as much credit as Sticks Leadbetter for that season and perhaps he hasn't always had that. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:24 - Apr 28 with 1549 views | oldburian |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 13:43 - Apr 28 by Churchman |
My dad went to the Arsenal away game near the season’s end and reckons it was of the best laughs he’s ever had at a football ground. The Highbury faithful were dishing out the abuse from the off. ‘Load of rubbish’, ‘disgrace this lot are at the top of the league’, ‘awful team’ etc etc, usual London supporter moaning.
Ipswich hammered them 3-0 and Arsenal walked off bewildered. And the rest is history! |
We all half expected to be relegated as we were when we first got promoted to the 2nd Division. The first home mid-week match was against Burnley and Phillips free kick that the first Adam Blacklaw saw of the ball was it bouncing back from the net. Burnley had beaten us in the week before, they were a class side with Adamson, Pointer, Douglas et al.
In contrast to todays players wages, Jimmy Leadbetter was over the moon when he backed the winner of the Grand National at six old pence each way, well he was Scottish. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:32 - Apr 28 with 1543 views | Keno |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:24 - Apr 28 by oldburian |
We all half expected to be relegated as we were when we first got promoted to the 2nd Division. The first home mid-week match was against Burnley and Phillips free kick that the first Adam Blacklaw saw of the ball was it bouncing back from the net. Burnley had beaten us in the week before, they were a class side with Adamson, Pointer, Douglas et al.
In contrast to todays players wages, Jimmy Leadbetter was over the moon when he backed the winner of the Grand National at six old pence each way, well he was Scottish. |
Didn't most of that team have summer jobs at Felixstowe Docks, which paid more than playing for Town? |  |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:06 - Apr 28 with 1486 views | ElephantintheRoom |
Alas I wasn't there - but I did see quite a few games that season - or at least I was AT quite a few games. What I saw depended on wh pushed in front of me.
I wonder if you, like me resent Aston Villa winning the league in 1981?
I only ask because Town imploded that year despite being vastly superior to Villa.... and you could say the same about Burnley in 1962 - who suffered from their cup run and the chilly winter that was a prelude to the following year's big freeze.
Be interesting to see which five of the current third division team will be winning the league in two years time? | |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:23 - Apr 28 with 1474 views | oldburian |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:32 - Apr 28 by Keno |
Didn't most of that team have summer jobs at Felixstowe Docks, which paid more than playing for Town? |
Well there was a reflection recently that most of the players did not have a car, the only ones were those with another income stream. Andy Nelson was one of those. | | | |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:31 - Apr 28 with 1468 views | monty_radio |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 14:15 - Apr 28 by solemio |
Jaykay, blame Dr Beeching please. Not poor Sir Thomas Beecham.
Thanks so much PJH. Takes me right back to that wonderful day.
A few folk have mentioned Baxter. He is probably mentioned more for his opposition to Bobby Robson than for being a very important member of that great 61 - 62 side, which is a bit of a shame. I also think that perhaps Roy Stephenson deserves as much credit as Sticks Leadbetter for that season and perhaps he hasn't always had that. |
Jackie Milburn famously said that he wished he'd had 11 Billy Baxters in his side.
Re the modern end of season cry "they're already on the beach" (presumed to be exotic) I remember Baxter sunning himself pre-season on the concrete around Broomhill Pool. | |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:34 - Apr 28 with 1470 views | PJH |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:06 - Apr 28 by ElephantintheRoom |
Alas I wasn't there - but I did see quite a few games that season - or at least I was AT quite a few games. What I saw depended on wh pushed in front of me.
I wonder if you, like me resent Aston Villa winning the league in 1981?
I only ask because Town imploded that year despite being vastly superior to Villa.... and you could say the same about Burnley in 1962 - who suffered from their cup run and the chilly winter that was a prelude to the following year's big freeze.
Be interesting to see which five of the current third division team will be winning the league in two years time? |
I do believe that we were not only the best team in England in 1980/81 but also the best in Europe and I wish we had won the title during SBR's time here with that season being the season that I regret us missing out the most.
The fact that we played about 20 more games than Villa that season meant that we were not able to get as much silverware as we deserved.
We did fold at the back end of that season because of the backlog of games plus injuries to key players. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 17:04 - Apr 28 with 1451 views | oldburian |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:34 - Apr 28 by PJH |
I do believe that we were not only the best team in England in 1980/81 but also the best in Europe and I wish we had won the title during SBR's time here with that season being the season that I regret us missing out the most.
The fact that we played about 20 more games than Villa that season meant that we were not able to get as much silverware as we deserved.
We did fold at the back end of that season because of the backlog of games plus injuries to key players. |
That season the first three places in both the PFA and Sports Writers were all Ipswich players, only John Wark was in both.
We also won European Team of the Year, the first time it was awarded to one other than the European Cup winners. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 17:26 - Apr 28 with 1433 views | Churchman |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:34 - Apr 28 by PJH |
I do believe that we were not only the best team in England in 1980/81 but also the best in Europe and I wish we had won the title during SBR's time here with that season being the season that I regret us missing out the most.
The fact that we played about 20 more games than Villa that season meant that we were not able to get as much silverware as we deserved.
We did fold at the back end of that season because of the backlog of games plus injuries to key players. |
Spot on. We were the outstanding team that season. So good that we went a long way in every competition but ran out of steam and players. Aston Villa used only 13 or 14 players all season, had no distractions and were deservedly beaten by us in all three games.
The following season we also finished second. We were a lot better than everyone else, but Liverpool deservedly won the League | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:26 - Apr 28 with 1396 views | You_Bloo_Right |
"I have not started rambling about other memories from that season but will leave it there"
I do wonder if you could put together a game by game review of that season. They say everyone has one book in them  |  |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:32 - Apr 28 with 1390 views | PJH |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:26 - Apr 28 by You_Bloo_Right |
"I have not started rambling about other memories from that season but will leave it there"
I do wonder if you could put together a game by game review of that season. They say everyone has one book in them |
I couldn't really because although I was at 20 of the 21 home League games I have no specific recollection of some of them. I/we were not at the Boxing Day game at home to Leicester because we went to my mum's parents in Worcestershire for Christmas.
I only went to one away game, the 3-1 win at WBA.
I did list some specific memories in one of these yearly threads but, as I said, some of the games I do not remember anything about at all.
Although I am not young now I was only 10 at the start of that season and reached age 11 in January 1962. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:41 - Apr 28 with 1382 views | You_Bloo_Right |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:32 - Apr 28 by PJH |
I couldn't really because although I was at 20 of the 21 home League games I have no specific recollection of some of them. I/we were not at the Boxing Day game at home to Leicester because we went to my mum's parents in Worcestershire for Christmas.
I only went to one away game, the 3-1 win at WBA.
I did list some specific memories in one of these yearly threads but, as I said, some of the games I do not remember anything about at all.
Although I am not young now I was only 10 at the start of that season and reached age 11 in January 1962. |
Shame that because what you do recall you write about very well IMO.
Perhaps a collaboration with some of the other old g.. ahem senior members of the board | |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 20:12 - Apr 28 with 1365 views | blueislander |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:32 - Apr 28 by PJH |
I couldn't really because although I was at 20 of the 21 home League games I have no specific recollection of some of them. I/we were not at the Boxing Day game at home to Leicester because we went to my mum's parents in Worcestershire for Christmas.
I only went to one away game, the 3-1 win at WBA.
I did list some specific memories in one of these yearly threads but, as I said, some of the games I do not remember anything about at all.
Although I am not young now I was only 10 at the start of that season and reached age 11 in January 1962. |
Without doubt the game I remember most clearly was the 6-2 win over Burnley and Dixie Moran’s diving header | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 20:22 - Apr 28 with 1358 views | brushhand |
thank you so much for your post, a very enjoyable read. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 20:57 - Apr 28 with 1348 views | BiGDonnie |
Your memory is unreal, quality read. I remember how it felt to win the play offs, can only imagine what being champions of England would feel like. |  |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 22:02 - Apr 28 with 1315 views | PJH |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 20:57 - Apr 28 by BiGDonnie |
Your memory is unreal, quality read. I remember how it felt to win the play offs, can only imagine what being champions of England would feel like. |
The factual bits, like how many goals Crawford and Phillips got between them, I have to check and as I have said on this thread some games I have no recollection of at all but then again some memories are still vivid. | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 22:27 - Apr 28 with 1300 views | Beattie78 |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 22:02 - Apr 28 by PJH |
The factual bits, like how many goals Crawford and Phillips got between them, I have to check and as I have said on this thread some games I have no recollection of at all but then again some memories are still vivid. |
I have the same problem. Some memories are vivid, others not so. One game I particularly remember is the Good Friday game against Arsenal where there was a new record attendance (30,649). We drew 2-0 after being 2 down. The ground was so packed that some of us were allowed to sit on the grass in front of the stands. I found myself sitting just to the side of the Churchman's goal.
That game was the first game I attended without my dad. I went with an older lad who lived in our street. I can't remember how much pleading I had to do before I was allowed to go, but I'm sure there were a few arguments. |  |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 23:00 - Apr 28 with 1286 views | BiGDonnie |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 22:02 - Apr 28 by PJH |
The factual bits, like how many goals Crawford and Phillips got between them, I have to check and as I have said on this thread some games I have no recollection of at all but then again some memories are still vivid. |
Yeah, I mean how well you remember the goals. I thought about it after I'd posted a response to you - I can remember some goals vividly from way back, but only the important, special ones, which unfortunately there haven't been many of.
Clearly, it's one of those special special memories you'll always cherish. Honestly, winning league 1 next season would be good enough for me! | |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 23:01 - Apr 28 with 1286 views | Bluespeed225 |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 16:23 - Apr 28 by oldburian |
Well there was a reflection recently that most of the players did not have a car, the only ones were those with another income stream. Andy Nelson was one of those. |
Crawford would go back down to Portsmouth docks to drive a van according to his book. Later on I think Tommy Carol fitted carpets! | | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 06:25 - Apr 29 with 1230 views | readtheleaguetable |
I was there too! They won the Championship of England on my 8th birthday. As I reel off the team, I always say Bailey, Carberry, Malcolm. I must have learned it at the first game. My favourite player was Larry Carberry, because I saw him every Sunday at St. Mary Magdalen’s church, and he was MUCH more revered than the reverend (although for very different reasons, Father Conlon was a legend in his own right.)
I remember the Sunday Express headline, which my father read out to us at breakfast, with no little anger at the condescension: “Little Ipswich Town are League Champions”. [Post edited 29 Apr 2021 21:34]
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| Qu'est-ce que vous chantez? Nous chantons "Les Bleus, allez!" |
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| I know 'cos I was there. on 07:25 - Apr 29 with 1207 views | Beckets |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 23:01 - Apr 28 by Bluespeed225 |
Crawford would go back down to Portsmouth docks to drive a van according to his book. Later on I think Tommy Carol fitted carpets! |
Tommy Carroll did indeed fit carpets in the close season. Helped out at the company owned by the father of a mate of mine. |  | | |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 08:05 - Apr 29 with 1196 views | ElephantintheRoom |
| I know 'cos I was there. on 19:32 - Apr 28 by PJH |
I couldn't really because although I was at 20 of the 21 home League games I have no specific recollection of some of them. I/we were not at the Boxing Day game at home to Leicester because we went to my mum's parents in Worcestershire for Christmas.
I only went to one away game, the 3-1 win at WBA.
I did list some specific memories in one of these yearly threads but, as I said, some of the games I do not remember anything about at all.
Although I am not young now I was only 10 at the start of that season and reached age 11 in January 1962. |
Embarrassingly the only reason I was at games in that season was that my mum was working - so my dad had to take me to the football. I was seven then - too young at the time to fully appreciate what i was watching - and frequently took a comic with me, either Swift or Eagle.
I too have only fitful memories of that season - and my most vivid are being scared on my milk crate - hence my dad decamping to the East Stand and making sure I had a comic with me. I vividly remember a bloke next to me saying he wished he had a comic at one game... so not all the games then were non-stop excitement either.
I also seem to remember a number of people in the East Stand hurling abuse at Ted Phillips - which is odd - especially as he was often on the train from Saxmundham | |
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