Ipswich Town v Leeds United
Saturday 18th February 2017 – 15:00
Portman Road
Opening Thought – Jamma
With 4 points from tricky-looking assignments against Reading and Aston Villa, the Blues had received a timely injection of confidence going into the clash with Brighton. And this new-found belief was in evidence within the first 10 minutes at the Amex, as Luke Chambers bravely hurled himself at the ball and got there just before David Stockdale to give us the lead. As was to be expected, the high-flying Seagulls soon recovered from that early setback and got themselves into the ascendancy. Bartosz Bialkowski was tested with a number of goalbound efforts but dealt with everything that was thrown at him. That was until Emyr Huws was harshly adjudged to have brought down Bruno Saltor, for a penalty that Tomer Hemed calmly dispatched for his tenth league goal of the season. The controversy set the tone for what was a lively encounter, with Roger East (incidentally also the referee for the 2015 play-off semi-final second leg at Carrow Road) handing out nine yellow cards. Unfortunately for Town, one of these bookings was more notable than the rest, with Tom Lawrence’s tenth yellow of the campaign seeing him miss the games against Leeds and Norwich. The most frustrating thing was that it was obvious to every man and his dog that the Leicester loanee would pick up a caution as early as the first few minutes, when he contested an innocuous decision. He was in the referee’s ear at every subsequent opportunity, and it was no surprise when Mr. East duly brandished his yellow card for Lawrence’s reaction to the award of the penalty. Our talisman’s importance to Ipswich Town in 2016/17 cannot be overstated, but his undoubted ability needs to be complemented by his temperament. I seem to remember another example from the Forest match earlier in the season, when he twice went down in the area instead of going for goal. Mick Mills, when quizzed on the radio about this, immediately dismissed any notion that such petulance/will to win/call it what you like could be beneficial to Lawrence’s game. At only 23, time is on his side, but he still has lots to learn if he is to fulfil his potential.
We shouldn’t let this negative overshadow what was otherwise another very encouraging evening. With the way the season has gone, Brighton away was one of those games in which, given our recent form, we would have hoped to be competitive but which, if we were honest, we weren’t expecting to yield much in the way of points. In the preview, Mike had compared it to our trip to St. James’ Park back in October. On that occasion, Newcastle went ahead inside the first minute and we never really believed we would get anything from the match. This time around, it was Town who burst out of the traps and took an early lead. One of the more pleasing aspects of our ‘mini-run’ has been that, even when we have been pegged back in a game, we have persisted with our positive play and looked to get back on the front foot. A matter of weeks ago, it would have been hard to imagine us coming back so strongly after conceding an equaliser to Reading or Brighton. But in both matches we regrouped and continued to provide a goal threat, David McGoldrick, Lawrence and Chambers all coming close to restoring the lead on Tuesday night. The Seagulls finished the stronger of the two teams, understandably spurred on by the incentive of going top. The introduction of Jamie Murphy gave them added impetus out wide, while Glenn Murray’s stoppage-time effort off the inside of the post would have been diverted in on another day rather than deflect away to safety. But the Blues had earnt their bit of good fortune with another effective display. With Lawrence suspended and Toumani Diagouraga not allowed to play against his parent club, we may need Lady Luck to smile on us again this weekend. If we can replicate the performance levels of our last three matches, we can at least be sure of providing a stern test for another promotion hopeful.
The Opposition – Leeds United
Leeds United's predecessor team, Leeds City FC, was formed in 1904, and were elected League members in 1905, but were forcibly disbanded and forced to sell off all their players by The Football League in 1919 in response to allegations of illegal payments to players during the First World War.
In 1919, Leeds United was formed and they received an invitation to enter the Midland League. Following Leeds City's disbanding, Yorkshire Amateurs bought their stadium, Elland Road, before in turn offering to make way for the new team.
The chairman of Huddersfield Town, Hilton Crowther, loaned Leeds United £35,000, to be repaid when Leeds United won promotion to Division One.
On 31 May 1920, Leeds United were elected to the Football League. Over the following few years, they consolidated their position in the Second Division and in 1924 won the title and with it promotion to the First Division. They failed to establish themselves and were relegated in 1926–27. In the years up until the start of World War II, Leeds were twice relegated, both times being instantly re-promoted the following season.
In the 1946–47 season after the war, Leeds were relegated again with the worst league record in their history.
Leeds remained in the Second Division until 1955–56, when they once again won promotion to the First Division, before being relegated again in the 1959–60 season.
In March 1961, the club appointed former player Don Revie as manager. His stewardship began in adverse circumstances as the club was in financial difficulty and in 1961–62 only a win in the final game of the season saved the club from relegation to Division Three.
Revie implemented a youth policy and a change of kit colour to an all-white strip in the style of Real Madrid, and Leeds soon won promotion to the First Division, in 1963–64. In his thirteen years in charge, Revie guided Leeds to two Football League First Division titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, one Football League Second Division title and one Charity Shield. He also guided them to three more FA Cup finals, two more FA Cup semi-finals, one more Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-final, one European Cup Winners' Cup final and one European Cup semi-final. The team also finished second in the Football League First Division five times, third once and fourth twice.
Following the 1973–74 season, Revie left Leeds and Elland Road in 1974, to manage the England national team, and, although they no longer dominated English football, they remained in the top ten for subsequent seasons, before being relegated at the end of 1981–82.
In October 1988, Howard Wilkinson took over the manager’s role and oversaw their promotion back to the First Division in 1989–90. Under Wilkinson, Leeds finished 4th in 1990–91 and in 1991–92 won the title.
In October 1998, David O'Leary assumed the manager’s role at Leeds and under his guidance Leeds never finished outside the top 5 in the Premier League, and secured qualification for both the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, enjoying cup runs to the semi-finals of both competitions.
Under chairman Peter Ridsdale, Leeds had taken out large loans against the prospect of the share of the TV rights and sponsorship revenues from UEFA Champions League qualification and subsequent progress in the competition. However, Leeds narrowly failed to qualify for the Champions League in two successive seasons, and as a consequence did not receive enough income to repay the loans. The net result was that Leeds’ best players were sold, O’Leary fell out with Ridsdale and was sacked, in turn being replaced by Terry Venables, who also ended up being sacked after disagreeing with the Chairman. Ridsdale himself resigned from the board soon after.
In the 2003-04 season, an insolvency specialist, Gerald Krasner, led a consortium of local businessmen which took over Leeds and oversaw the sale of the clubs' assets, including senior and emerging youth players of any value, which saw them relegated at the end of the season.
Following relegation to the Championship, Leeds were forced to sell both their training ground and their stadium in the autumn of 2004.
The board finally sold the club to Ken Bates for £10 million. Bates appointed a number of managers until, with relegation virtually assured, Leeds entered administration on 4 May 2007, thus incurring a league-imposed 10-point deduction which officially relegated the club to the third tier of English football.
The club was put up for sale by KPMG, and again Ken Bates' bid was accepted. The league eventually sanctioned this under the "exceptional circumstances rule" but imposed a 15-point deduction.
Over the next two seasons, Leeds reached the play-offs but failed to achieve promotion.
In the 2009–10 season, under Simon Grayson, Leeds won their final game of the season to confirm automatic promotion to The Championship. However, Grayson was relieved of his duties after failing to challenge for promotion to the Premiership.
On 21 November 2012, Middle East-based private equity group GFH Capital finalised a deal for a protracted takeover of Leeds, gaining a 100% shareholding in the club.
On 7 January 2014, Leeds United's Managing Director David Haigh was involved in Sport Capital, a consortium involving the Managing Director of Leeds United's main sponsors, Enterprise Insurance, Andrew Flowers. Sports Capital came close to completing a transaction with GFH Capital that would have given them a 75% stakeholding in the business. However, on 30 January, Sport Capital's takeover collapsed due to a lack of "financial backing".
On 31 January 2014, under controversial circumstances, a new buyer was found for the club in Massimo Cellino, the president of the Serie A club Cagliari Calcio, and his Company Eleonora Sports Ltd. After weeks of speculation regarding the purchase of Leeds United, on 7 February 2014 it was announced that Cellino's family consortium had acquired a 75% ownership of the club subject to Football League Approval. At its meeting on 23 March 2014, the Board of the Football League decided unanimously that Cellino's conviction by an Italian Court meant that he did not meet their Owners and Directors’ Test, so could not take over Leeds United, a decision which he immediately appealed. On 5 April, Cellino was successful in his appeal and the takeover was completed on 10 April, with Cellino's company, Eleonora Sports Limited, buying 75 per cent of the club’s shares.
On 19 June 2014, Dave Hockaday was appointed head coach of Leeds on a two-year contract but this only lasted 70 days.
On 23 September 2014, Darko Milanič was appointed the new Head Coach of Leeds United but he only lasted 32 days, in turn being replaced by Neil Redfern, who lasted for the remainder of the season before resuming his position for the 2015/16 season as the Academy Director.
On 1 December 2014, Cellino was disqualified by the Football League after they obtained documents from an Italian court, who had found him guilty of tax evasion. He was disqualified from running the club until 10 April 2015 and on, 24 February 2015, Cellino announced that he would not be returning to the club after his ban ended.
In the 2014/15 season, Leeds finished in 15th place on 56 points.
Last season, Leeds managed to improve by two places on the previous season by finishing in 13th place.
The Gaffer – Garry Monk
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
Let's batter the dirty Leeds again!!!!
Media Watch - K L Blue
Can Grant Ward step up?
http://www.sudburymercury.co.uk/sport/c ... _1_4892930
Town Face fine:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/31185/
Zach Ward's article:
http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/fo ... -1-7822557
Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – Currently in 13th place with 40 points
Brighton 1-1 Ipswich Town
Aston Villa 0-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 2-2 Reading FC
Ipswich Town 0-3 Derby County
Preston NE 1-1 Ipswich Town
Leeds United Last 5 Matches – Currently in 5th place with 57 points
Leeds United 2-1 Bristol City
Leeds United 0-2 Cardiff City
Huddersfield 2-1 Leeds United
Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Leeds United
Sutton United 1-0 Leeds United
Fixtures of Interest
BIRMINGHAM VS Q.P.R.
CARDIFF VS ROTHERHAM
THE DON CUP
Reading scores:
Watership Down 5pts
Ashfordblue 4pts
Blueblood (pre game) 3pts
Herforder 2pts
Aston Villa scores:
Blueblood (nik naks) 5pts
Shed on Tour 4pts
Frosty 3pts
Tangfastic 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
Gold&Black 54
Blueblood 50
DerickIpsw 47
Herforder 46
Nicscreamer 44
Bluemike 43
Frosty 43
Ando 39
Tangtastic 34
Quasar 27
Number 9 25
Watership Down 25
Shed on Tour 20
Patthegimp 17
IpswichtownNo1 14
Ashfordblue 10
LoudNProud 5
Supershred 3
Longjohn 1
Foxy Lady 1
Barmy Billy 1
ItfcTrev76 1
Leeds caption:
Match Referee – Keith Stroud
Final Thought - Bluemike
OK, let’s forget all talk of a torrid seven-game run, shall we? It was all nonsense, and in any case this is a new and different Ipswich Town that we are seeing in recent games. Reading, Villa and Brighton have all come and gone and we have more than matched all of them. The brand is far more pleasing on the eye too – none of this hoofball crap or sitting deep for most of the game hoping to grind out a point. We are actually playing football again and the results are clear to see. Travelling down to Brighton on Tuesday, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would be happy with a good performance, in the knowledge that at best we would escape with a narrow defeat. Never in my wildest dreams did I see us coming away with any points, or indeed rueing the missed chances that could have won us the game. Suddenly we have no weak links and everyone is playing for one another. Through adversity we have options throughout the squad, which is just as well as our injury list is ridiculous and is now being compounded by stupid suspensions and unavailability. However, it offers chances to players who have fallen out of favour following the new arrivals. Sears, Bishop, Bru and Pitman in particular need to roll up their sleeves and grab any chances that may come their way. Kieffer Moore and Danny Rowe will also be chomping at the bit, so we still have a few options to go with.
I think it is fair to say that Jonas Knudsen is not my favourite Town player. It would also be true to say that I don't particularly rate the guy. A left back he most certainly is not, not a good one anyway, but yet again we seem to have "stumbled" across a solution which works well for the team. Jonas on the left of a three-man backline has been so much better. He suddenly looks far more assured and confident again. You only have to look at his body language to see that it suits him and he is comfortable playing there. It has also given us the chance to play the two kids as wing-backs, which is a great step forward for the future. I have to say the stick Luke Chambers got all the time he was at right back and the obvious improvement in Knudsen has to sit firmly at the door of Mick. He really did Chambers no favours at all, and in saying he always thought Knudsen would be better suited to his current position in the formation speaks volumes. Round pegs, Mick.
Saturday's game is one I really want us to win. I hate Leeds with a passion, always have. Not only that, but we need to keep this upturn in our fortunes going. Now we have some confidence and form again, let's build on it, but perhaps more importantly than anything else we must go into the derby game up at scumville on the back of a positive result. Going into that after a home defeat would not be good at all. With the loss of Diagouraga and Lawrence against Leeds, it will be tough but, as already stated, others have to step up and do the job. Failure to do so will see them out of favour for the run-in. I think this will be a tough game but on current form it is a game we need not fear. We failed to turn up at Elland Road and that game pissed me off as much as any other this season, so we owe them one. Chambers needs to sort out Chris Wood and if he can do that we could just nick it. I'm actually looking forward to getting to Portman Road again – haven't felt that for a while. COYBs
IPSWICH TOWN 1 LEEDS UNITED 0
Didn't even notice that, Nics. That actually could be him! 
