Ipswich Town vs Bristol City 
Friday 30th December 2016 – 19:45
Portman Road
Opening Thought – Jamma
The omens were good for us to finally string together successive wins for the first time this season. The Blues had not lost to Fulham for 53 years, even if that infamous 10-1 record defeat had also occurred on Boxing Day. On the back of a morale-boosting result - if not performance - against Wigan last time out, we had as good a chance as any (you would have thought) to build up a head of steam. The Blue Army turned out in their numbers hoping for some festive cheer, but it very quickly became apparent that Town would be up against it if they were to provide a late Christmas present for their long-suffering supporters. Mick McCarthy predictably chose to focus on the quality of the opposition in his post-match interview, which is becoming increasingly more like a post-mortem, such is the gravitas with which he is made to pick over the bones of each defeat. To be fair to him, the Cottagers probably were the best side that has graced Portman Road in the first half of the campaign, but Ipswich for their part almost certainly turned in their worst home display of 2016/17, in what is a pretty hotly-contested competition. The biggest cheer of the afternoon accompanied the familiar 'We've had a shot!' chant, but in reality neither this screwed effort from Jonas Knudsen nor Luke Chambers' subsequent wild attempt were deserving of the name, with the closest we came to scoring a header from visiting defender Michael Madl which prompted David Button into his only meaningful contribution. Fulham, on the other hand, sliced through the Blues' line-up every time they ventured forward, and contrived to pass up three opportunities to build on their lead when it looked easier to score. Any remote hope that the footballing gods were smiling down on us and that we would rescue the unlikeliest of points were quashed when Radnar Sigurdsson headed home. From there on in, it was all about salvaging some pride, and being thankful that we hadn't been on the end of another 10-1 mauling, which would not have been too unreflective of Fulham's utter dominance.
With victory secured for the Cottagers, attention turned to the noise coming from the terraces, as opposed to the distinct lack of action from a Town perspective on the pitch. Mick has admitted that the tide of opinion has definitely turned against him, and that he perfectly understands where Ipswich supporters are coming from with their dissatisfaction. In the build-up, he had accepted the derogatory chants that would be sure to come his way with another poor showing, but also called upon the fans to get behind the players. Barring a handful of instances in the 90 minutes, that didn't happen, and when the crowd turn against the team as well as the manager the situation surely becomes irretrievable. While I can of course understand and empathise with the emotions behind the chanting, I am with many other Town supporters who believe that the booing and ironic cheering should be saved until the final whistle, or at least half time, and directed at the manager. The team have for the most part seemed bereft of confidence when playing in front of their own fans since the derby back in August. I just can't see how singing 'What a load of rubbish' will help our cause, or do anything other than make the players retreat further into their shells. Marcus Evans was said to have been in attendance on Monday, and must surely have food for thought ahead of a potentially crucial period in Ipswich Town's history, let alone season. Our next match, against Bristol City, takes on added significance, after we only faced them four weeks ago. With their 2-0 win that day being the last time the Robins tasted success, they will no doubt be eyeing this as a chance to give us another twist of the knife...
The Opposition – Bristol City
The club was founded in 1897 as Bristol South End and changed their name to Bristol City on adopting professionalism three years later when they were admitted into the Southern League. City joined the Football League in 1901. .
Winning the Second Division Championship with a record number of points when they became the first club in Football League history to win 30 games as well as equaling Manchester United's achievement of the previous season in winning 14 consecutive games (still a record today, which was also accomplished by Preston in 1950–51).
They finished as runners-up in their inaugural First Division campaign. Three years later they won through to their only FA Cup Final. After a five season stay in the top flight in the 1910/11season brought City's first ever taste of relegation and it was to be 65 years before top flight status would be regained.
The 1920s were a rocky time as City bounced between the Second Division and the Southern Section of the Third Division. By the 1930s they had slumped into the lower division, and stayed that way until the Second World War. Harry Dolman became chairman in 1949, a post he would hold for over 30 years. An engineer who had bought out the firm he worked for, he designed the first set of floodlights installed at Ashton Gate in the early 1950s. The late 1950s were a better time for City, with a five-year stay in the Second Division, a league they returned to for a further spell in 1965.
In 1967, Alan Dicks was appointed manager, and things gradually began to improve, with promotion to the First Division in 1976, ending a 65-year exile from the top flight.
City's second stint in the top flight was less successful than the club's first, with thirteenth position in 1979 being their highest finish during this era.
In 1980, the City team went back to the Second Division in the first of three relegations, their debt mounted and their financial losses increased, with two successive relegations following. Thus, in 1982, they fell into the Fourth Division, and were declared bankrupt. BCFC (1982) Ltd acquired the club's player contracts, and the highly paid senior players who became known as the 'Ashton Gate Eight', each accepted termination of his contract for half the amount due. The club failed to pay its debts to many local businesses which left the new formed club difficulty in obtaining credit because of bad feeling toward them.
City spent two seasons in the Fourth Division before winning promotion in 1984. They consolidated themselves in the Third Division during the latter part of the 1980s, and in 1990 achieved promotion as Third Division runners-up.
Meanwhile, City remained in the new Division One (no longer the Second Division after the creation of the Premier League in 1992) but in the 1994/95 season were relegated to Division Two.
Bristol City again achieved promotion in 1998 as Division Two runners-up, but went straight back down again the following season.
City was a regular Division Two Top Six side over the next few seasons but couldn’t advance through the playoffs each time.
Despite a slow start to the 2006–07 season, City were in the top six of League One by November and at the end of the month began an 11-match unbeaten run which drove them to the top of the division. Promotion to the Championship was confirmed on the final day of the season securing the runners-up place in the division and resulting in automatic promotion.
After a stop start run of form City went top of the Championship on 1 March, However, a poor run ended City's chances of an automatic promotion place. They made the playoff final at Wembley but went down 1-0 to Hull.
After a poor start in the first half of the 2008–09 season, City finished the season in tenth place.
On 22 April 2010, it was announced that former Reading manager Steve Coppell would become the new City manager at the end of the 2009–10 campaign, when he would start a 12-month rolling contract, and that Keith Millen, who had guided the club to Championship safety in his brief spell as caretaker manager, would remain at the club as his assistant. It was announced on 12 August 2010 that Coppell had resigned as manager with immediate effect saying that he would retire from football management altogether citing a lack of passion for the job. This followed his only two competitive games at the club.
On 29 November 2011, the club announced a loss of £11.45 million.
After a promising start to the 2011/12 season City only just survived staying in the Championship having spent time in the relegation zone.
After a poor start to the 2012/13 campaign, Sean O'Driscoll was appointed head coach on a 12-month rolling contract however on 16 April 2013, City were relegated to League One.
After the sacking of Sean O'Driscoll on 28 November 2013, Steve Cotterill was appointed on a three and a half year contract. When he joined the club were bottom of the table and 5 points away from safety with a −7 goal difference. Cotterill made a huge impact and guided the club to safety and finished the season 12th.
Bristol City were promoted back to Championship for 2015–16 season after securing a top spot in 2014–15 Football League One on 14 April 2015. 1955 was the last time they won a league.
With Bristol City just inside the relegation zone, and only 256 days after Cotterill had lead them back to the Championship, Cotterill was sacked by club chairman Keith Dawe, on 14 January 2016.
Caretaker Manager John Pemberton was replaced by Lee Johnson on the 6th February 2016.
Last season Bristol City finished in 18th place with 52 points.
The Manager – Lee Johnson
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
A look back to a 2-2 draw last season
Media Watch - K L Blue
Mick's reaction to Monday's débâcle:
http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/reaction_mi ... _1_4829603
Jim Magilton has his say on Town's current plight, and also the circumstances surrounding his departure from the club:
http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/former_ipsw ... _1_4829917
The latest speculation surrounding Adam Webster:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news ... bster-move
Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – Currently in 16th place with 28 points
Ipswich Town 0-2 Fulham FC
Wigan Athletic 2-3 Ipswich Town
Birmingham City 2-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 1-1 Cardiff City
Bristol City 2-0 Ipswich Town
Bristol City Last 5 Matches – Currently in 17th place with 27 points
Wolverhampton 3-2 Bristol City
Bristol City 1-2 Preston NE
Bristol City 0-1 Brentford FC
Huddersfield 2-1 Bristol City
Bristol City 2-0 Ipswich Town
Fixtures of Interest
NEWCASTLE VS NOTTINGHAM FOREST
READING VS FULHAM
WOLVES VS Q.P.R.
BRENTFORD VS NORWICH
Match Referee – David Coote
Final Thought - Bluemike
Well I didn't think it would happen, I didn't want it to happen but following yet another dismal showing by the team against Fulham I finally lost patience and find myself firmly in the Mick OUT camp. I actually feel quite sad that I feel the way I do but it has to stop. The ill feeling and apathy running through the club has to be addressed and I know for a fact - I actually said it weeks ago - that once the manager loses the fans to the extent Mick has it will not be retrievable and it is only a matter of time before the inevitable happens, so we have to make the change sooner rather than later. I do not think the manager has lost the dressing room but I do think he is backed into a corner and has lost the plot with certain things like best line-up, formations, etc. etc.. I also think the players are now like rabbits in the headlights and they too need a new direction.
Of course, despite what many Town fans think, change is fraught with danger too. I am convinced that if Mick were to stay on then no way would we be in danger of relegation. I don't think that is an issue at all. Bringing in a new manager on the same budgets as Mick has is, however, a gamble. Will the new manager settle? Will he have the experience of working with sod all spending as Mick has had to do? It could all go terribly wrong and a wrong appointment could well take us down. If Marcus Evans is sticking to his guns with limited funds being made available, it matters not who comes in because little will change apart from the missing fans returning to give the new man their backing in the hope of a bright new dawn. It's a very precarious position we find ourselves in and there is no easy solution or quick fix. This season can be forgotten. I have already accepted it is about consolidating what we have and sorting out the negativity around the club. A change of manager may just do the trick and bring the missing fans back to Portman Road in the hope of better times ahead.
Next up is Bristol City, another team who have fallen from grace after a promising start. No game is easy right now and this will be no exception. I do think another poor showing and result will lead to the worst anti-Mick scenes yet and it will not be pleasant. Defeat could well force the hand of Evans, although I won't be holding my breath. For what it is worth, I see Town somehow getting a win to keep the club in limbo for a bit longer. Pretty it most certainly won't be, hostile it definitely will, but it's a narrow Town win for me. Let's at least end 2016 on a bit of a high. COYB'S
IPSWICH TOWN 2 BRISTOL CITY 1
)
Evening matches. Besides, as others have said, Mick seems to have a knack of pulling a result out of the bag when he needs it most.... and boy oh boy does he need it right now, because the cracks are getting so big now that even Polyfila would struggle.
