Tractor-Boys.com

David Johnson

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... id-johnson

Charlie Woods

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... rlie-woods

Geraint Williams

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... t-williams


Kieron Dyer does give his verdict on each as well

..... and here’s George Burley’s eleven. Almost the Eufa Cup winning side

And it would be mine as well. Having said that... I’m just too young to have seen Beattie (or Hunter) in their pomp and I could easily have put Osman there. I think Burley’s right - the CB position is the hardest to pick, but I suppose you have to have Beattie there as he’s been acknowledged as our greatest player.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-ne ... --part-one

tangfastic wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 18, 2020 6:05 am

..... and here’s George Burley’s eleven. Almost the Eufa Cup winning side

And it would be mine as well. Having said that... I’m just too young to have seen Beattie (or Hunter) in their pomp and I could easily have put Osman there. I think the CB position is the hardest to pick, but I suppose you have to have Beattie there as he’s been acknowledged as our greatest player.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-ne ... --part-one

Burley also did a part 2.
players who played under him

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... y-part-two

Tough to dispute those choices. Burley played and managed those selected players therefore would have a perhaps better understanding than casual supporters. Suppose the question you would ask is how such an effective accomplished side that finished fifth in the elite league and featured in a cup semi-final fell away so quickly and saw a fall into the second league. Sure Royle picked up the pace again some time after with a squad that were good enough to belong in the EPL but they were never quite the same caliber as that of the turn of the century.

Read the replies on TWTD and concur it's a little dismaying in seeing then what a competent squad we had for a time, easily the best in twenty years, and the subsequent years of languishing in lower leagues with little to no hope of making it back. I blame the owner for the majority of it, all hypothetical about what could have been with a different ownership / ambition and view. A succession of tried and failed managerial appointments have simply compounded the situation.

Charlie Woods best 11 would be my best 11 every day of the year without a second of doubt. What a team that was and one that played so regularly during my years as a season ticket holder at Portman Road.

As of friend of Charlie’s during my early adult years I learned that he was one of the most knowledgeable of football brains linked to Ipswich Town and probably Bobby Robson’s most trusted advisor.

I wasn’t surprised to see Charlie deliberate over the inclusion of Mauricio Taricco in his best 11, as I’m pretty sure he thought of Taricco as one of his best ever finds as a Town Scout. As I recall it was Charlie who identified Taricco as a talent on a scouting trip to Argentina and recommended him to John Lyall who signed him for £150k. Charlie rated him very highly and was involved with his move to Spurs four years later for £1.75m, in today’s market he would probably cost £50m, maybe more.

81/82 ITFC Was in love with them all

marko69 wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:20 am

81/82 ITFC Was in love with them all

A few disappointments that season tho Marko, it was our first season without Kevin Beattie, and Bobby Robson’s last season before taking the England job. Two massive losses to our Football Club. For what it’s worth and only trivia it was also the first season of 3 points for a win.
I don’t remember the detail but there was a time when we looked like we could win the Title that season, but somehow we ended up with fixture congestion towards the end. I seem to recall we played something like five games in the first two weeks of May and blew our chances losing to Forest at Portman Road which was unexpected as we were in a brilliant run of form and Forest were pretty average at the time. That defeat put the nail in the coffers so to speak and we ended up Runners Up to Liverpool.
For me that season was almost the beginning of the end.

Domestic honours wise, yep, was disappointing and I suppose losing 81 & 82 titles to Villa & Liverpool respectively would've been a severe kick in the proverbial balls to you all. Probably take some comfort from knowing that both Villa & Liverpool were also quality sides back then.

Even though the Shaws, Morleys & Withes of Villa were great to watch, nothing compared to watching highlights of Mariner/Wark/Gates etc etc. Ipswich Town were massive up here in Scotland and even though my PE teacher in Geelong, Australia (Mr Tatnell) was a Gooner, even he knew and respected Bobby Robson and Ipswich Town.

Nothing at all is positive regarding Covid19, but at least it's taken everyone's mind off League One football. It was all rather depressing and at least it's away for the time being.

With some of the best 11s getting repetitive now, i found John Wark's best Ipswich and Liverpool XI really interesting.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... -john-wark

From two phenomenal teams of their time, certainly the best ever Ipswich team and arguably one of Liverpool's all time great teams. That team line up would be fantastic to watch. One where even the likes of Butcher, Mills, Muhren, Brazil etc (as well as numerous Liverpool greats) do not make the cut, makes me proud, but wholly envious, of what we had and what our LUCKY fans used to watch week in, week out.

Cannot say i would disagree with the team selection, only if i had my blue and white tinted glasses on. Possibly Mills over Neal, and Muhren over Whelan. All said though, that is one hell of a team.

AzzurroMark wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 1:12 pm

With some of the best 11s getting repetitive now, i found John Wark's best Ipswich and Liverpool XI really interesting.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... -john-wark

From two phenomenal teams of their time, certainly the best ever Ipswich team and arguably one of Liverpool's all time great teams. That team line up would be fantastic to watch. One where even the likes of Butcher, Mills, Muhren, Brazil etc (as well as numerous Liverpool greats) do not make the cut, makes me proud, but wholly envious, of what we had and what our LUCKY fans used to watch week in, week out.

Cannot say i would disagree with the team selection, only if i had my blue and white tinted glasses on. Possibly Mills over Neal, and Muhren over Whelan. All said though, that is one hell of a team.

Agreed, though Neal at left back , i seem to remember, though am happy to be corrected, didn't he play most of his career for Liverpool and England at right back ? , - but who am i to argue with JW.

Perhaps i'm biased, but the night before Heysel at the old Townsend Thoresen terminal at Felixstowe, it was teaming wih Liverpool fans heading towards Zeebrugge - some pesky scouser stole the fish n chips i'd left on my dashboard of my car outside the terminal.( yes , i was young , i should have locked the fecking door ).

AzzurroMark wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 1:12 pm

With some of the best 11s getting repetitive now, i found John Wark's best Ipswich and Liverpool XI really interesting.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... -john-wark

From two phenomenal teams of their time, certainly the best ever Ipswich team and arguably one of Liverpool's all time great teams. That team line up would be fantastic to watch. One where even the likes of Butcher, Mills, Muhren, Brazil etc (as well as numerous Liverpool greats) do not make the cut, makes me proud, but wholly envious, of what we had and what our LUCKY fans used to watch week in, week out.

Cannot say i would disagree with the team selection, only if i had my blue and white tinted glasses on. Possibly Mills over Neal, and Muhren over Whelan. All said though, that is one hell of a team.

Definitely Mühren over Whelan. Whelan may have scored more goals, but Arnie set up so many, especially for Brazil. As Dyer said... would Whelan have got in the Dutch 88 squad? And the Phil Neal at LB one was weird... he played pretty much at RB.

tangfastic wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 4:06 pm

AzzurroMark wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 1:12 pm

With some of the best 11s getting repetitive now, i found John Wark's best Ipswich and Liverpool XI really interesting.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-new ... -john-wark

From two phenomenal teams of their time, certainly the best ever Ipswich team and arguably one of Liverpool's all time great teams. That team line up would be fantastic to watch. One where even the likes of Butcher, Mills, Muhren, Brazil etc (as well as numerous Liverpool greats) do not make the cut, makes me proud, but wholly envious, of what we had and what our LUCKY fans used to watch week in, week out.

Cannot say i would disagree with the team selection, only if i had my blue and white tinted glasses on. Possibly Mills over Neal, and Muhren over Whelan. All said though, that is one hell of a team.

Definitely Mühren over Whelan. Whelan may have scored more goals, but Arnie set up so many, especially for Brazil. As Dyer said... would Whelan have got in the Dutch 88 squad? And the Phil Neal at LB one was weird... he played pretty much at RB.

That's a fair point , with Souness in the centre ( i don't personally like him ,fiirst saw him with Big Jack's Middlesborough) the guy was a more than fair player.- Either for different reasons are a good fit.

Wasn't it Muhren's from sweet cross that Van Basten scored his wonder goal in the final of Euro 88 ? Can't remember.

Can't believe that Clive Woods doen't seem to get a mention on the left - very underated , pulled a good Arsenal side all over the place in 78 - and goal of the month in 75 agsinst Leeds second round , second replay FA Cup at Filbert street (:the first match was our record crowd 38K plus - remember the kids sitting in front of the advertising hoardings)

As Sir BR said in the late 70's , Muhren and Thijssen were by far and way the best foriegn imports playing in FL at that iime - no mean feat against the likes of Ardilles, Villa , Tardelli etc all of whom figured in the 78 World Cup - i don't think our Dutch Lads did.

100% Muhren for Whelan. What you thinking, Warky?

And Souness "mean"? Understatement. He broke the leg of Hibs' Gordon Hunter in his debut for the Huns. Quite literally "stamping" his authority.
Great player...... bit of a dirty bstd at times though. Perfect fit for the blue side of Glesgae!