please log in to view this image Round 34 please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Norwich City 2 - 0 Ipswich TownAttendance: 27,005 Date: 1st March 2015 Venue: Carrow Road Kick-Off: 2:05PM KIO's not606 Match Preview This weekend the Canaries welcome arch rivals Ipswich Town to Carrow Road in Round 34 of the Sky Bet Championship season. Sunday's match will be the 140th East Anglian derby and is also the most anticipated one by both sets of fans for many a year. Norwich go into the game sitting in 5th place in the table one point and one place behind Town, so a lot more is at stake than just local bragging rights. City are certainly the Division's form side having won their last five games and seven out of their last nine. Last time out they came from behind to beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park, Bradley Johnson securing all three points for the visitors with a wonder strike 6 minutes from time. City beat Blackburn to make it five wins out of five Ipswich are the Championship's surprise package this term having spent a mere £150k in the close season many expected them to struggle. While the style of football hasn't exactly been pleasing on the eye Mick McCarthy has instilled a great work ethic and team spirit which has seen them accrue 60 points from their 33 games so far. please log in to view this image Town boss Mick McCarthy Town's form has stuttered of late with two defeats in their last five outings, but after a shock 1-0 home defeat to Reading they got back on track with a 4-2 home win against Birmingham City in their last match. Alex Neil's Match Preview Alex Neil previews the Derby “We’re the home team and we’ll go and try to take the game to them. We’ll be aggressive, we’ll be up and in their faces and hopefully we’ll go and take the initiative and implement our style of play on the game. “For the fans it’s about bragging rights and local pride, but for me it’s another opportunity for us to go above another team and hopefully close that gap (to the promotion places).” “It’s the biggest local derby in quite a while because of the significance of the game and the fact that if we win, we can go above them,” he added. “I’m sure they’ll be approaching it in the same manner, so we’ve got to make sure we’re right up for it, and we’ll be fully prepared for the match.” “I was brought up in Glasgow, where derbies are of course a big thing. I’m fully aware of what a derby means and we’ll be ready to go, and I’m really looking forward to it..” Ex Ipswich legend Kevin Beattie's Match Preview “I’m really looking forward to it,” enthused Beattie, Town’s legendary centre-back of the ‘70s and ‘80s. “I’ve spoken to a few fans that are worried, but I fancy us – I really do. “They’re favourites, of course they are, but we’ve got two strikers in great form, we got a great result on Tuesday night and have one of the best managers in the business in Mick McCarthy. “Mick will be saying to his players ‘you’re here on merit – just go out there and play your best’. If they do that then we could frustrate the home crowd. please log in to view this image Kevin Beattie “A draw would be a good result, but I’m hopeful we can take all three points. What a boost that would be heading into the last few games.” Beattie added: “I used to love playing in these derby matches. I lost the first one, at Carrow Road, but I think my record ended up being something like 11 wins, four draws and three defeats. “The boss (Sir Bobby Robson) used to just say to us, ‘who wants this the most today?’ That’s often the difference.” Current Form Norwich City: WWWWW Ipswich Town: WLWWL Match History The first derby held between the two clubs was on 15 November 1902, when both sides were still playing at amateur level. The Norfolk & Suffolk League fixture was played in Norwich and finished 1-0 to 'The Citizens'. City were the first of the two to turn professional in 1905, Ipswich following in 1936. Ipswich were elected to the Football League in 1938 and the first league game between the two clubs was on 2nd September 1939 in League Division Three (South). The game was played at Portman Road with the match finishing 1-1, although the league was abandoned that year due to the outbreak of the Second World War. please log in to view this image Ipswich won this two-legged final in 1973 Two of the more notable meetings between the two clubs have come in cup competitions. In the 1972-73 season Ipswich beat Norwich 4-2 on aggregate to win the two legged Texaco Cup final, with 2-1 wins in both games. In 1985 the clubs met in the semi-final of the League Cup, Ipswich won the first leg 1-0 at Portman Road but Norwich scored early in the return leg at Carrow Road to level the tie. With extra-time looming Steve Bruce scored a late winner to send Norwich to Wembley. please log in to view this image Steve Bruce wheels away in delight after netting his late winner in the 1985 Milk Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg The East Anglian derby has been contested competitively 108 times, 56 of which have been played at Ipswich and 52 at Norwich. The clubs have also played each other in friendlies and testimonials. The highest attendance in the derby at Portman Road is 35,077 in a First Division match in September 1975 while Carrow Road hosted 39,890 spectators in an FA Cup match in January 1962. John Wark is Ipswich's leading goalscorer in the derby with nine goals, while Hugh Curran remains Norwich's top scorer with five, a record that has stood since 1968. Grant Holt bags a hat-trick as the Canaries thump Town 4-1 at Carrow Road in November 2010 Overall the two rivals have met 139 times, Ipswich having the slight upper hand with 59 wins to Norwich's 54 Highest Norwich City score Ipswich Town 1 Norwich City 5 – 21/04/2011 Championship (2nd tier) Highest Ipswich Town score Ipswich Town 5 Norwich City 0 – 21/02/1998 League Division One (2nd tier) Highest aggregate (7) Norwich City 3 Ipswich Town 4 – 03/02/1968 League Division Two (2nd tier) They played for both clubs Clive Baker, Keith Bertschin, John Deehan, Louie Donowa, Alan Lee, Kevin Lisbie, Andy Marshall, Johnny Miller, Trevor Putney, Clive Woods. Did you know ? Ryan Bennett, City's £3.2M signing from Peterborough was a youth player at Town Former Ipswich and England star Kevin Beattie did scouting work for Mike Walker when he was the Canaries manager. Ian Crook was involved in a "controversial" signing for Town in June 1996 he never actually played for Ipswich before re-joining City. The late Justin Fashanu had unsuccessful trials with Ipswich when he tried to resurrect his career in 1990. Scorer of a controversial 'handball' derby goal, Danny Haynes trialled with City before joining Town in the of spring 1994. …............and finally According to the Football Rivalries Report 2008, the East Anglian derby is the second fiercest rivalry in England after the Black Country derby between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Latest Team News To be posted here on Sunday prior to the match Listen to full match commentary on BBC Radio Norfolk 95.1 & 104.4FM, 855Mhz and DAB Digital Radio with Chris Goreham please log in to view this image guest match summariser Iwan Roberts please log in to view this image ........and don't forget to tune into 'Canary Call' post match ! OTBC
very good KIO, but in your second paragraph you have stated that we struggled at the foot of the table last season? I don't think that's actually correct.
Thread up and running nice and early this week guys as I'm sure we'll have plenty to debate pre and post match 4-1 City
Excellent as usual KIO. I reckon this thread could beat all records for the highest number of posts!!! I like your optimism, but I feel it will be a lot closer.
I'm a bit more confident now after adding some more firepower up front. Let's go 4-3-3 from the off and give them something to worry about!
its really bubbling nicely, can't wait. really glad we have got wood in the squad, disappointed that didzy misses out, but really can't wait. a draw will be a good result for us.
An absolute cracker KIO, nice one On Ipswich flirting with relegation, I think you mean the season before last!
thought this might be of interest to you guys. http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/26929/whoever-wins-on-sunday-will-go-up--notes-for-norwich
Nothing to do with the Old Farm derby, but it was 10 (ten) years ago today that Delia took to the microphone to 'rally' the troops at half time during the Man City match. So, let's do it for Delia tomorrow, lads please log in to view this image
Who's the nomark that says 'in Mick McCarthy Ipswich have one of the best managers in the business"?! LOL