ARISE Sir Jim Magilton!The Ipswich Town manager was today looking to make it ten historic wins out of ten at fortress Portman Road - a run stretching back to March 31 last season.

By Elvin King

ARISE Sir Jim Magilton!

The Ipswich Town manager was today looking to make it ten historic wins out of ten at fortress Portman Road - a run stretching back to March 31 last season.

And if Wolverhampton Wanderers are put to the sword in the Coca-Cola Championship this afternoon rookie boss Magilton will be mixing in the same exalted company as Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson.

Both moved on to manager England after leaving Portman Road - doubtful in Magilton's case! - and both created historic Ipswich home runs.

Ramsey oversaw a run of ten successes that stretched from Coventry on September 19 1956 to Brighton on December 29 1956.

And Robson led Town to their only better sequence - when 15 consecutive matches were won from Norwich on December 26 1980 to Cologne on April 8 1981, the season when the Blues won the FA Cup, finished runners up in the old Division One and were semi-finalists in the FA Cup.

The current run started on March 31 and has produced 27 goals - an average of three per game as the Ipswich public has been thoroughly entertained.

The breakdown of Magilton's run before today's game is as follows: Plymouth 3-1, Barnsley 5-1, Derby 2-1, Cardiff 3-1, Sheffield Wednesday 4-1, Crystal Palace 1-0, Coventry 4-1, Preston 2-1 and Colchester 3-1.

“If we achieve ten wins on the trot we can all be proud of the achievement,” said Magilton.

“And this includes our fans who have played their part.

“And no more so than Tuesday when they inspired us to fight back against Colchester and run out 3-1 victors.”

Log on to www.eveningstar.co.uk this evening for full match report, action and pictures from today's match.