IPSWICH can lay claim, with some justification, to the title of West Bromwich Albion's number one bogey side.The Baggies may sit proudly at the top of the First Division, but they boast a miserable record against Town going back almost 20 years.
By Mel Henderson
IPSWICH can lay claim, with some justification, to the title of West Bromwich Albion's number one bogey side.
The Baggies may sit proudly at the top of the First Division, but they boast a miserable record against Town going back almost 20 years.
In that time the clubs have clashed 24 times, resulting in 18 wins for Ipswich and six draws.
Not that history will have any bearing on the outcome tomorrow, when Joe Royle's team will be seeking their first league success of the current campaign.
You have to go back to September 24, 1983, for Albion's last win in this fixture, when they edged a seven-goal thriller with a last-gasp clincher from the spot.
Romeo Zondervan, a future Ipswich captain, gave Albion the lead and the teams were deadlocked at 2-2 at half-time.
Town went on to lead 3-2, but the visitors struck twice in the last three minutes to stage a remarkable about-turn and grab the points.
The Ipswich scorers were John Wark, Paul Mariner and Eric Gates, and the line-up was: Cooper, Parkin, Gernon, Putney, Osman, Butcher, Wark, McCall, Mariner, Gates and O'Callaghan.
Since then Town have scored 46 goals in the 24 league games between the clubs, with Albion replying just 19 times.
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