the robson years

On a hot and humid night in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, Ipswich Town duly collected the one trophy still available to them. Not without a few chewed finger nails, however, as Alkmaar launched a brave tight-back. Pushed forward by Jan Peters and the brilliant Johnny Metgod, and led superbly by Austrian international Kurt Welzl, Alkmaar were committed to all-out attack. Frans Thijssen volleyed home to give Ipswich a 4-0 aggegate lead, only for Welzl to equalise almost immediately. Metgod's precise header from a Peters cross put AZ ahead on the night, then John Wark hooked the ball into the net to create his own little piece of history. It was his 14th goal in the campaign, equalling the European record set by Jose Altafini of AC Milan in the 1962-63 European Cup. With Alkmaar leaving gaps at the back Town went close on other occasions, but by half time they were 3-2 down, Pier Tol converting at the far post after Jos Jonker nodded on another Peters cross. With Kees Kist on for Tol in the second half, the Dutch gambled all. Paul Cooper was in almost constant action and brilliantly tipped a Welzl effort over the bar in the 68th minute. Just when it looked as if Town had weathered the storm, Jonker lashed a tremendous free kick around the defensive wall and into the top corner of the net, leaving Town to hang on for an anxious final minutes. But hang on they did, for a 5-4 aggregate win, and Mick Mills lifted his second major trophy in three years. More

Southampton, needing a win to retain hopes of a UEFA Cup place, had the sort of start dreams are made of, then Ipswich turned on the style to score a couple of cracking goals themselves. Town carried the match to Southampton in the second half without being able to finish off some good approach work. Mick Channon sustained a nasty gash over his left eye in a clash with Steve McCall. More

Town took a massive stride towards their first European trophy with a clinical demolition of AZ Alkmaar, who had just won the Dutch league by 11 points. They could have had an early penalty for a challenge on Eric Oates by Richard van der Meer, but John Wark opened the scoring from the spot after Hugo Hovenkamp handled Paul Mariner's shot on the line. Just 46 seconds into the second half Frans Thijssen scored against his countrymen, nodding home after Eddy Treytel blocked his first effort. Mariner's near post flick from Alan Brazil's cross gave Ipswich a commanding lead to take into the second leg. More

Ipswich, two points behind Aston Villa, had to win their last two matches and hope Villa lost their one, at Arsenal. At half time Town, showing class and flair, led 1-0 while Villa were 2-0 down. But Middlesbrough refused to buckle. They came out for the second half with renewed commitment and Yugoslav Bosco Jankovic, the subject of criticism from his own fans earlier in the game, scored with two headers to present the First Division championship to a defeated Aston Villa. More