Pride of Anglia - Ipswich Town Football Club
since 1878
Do You Remember ... Sunday 10th January 1988
Never on a Sunday, until 1988
Professional football has traditionally been a Saturday afternoon sport, allowing workers a little entertainment after their five-and-a-half day working week. The advent of floodlights in the 1950s meant that games could be played in the evenings too, but one day remained steadfastly football-free, and that day was Sunday. And so it remained that way at Portman Road until twenty years ago.
John Duncan had been in charge at Portman Road for only six months, having been appointed following Bobby Ferguson's departure in the summer of 1987. Blues were still in the Second Division, having failed in their first play-off adventure the previous May, and the arrival of Duncan had coincided with the departure of fans' favourites Paul Cooper, Steve McCall and leading scorer Kevin Wilson. However, by late 1987 Town were in fifth place and had firm hopes of another play-off appearance, or better.
The draw for the Third Round of the FA Cup in early December gave Blues fans an early Christmas present and a mouth-watering prospect for the New Year: Manchester United were coming to Town! This was the fourth time Blues had faced United in the FA Cup, with the Reds leading by two wins to one. Here was a chance for Blues to even the score.
The third round tie was originally scheduled for Saturday 9th January but after discussions with the authorities it was decided that the BBC would also come and join the party, and televise the game live to the nation. This meant the game be moved back a day, for a 3.05pm Sunday kick-off.
After a disappointing Christmas week which saw Blues lose their unbeaten home League record on Boxing Day to Crystal Palace in front of a season's-high crowd - Ian Wright causing the damage with a brace in a 3-2 win - and concede four goals at mid-table Swindon two days later, good news was needed and it came with the announcement that John Wark was considering a return to the Club where he made his name. After four years at Liverpool, the 30 year old Wark signed again for Blues on the Monday before the FA Cup tie, but one day too late to be able to play in the eagerly-anticipated game, although he was introduced to the crowd before the big match.
The days leading up to the game saw great excitement around the Town, for the game would be breaking new ground for not just one, but two reasons: not only would it be the first time a match was to be played at Portman Road on a Sunday, but it was also the first to be televised live. The BBC brought seven cameras to the ground, one of which was perched on a crane 70 feet above the Churchmans Stand, considered by Match of the Day editor Bob Abrahams to be the best camera position in the country! A temporary TV studio was built at the ground from which Jimmy Hill introduced the programme. Bobby Robson was also present to provide his opinions, and John Motson commentated from his position just behind the Directors' box.
The game also marked the biggest police operation in Suffolk for years, with all police leave cancelled as soon as the tie had been confirmed. In the event, the 24 arrests that took place were fewer than the 30 which had occurred at Town's previous home game against Millwall, and 18 of these were United fans found with alcohol in their minibuses as they approahced the town, an offence at the time.
United's manager Alex Ferguson had been at the Club only fifteen months, having replaced the flamboyant Ron Atkinson, and had at his disposal the England captain Bryan Robson, as well as Gordon Strachan, Steve Bruce, Brian McClair and Norman Whiteside amongst others. The Blues side had been assembled for £300,000 while United's squad had cost over £6 million in transfer fees. United were one of the favourites to lift the FA Cup and the game stood out as the tie of the round, and promised to be a classic. It did not disappoint.
The Reds drew first blood when Mich D'Avray, Blues' centre-forward and scorer of three goals in his last three game, inadvertently diverted the ball past keeper John Hallworth after half an hour following a Robson free kick. In front of the biggest crowd of the season, 23,012, which included former United star George Best, Town stuck to their task and just before half time a corner by Mark Brennan was headed goalwards by central defender Tony Humes. The ball squirmed under United keeper Chris Turner and with David Lowe in close attendance, crossed the line to send the home fans wild with delight, and leave the tie delicately poised at half-time which was no less than Blues deserved. Early in the second half came the moment of greatest controversy when eight million viewers on TV saw what referee Brian Stevens didn't, when Lowe outran Viv Anderson and Steve Bruce and was felled inside the penalty area by the United keeper. To the surprise of many, and the disappointment of Town fans and players alike, the referee awarded a free-kick outside the area.
This proved to be a turning point and the First Division side began to assert themselves with Brian McClair first shooting against Hallworth's legs and later against a post. Soon afterwards the ball was in the back of the Town net but the goal was disallowed on this occasion for an infringement, before United took the lead in untidy circumstances. From a corner kick the ball was knocked from Jon Hallworth's hands by Viv Anderson, and despite strong protestations, the goal stood. There were no further goals, despite a good effort from Brennan, and Ferguson later conceded that United had been fortunate.
So Town failed to progress in the FA Cup in 1988, but history had been made at Portman Road, and millions were able to share in the experience.
Ian Hunneybell