Tuesday 16 February 1982 – Ipswich Town 5 v 2 Southampton – League Division One – Attendance: 20264
When my good friend and fellow town supporter Karl Fuller asked me on my thoughts of my most memorable Ipswich Town match, it gave me the chance to reminisce over 30 years of watching my beloved Ipswich Town. In that time, I reckon I have seen it all -unbelievable highs and sinking to the depths of despair, Ipswich till I die.
With over thousands of games to choose from, which one would I pick? The ’78 FA Cup win, those fantastic European nights under the floodlights at Portman Road in the early 80′s, promotion at the old Manor Ground, Oxford where I was caught jumping up and down on a dug out by the cameras of Anglia television, the lifelong dream of watching Town at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000 or even that epic semi-final second home leg against Bolton?
Even one of the many away days at the grounds of the 92 clubs or the game when my son realised my childhood ambition of leading the team out on the hallowed turf of Portman Road as a matchday mascot in a home game against West Brom a couple of seasons back?
In the end, there was one game that just keeps coming back to me time and time again. A game from a different generation and even though it was over 30 years ago, I remember it as if it was yesterday! Thank you Sir Bobby and the boys of 81 for those amazing memories. Forget your modern day Manchester United and Barcelona, what a football team that team of 81 was and it was a privilege and an honour to witness those times at a packed Portman Road. The days when the atmosphere was at fever pitch.
The game was a night game on 16th February 1982 against Southampton - the Alan Brazil show! The game where he scored all 5 town goals, a night of wave after wave of non-stop attacking football. The boys of 81 at their very best, doing what they did best - entertain - but typical Ipswich even missed a penalty. This game said a lot about this side, the skill, ability, team spirit and camaraderie. Brazil was fouled for the penalty even though it gave him the chance to score a double hat-trick, he gave the opportunity to the real star of the night Eric Gates, a game when little Eric was simply unplayable.
Yes this game was something very special in my years of supporting Ipswich Town from being a young lad standing on my milk crate barely able to see over the front wall of the old Churchmans end to my dream of being a father taking my own son to support our football club Ipswich Town.
