Since Ipswich’s confirmed promotion back to the Premier League on May 4, I have been asked many times if it has sunk in yet. Despite the launch of my latest book, and a celebratory tattoo, it generally has not. I have stated that when the fixtures are released, it would probably sink in then. That day, today, has arrived, and I can now confirm that Ipswich Town in the Premier League feels very real suddenly.
I do not normally get too excited over fixture release day. We play everyone home and away at some point. That is the bottom line. Sure, I look at who the first game is against, holiday fixtures and maybe the run in/last fixture. But this time, it has been very different. How can it not be after a twenty-two-year absence from such an elite league. There was a feeling running through me that our first game would be against one of the Manchester clubs. I felt that it could be home or away against United because of the Kieran McKenna narrative, or away to City for a real baptism of fire. The latter ultimately presented itself as our first away trip.
Ultimately, we start at home to Liverpool. If you are of my vintage, circa 1970’s/1980’s, what a fixture this is. The date of the game falls just five days short of the anniversary of the first of my forty-six years of frequenting Portman Road. My first-ever game back in August 1978 was in fact Ipswich v Liverpool. Back then, they were two of England’s best teams. Two of the best in Europe in fact. Both had instantly recognisable line-ups to many across the country.
My last trip to Anfield in March 2022 saw me take in a game between the Legends of Liverpool and Barcelona. Upon taking a Taxi from the train station to the ground, I declared to the driver that I was from Essex and an Ipswich fan. He then reeled off our Boys of ’81 squad and talked of how great they were. In return, I could name the fantastic Liverpool team of the time.
The game has already been selected for live TV screening by TNT. It will be our 197th live TV game, the first on this channel either as TNT or its predecessor BT Sports. Perhaps, fittingly, our last game in the Premier League, in May 2002 was against Liverpool. When this first fixture of the new season is over, it will be the first time that we will have played successive top flight games against the same team for over 60 years since we played Leicester City at home on 30 March 1964, and away on 31 March 1964.
Then that game away at Manchester City completes the first week or so of what looks a daunting, yet exciting opening pair of games. Is it a good time to play them? Maybe with Liverpool under a new manager hopefully taking a couple of games to settle in. But for me, I would rather this pair of games to start with than to end with. Then it is about the other thirty-six games. Stand out fixtures for me are away at Arsenal on Boxing Day followed by the visit of Chelsea three days later. For three successive away games in the capital, Ipswich fans will be scrambling for tickets to visit brand-new stadiums on each occasion. We travel to West Ham on October 5, Brentford on October 26, and Tottenham a fortnight later.
I have just returned from a weekend away in Brighton where one of my twin daughters was looking at the prospect of enrolling for the University there. I told her that if Ipswich and Brighton are still in the Premier League from September 2025, that would be a good choice and I could combine visiting her with a game. In September 2024, successive Saturday’s see us visit Brighton and then Southampton. That will suit any Town fans in a similar situation now.
No doubt many dates and kick-off times will change as the season gets underway. Tickets will also be difficult to obtain for so many of these exciting clashes ahead. But suffice to reiterate, this all feels very real now, and I cannot wait for it all to get going again. Yes, there are some extreme challenges ahead. But it is a ride that we can continue to enjoy.
The Fuller Flavour 