Matchday Memories: On This Day 1982 – See Sky Blues’ Ipswich Stalemate Pt. 2

Dave Sexton, CCFC’s gaffer

In the last post we looked at a second leg League Cup game on this day in 1979 between the Sky Blues and Ipswich Town at Portman Road which finished in a 0-0 draw (though the Sky Blues went through on aggregate). Coincidentally, three season’s later the two teams met again, this time in Division One, and the late Dave Sexton was now in the Sky Blues’ gaffer’s chair.

The game was also at Portman Road on 4th September 1982 and attracted 16,662 fans to CCFC’s third game of the season. The Tractor Boys’ long time gaffer Bobby Robson had been appointed England Manager so Bobby Ferguson had taken over the hot seat. Arnold Muhren had also left, so the East Anglian club were now mainly reliant on the long ball game. City were wearing the red away strip they used for televised games as BBC Match of the Day cameras (and John Motson) were there for the game.

Match action as Ipswich’s Mariner is thwarted

‘Chukkie’ in the City’s TV away strip

Les Sealey in Sky Blue action

Just as three year’s ago the late Les Sealey was also the Sky Blues goalkeeper today, returning after a knee infection. His young deputy, now CCFPA member, Perry Suckling had played in the Sky Blues first two games, a 1-0 home win over Southampton and a 2-1 defeat at Swansea Town three days later.

Danny in the Sky Blue

Les was in good form making a number of fine saves to keep the score 0-0 until well into the second half. However, he was powerless to prevent the Tractor Boys’ Paul Mariner (still prominent in the side as in 1979) sweeping in the away team’s 72nd minutes score from an Eric Gates cross.

Four minutes from time Sky Blues England international full back (and now CCFPA member) Danny Thomas was able to make it ‘honours even’ with a smashing 25 yard rocket of a shot!

Gerry Francis

Danny pursues an Ipswich attacker

Thanks to  former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can see the goal and extensive highlights by clicking on the picture below:-

Dave Sexton‘s Sky Blues that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-

The late Les Sealey, Danny Thomas, Brian Roberts, Steve Jacobs, Paul Dyson, Gary Gillespie, Peter Hormantschuk, Gerry Francis, Mark Hateley, Garry Thompson and Steve Whitton

Ipswich Town’s team lined up as follows:-

Alan Brazil in the Sky Blue

Paul Cooper, George Burley, Mick Mills, Frans Thijssen, Russell Osman, Terry Butcher, John Wark, McCall, Paul Mariner, Alan Brazil and Eric Gates.   Referee: M.James

Apart from Alan Brazil who went on to play for the Sky Blues in 1986 the Tractor Boys’ team (as it had done three years earlier) also contained future Sky Blues player-manager Terry Butcher and his assistant Mick Mills.

Ipswich showed great continuity at this time as ten of the above team also featured against City in that game three season’s earlier!  The Highfield Road return in November also finished as a stalemate, this time a 1-1 draw. Danny Thomas again scored the Sky Blues goal in the 69th minute but six minutes later future Sky Blue and now CCFPA member Alan Brazil equalised!  

CCFC 1982-83

CCFC just avoided relegation at the end of the season finishing in nineteenth, one point and one place above the drop. It was the other team in Sky Blue, Manchester City that suffered the relegation humiliation beneath City this season and they went down with Swansea Town and bottom club Brighton. 

The Tractor Boys were in a comfortable ninth position in the top division. Liverpool walked the title eleven points clear of Watford.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.