Burley
When George Burley took charge at Ipswich he had a mammoth task in front of him to keep Ipswich in the Premier League. Needless to say, he suffered a disastrous first season in charge as the team were immediately relegated into the First Division. That season was also significant, as it was also statistically the poorest in the club’s history. Ipswich won just 16% of their games, and lost 70%. The omens couldn’t have been worse for Burley. To his credit, he did then guide the club to three consecutive play-offs, even though they all sadly ended in defeat.
The first was in the 1996/97 season, as Ipswich drew 3-3 with Sheffield United, but lost on away goals. The following season saw Ipswich lose 1-0 home and away against Charlton Athletic. In the 1998/99 season, many fans felt it would be third time lucky in the play-offs for the Tractor Boys. Sadly, it was to once again end in heartbreak, as Ipswich once again lost on away goals to Bolton Wanderers.
As a result, the Ipswich fans may have been forgiven for being a little sceptical about their promotion prospects when the team reached the play-offs for a fourth time in the 1999/2000 campaign. However, this time Ipswich were successful in their bid to bring Premier League football back to Portman Road. In a hard fought match, Ipswich eventually came from behind to beat Barnsley 4-2.
The team performed commendably in their first season back in the Premier League, finishing in fifth position, as well as reaching the League Cup semi-final for a third time. The 2001/2002 season brought mixed fortunes for the club. Ipswich were once again involved in UEFA Cup competition, this time defeating Torpedo Moscow and Helsingborgs, before bravely losing to Internazionale 4-2 on aggregate. Unfortunately for Ipswich, their good European form was not reflected in their league position and the team were relegated after finishing in a lowly 18th place.
Lyall
The Ipswich Town board opted to appoint a manager with a proven track record, by bringing in John Lyall, who had previously enjoyed a degree of success at West Ham United. After an unconvincing first season in charge, Lyall repaid the board’s faith in him, as he guided Ipswich Town into the newly named FA Premier League, after finishing as Division Two Champions in the 1991/92 season.
After a promising first half of the season, Ipswich were well placed to gain a UEFA Cup spot going into the new year. However, the team’s early season form abandoned the players after Christmas, and Ipswich were made to settle for a disappointing 16th place finish. The following season saw little improvement, and the team eventually survived relegation by one place. Lyall’s job was hanging by a shoestring and, with the team performing poorly in the league, he was sacked in December 1994.
Robson
After suffering relegation and subsequent promotion in 1968, he arrived with Town struggling in the lower reaches of the top flight, and it even appeared Robson's stint could be a short one as his early years proved tumultuous. His second full season at the helm saw him come to blows with club captain and renowned hardman Bill Baxter, who was soon on his way, and he generally struggled to improve the fortunes of an average side.However, Robson's masterstroke did come early in his reign, albeit in an initially unapparent way, as he demanded a revamp of the club's unproductive youth system. Many of the rookies who passed through Robson's youth set-up went on to form the backbone of his more heralded teams, and in his time at the club he bought in only 13 players.
Ramsey
Once he felt the ravages of injury weighing on him, he retired from playing to take up the managers role at Ipswich Town in 1955. He began his managerial career in the Third Division, but used it as a testing ground for his way of playing which would earn him such great acclaim in later years. The Second Division title was won in 1961 and his Suffolk side took the First Division by storm the very next season to take the First Division title, when Spurs were looking to go for a successive Double. This would be the equivalent of what Wimbledon did in the 1980’s, but winning the First Division title on top of it. The way his side lined up with a player "in the hole" behind the strikers and with no recognised wingers was a blueprint for what the Press christened his "wingless wonders" of 1966, something they subsequently used to criticise him for destroying England’s football in the 70’s.
Taking control of the national team in 1962, his first match was a 2-5 defeat at the hands of the French in the Nations Cup (now known as the European Championships). However, with three years to go before the side would be hosting the World Cup finals, he confidently set about building a team that would fulfill his announcement that "We would win the World Cup". This may have been seen as arrogant by some, but coming from the seemingly detached Ramsey, you knew that he would be steelily determined to achieve the feat. And as we know, he did just that. Never one for taking the easy option, he made the difficult decision (against the advice of the nation) of dropping scoring sensation Jimmy Greaves from the England team in favour of Geoff Hurst, a raw youngster with little full international experience. The move paid off with important goals in the quarter-final against the Argentinians and his famous (and controversial hat-trick in the Final against West Germany).
Scott Duncan
Scott Duncan had previously turned down approaches from both Ayr United and Sunderland but in July 1932, he was unable to resist the offer to become manager of Manchester United. He was manager at Old Trafford for 5 years during which time United were 2nd Division champions. In November 1937, he was persuaded to accept the manager's job at ambitious non-league Ipswich Town who offered a very high salary. In 1938, Ipswich were elected into the Football League. His patient team building then paid off in 1954 when Town were 3rd Division (South) champions. In summer 1955, Scott Duncan stepped down as Ipswich manager to be succeeded by Alf Ramsey who would take Ipswich to 1 st Division championship honours within a few years. Scott Duncan stayed on as club secretary for a further 3 years during which time he was awarded the Football League's long service medal and finally retired from football at the age of almost 70 in 1958. Scott then returned home to Scotland to live in contented retirement in Helensburgh until he passed away at the age of 87 in 1976. He had married a Kelty girl and holidayed in West Fife long after he left Central Park.
