# 1991–92 Ipswich Town F.C. season

The 1991–92 season for Ipswich Town saw the team compete in the final season of the former Second Division, before it was renamed the First Division the following season. Ipswich Town won the league to become one of the forming teams for the new Premier League that was contested from the 1992–93 season onwards.

## Season summary

John Lyall began his second season as Ipswich manager by watching his team draw 3–3 at Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the Second Division campaign. Three successive wins followed, ensuring that Ipswich finished August as leaders of the Second Division.
However, an eight-match winless run left Ipswich's promotion hopes fading by the middle of November. A 2–1 win at Wolves ended the long wait for victory, and Ipswich Town back in the heat of the race for automatic promotion to the new FA Premier League. They were up against big-spending clubs Blackburn Rovers and Derby County in the race for promotion, but also found themselves with some surprise rivals in the race in the shape of their distant local rivals Cambridge United and Southend United.
By the end of April, Ipswich had sealed promotion to the new Premier League and clinched the Second Division title, ending their six-year absence from the top flight. The season ended with a 3–1 home win over doomed Brighton.

## First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | CAN | Craig Forrest |
| — | GK | ENG | Phil Morgan |
| — | DF | ENG | David Linighan |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Palmer |
| — | DF | ENG | Glenn Pennyfather |
| — | DF | ENG | Neil Thompson |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Whelan |
| — | DF | CAN | Frank Yallop |
| — | DF | ENG | Eddie Youds |
| — | MF | NED | Romeo Zondervan (captain) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Jason Dozzell |
| — | MF | ENG | David Gregory |
| — | MF | ENG | Gavin Johnson |
| — | MF | ENG | Simon Milton |
| — | MF | ENG | Mick Stockwell |
| — | MF | SCO | John Wark |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Goddard |
| — | FW | ENG | Chris Kiwomya |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Whitton |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Humes (to Wrexham) |
| — | MF | ENG | John Moncur (loan return to Tottenham Hotspur) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | David Lowe (on loan to Port Vale) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Matt Weston |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ZAM | Neil Gregory |

## Pre-season

During their pre-season travels, Ipswich travelled to Finland to face Rips Riihimaki, Kemin Palloseura and Kontulan Uheilsat where Ipswich were defeated in their opening two matches but managed to win their last. Ipswich returned to England to face Lincoln City, Peterborough United and Scunthorpe United which saw the Tractor Boys draw against Lincoln and Peterborough but were defeated when up against Scunthorpe.

### Friendlies
#### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 24 July 1991 | Rips Rihhimaki | A | 0–1 | Unknown | |
| 25 July 1991 | Kemin Palloseura | A | 1–2 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 27 July 1991 | Kontulan Uheilsat | A | 3–0 | Unknown | Unknown (3) |
| 31 July 1991 | Lincoln City | A | 1–1 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2 August 1991 | Peterborough United | A | 3–3 | Unknown | Unknown (3) |
| 6 August 1991 | Scunthorpe United | A | 0–3 | 1,700 | |

## Competitions
### Football League Second Division
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Ipswich Town (C, P) | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 70 | 50 | +20 | 84 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Middlesbrough (P) | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 41 | +17 | 80 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Derby County | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 78 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 4 | Leicester City | 46 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 62 | 55 | +7 | 77 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Cambridge United | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |

#### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
Ipswich Town's score comes first

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 17 August 1991 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–3 | 6,444 | Dozzell, Goddard, Stockwell |
| 20 August 1991 | Port Vale | H | 2–1 | 8,937 | Kiwomya, Thompson |
| 24 August 1991 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 9,822 | Dozzell, Goddard |
| 31 August 1991 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–1 | 8,898 | Kiwomya, Goddard |
| 3 September 1991 | Swindon Town | H | 1–4 | 11,002 | Kiwomya |
| 7 September 1991 | Southend United | H | 1–0 | 12,732 | Thompson |
| 14 September 1991 | Barnsley | A | 0–1 | 6,786 | |
| 17 September 1991 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | 16,336 | Kiwomya |
| 21 September 1991 | Bristol City | H | 4–2 | 9,692 | Thompson, Lininghan, Kiwomya, Goddard |
| 28 September 1991 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–1 | 6,621 | Lowe, Johnson |
| 5 October 1991 | Oxford United | H | 2–1 | 9,922 | Milton, Whitton |
| 12 October 1991 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–2 | 9,010 | Milton, Dozzell |
| 19 October 1991 | Millwall | H | 0–0 | 11,175 | |
| 26 October 1991 | Portsmouth | A | 1–1 | 8,007 | Milton |
| 30 October 1991 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–1 | 6,939 | Whitton |
| 2 November 1991 | Leicester City | A | 2–2 | 11,331 | Wark, Johnson |
| 5 November 1991 | Sunderland | H | 0–1 | 9,768 | |
| 9 November 1991 | Cambridge United | H | 1–2 | 20,586 | Stockwell |
| 16 November 1991 | Derby County | A | 0–1 | 12,495 | |
| 23 November 1991 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–1 | 11,915 | Linighan, Dozzell |
| 30 November 1991 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 4–0 | 11,072 | Thompson, Wark, Milton, Linighan |
| 7 December 1991 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–1 | 4,986 | |
| 20 December 1991 | Swindon Town | A | 0–0 | 7,404 | |
| 26 December 1991 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–0 | 13,826 | Kiwomya (2) |
| 28 December 1991 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 2–1 | 17,675 | Dozzell, Johnson |
| 1 January 1992 | Port Vale | A | 2–1 | 8,075 | Kiwomya (2) |
| 11 January 1992 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–1 | 15,104 | |
| 18 January 1992 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–0 | 10,435 | Milton |
| 1 February 1992 | Millwall | A | 3–2 | 8,847 | Dozzell, Thompson, Kiwomya |
| 8 February 1992 | Portsmouth | H | 5–2 | 13,494 | Awford (o.g.), Kiwomya (2), Dozzell |
| 21 February 1992 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–0 | 9,161 | Milton |
| 29 February 1992 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–0 | 12,852 | Kiwomya, Whitton |
| 7 March 1992 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 9,199 | Whitton |
| 14 March 1992 | Leicester City | H | 0–0 | 16,194 | |
| 17 March 1992 | Watford | H | 1–2 | 12,484 | Dozzell |
| 21 March 1992 | Cambridge United | A | 1–1 | 9,166 | Milton |
| 28 March 1992 | Derby County | H | 2–1 | 15,305 | Dozzell (2) |
| 31 March 1992 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | 14,148 | Kiwomya (2) |
| 4 April 1992 | Southend United | A | 2–1 | 10,003 | Whelan, Thompson |
| 7 April 1992 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 17,379 | Whelan, Whitton |
| 11 April 1992 | Newcastle United | H | 3–2 | 20,000 | Kiwomya, Wark, Whitton |
| 14 April 1992 | Sunderland | A | 0–3 | 22,131 | |
| 18 April 1992 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | 16,941 | Whitton |
| 21 April 1992 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | 22,393 | |
| 25 April 1992 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | 10,525 | Johnson |
| 2 May 1992 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 3–1 | 26,803 | Whitton (2), Johnson |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R3 | 4 January 1992 | Hartlepool United | H | 1–1 | 12,507 | Dozzell |
| R3R | 15 January 1992 | Hartlepool United | A | 2–0 | 6,700 | Dozzell, Milton |
| R4 | 5 February 1992 | Bournemouth | H | 3–0 | 17,193 | Dozzell, Whitton, Kiwomya |
| R5 | 16 February 1992 | Liverpool | H | 0–0 | 26,140 | |
| R5R | 26 February 1992 | Liverpool | A | 2–3 | 27,355 | Johnson, Dozzell |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 25 September 1991 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 10,215 | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 8 October 1991 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | 8,982 | |

### Full Members Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 2 October 1991 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–1 | 1,490 | Dozzell, Lowe (2) |
| R2 | 22 October 1991 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 (won 2–1 on Penalties) | 5,750 | Lowe |
| R3 | 26 November 1991 | Chelsea | A | 2–2 (lost 3–4 on Penalties) | 6,325 | Kiwomya (2) |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 1 July 1991 | FW | Paul Goddard | Millwall | Free transfer |
| 21 September 1991 | MF | John Wark | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 15 November 1991 | DF | Eddie Youds | Everton | £250,000 |

### Loans in

| Date from | Pos | Name | From | Date until | Ref |
| 24 October 1991 | MF | John Moncur | Tottenham Hotspur | 1 January 1992 | |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 1991 | MF | Ian Redford | St Johnstone | Free transfer |
| 17 September 1991 | DF | Brian Gayle | Sheffield United | £750,000 |
| 27 March 1992 | DF | Tony Humes | Wrexham | £40,000 |

### Loans out

| Date from | Pos | Name | From | Date until | Ref |
| 19 March 1992 | MF | David Lowe | Port Vale | 30 May 1992 | |

## Awards
### Player awards

| Award | Player |
| Player of the Year | John Wark |

### PFA First Division Team of the Year

| Player | Ref |
| David Linighan | |