page_title: History of Ipswich Town F.C.
section_title: Early Football League: 1936–1955
hierarchical_section_title: History of Ipswich Town F.C. / Early Football League: 1936–1955
caption_attribution_description: Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Gêm pêl-droed Merthyr yn erbyn Ipswich Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002) Dyddiad/Date: 7/12/1951? (original date) - more likely 24/11/1951 (FA Cup 1st round) Cyfrwng/Medium: Negydd ffilm / Film negative Cyfeiriad/Reference: (gch02444) Rhif cofnod / Record no.: 3368326 Rhagor o wybodaeth am gasgliad Geoff Charles yn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru More information about the Geoff Charles Collection at the National Library of Wales Mae ffotograffau Geoff Charles hefyd yn rhan o Broject Europeana Libraries Geoff Charles' photographs also form part of the Europeana Libraries Project
context_page_description: Ipswich Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, which was formed in 1878. The side played amateur football until 1936 when the club turned professional and was elected into the Southern League. Ipswich Town were elected into Division Three of the Football League in place of Gillingham F.C. on 30 May 1938.
  The club experienced league success during the early 1960s, winning the Football League Championship in 1961–62, one season after winning promotion from the Second Division. Two decades later, under the guidance of Bobby Robson, the club achieved success both in the FA Cup and in European competition, winning the UEFA Cup in 1981.
  Ipswich Town have made a contribution to the history of the England national football team; both Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey moved on from Ipswich to manage England, presiding over the nation's best results in the World Cup: fourth place in 1990 and world champions in 1966.
context_section_description: In 1936, local businessman Leonard P. Thompson threatened to lead a breakaway from the amateur club to create an entirely separate professional club, Ipswich United. John Murray Cobbold, the club President, called together rival factions for a meeting at the Town Hall on 1 May 1936, at which it was agreed that Ipswich Town should turn professional. The club was unanimously elected to the Southern League for the 1936–37 season and former Irish international footballer Mick O'Brien was appointed as the club's first professional manager.
  The club's first professional game at Portman Road resulted in a 4–1 win against Tunbridge Wells Rangers and the club went on to win the Southern League in their debut season. O'Brien left after just one season following the death of his wife. Ipswich Town were managerless until 10 November 1936 when the club appointed Scott Duncan, who had left recently relegated Manchester United. He led Ipswich to third place in the 1937–38 season.
  Ipswich Town F.C. were elected to The Football League on 30 May 1938 by a margin of just two votes, at the expense of Gillingham F.C., initially playing in Division Three (South). The club's last competitive match before the league was suspended due to the Second World War was a 1–1 draw with local rivals, Norwich City. Both John Murray Cobbold and director Robert Nevill Cobbold were killed during the war, the position of director being filled by John Cavendish Cobbold in 1948. Despite the interruption due to the war, Duncan managed the club for over 500 games between 1937 and 1955. Following three successive top-eight finishes, the 1949–50 season ended with Ipswich in 17th position in Division Three (South), the club's lowest ever league finish.
  During the early 1950s striker Tom Garneys finished as club top-scorer for four seasons in a row, and became the first professional Ipswich player to score four times in a game. During this period, Ipswich won the title and promotion to the Second Division in the 1953–54 season, during which eight consecutive wins were recorded. The club was relegated back to Division Three (South) the following year at the end of a poor season, the highlight of which was progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup, a run ended by First Division Preston North End. Duncan resigned but stayed on at the club in a secretarial role for a further three years. His replacement was a managerial novice, former England international and double Championship winner at Tottenham Hotspur, Alf Ramsey.
caption: Ipswich in action at Merthyr in 1951
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