Ipswich Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk. The club was founded in 1878 and turned professional in 1936. Ipswich has played at all professional levels of English football and has participated in European football since the 1960s. As of 2003, the team plays in the second tier of English football, the Championship. Since 1936, more than 400 players have represented the first-team. Mick Mills has made more appearances than any other Ipswich player; he is one of five men to have represented the club on 500 or more occasions, having played 741 times between 1966 and 1983. Ray Crawford is the club's all-time top scorer, with 203 goals in 354 matches, while Ted Phillips scored the most goals in a single season—41 in the 1956–57 season. The most capped player in the club's history is Northern Ireland's Allan Hunter, who represented his country on 47 occasions.
The list includes all players that have played 100 or more first-class professional matches for the club. It also includes some players who have played fewer than 100 matches, if they represented their country whilst playing for the club, and players who have set a club playing record, such as goalscoring or transfer fee records. Finally, all players inducted into the Ipswich Town Hall of Fame, whose inaugural members were selected in 2007 by a ballot of former Ipswich players, are included.
List of players
Players are initially listed according to the date of their first-team debut for the club. Appearances are for first-team competitive matches only, including substitute appearances, while wartime and local cup matches (such as the Ipswich Hospital Cup) are excluded. Players who left the club prior to 2006 are referenced by Hayes, the others are referenced by Soccerbase.
Statistics are correct as of 2 November 2024.
*Ipswich Town Hall of Fame Inductee+Players who represented their country while at the club^Club record holder
NameNationalityPosition Ipswich Town careerAppearancesGoalsRef(s)Wing half1936–1945Half back1936–1949Full back1936–1949Forward1936–1950Full back1938–1950Goalkeeper1938–1952 Wing half/Inside forward1945–1956Full back1946–1950Wing half1946–1951Forward1946–1951Goalkeeper1946–1951Forward1947–1951Winger1948–1951Inside forward1949–1959Wing half1949–1959*Wing half1949–1964Inside forward1950–1952Centre half1950–1955Goalkeeper1951–1955Forward1951–1958*Full back1951–1960+Right winger1953–1958 Winger1953–1958Left full back1954–1963*Inside forward1954–1964^*Winger/Midfielder1955–1965Forward1956–1963*Goalkeeper1956–1964*Right full back1956–1964Wing half1957–1962+Forward1958–1963*+Forward1958–1969^*Centre half1959–1964*Right winger1960–1964*Full back1960–1964 *Centre half1960–1971*Inside forward1961–1964Forward1963–1967Winger1963–1968 *Midfielder1963–1969 Goalkeeper1964–1968*+Wing half1964–1969Winger1964–1970 Defender1964–1972Full back1966–1969Midfielder1966–1970*Full back1966–1974 *+Full back/Midfielder1966–1983^+Forward1967–1970+Right full back1967–1971Central defender1967–1972+Midfielder1967–1978Midfielder1968–1974Goalkeeper1968–1974+Forward1969–1972 Midfielder1969–1975 *Winger1969–1979 *Midfielder/Forward1969–1980*+Forward1970–1979Goalkeeper1970–1984*+Midfielder1971–1975*+^Central defender1971–1982*+Forward1972–1976 *+Central defender1972–1981 *Midfielder1973–1980 *+Right full back1973–1985*+Forward/Midfielder1973–1985+Full back1974–1975 *+Midfielder1974–1978*Goalkeeper1974–1987 +Midfielder1975–1977*+Midfielder1975–1996*+Forward1976–1984*+Central defender1977–1985*+Midfielder1978–1982 *+Forward1978–1983 *+Central defender1978–1986*+Midfielder1979–1983Left back/Midfielder1979–1987 Forward1979–1990 +Left winger1980–1984 Midfielder1982–1986 Midfielder1983–1988Central defender1983–1988Midfielder1984–1992+Full back1984–1996*Midfielder1984–1997 +Forward1985–1987 *Midfielder1985–2000Midfielder1986–1991 Midfielder1987–1991 *Midfielder1987–1998Central defender1988–1995Forward1988–1995 +Goalkeeper1988–1997Left back1989–1995 Defender1989–1995 Defender1989–1995Forward1991–1994+Forward1992–1995+Midfielder1992–1998Midfielder1993–1998Midfielder1994–1997+Defender1994–1997Defender1994–1998Forward1995–1998Defender1995–1998*Central defender1995–2000+Goalkeeper1995–20012008–20102011–2012Forward1995–20012004–2005Forward/Defender1996–2009+Midfielder1996–1998Midfielder1996–1999Midfielder1996–1999+Forward1997–2000Defender1997–2002*+Midfielder1997–2003Defender1998–2003 Defender1999–2008Midfielder1999–2004Defender1999–2004+Midfielder1999–2006+Defender2000–2001*+Defender2000–2003Midfielder2000–2004Midfielder2001–20052007–2009Forward2001–20052007–2011+Forward2001–2002^Goalkeeper2001–2003 Forward2001–2005Forward2001Full back2002–2009Midfielder2002–2006+Forward2003–20052007–2008*+Defender2004–2008+Goalkeeper2004–2007 Midfielder2005–2010Forward2005–2009 +Midfielder2005–2007+Midfielder2005–2012+Forward2006–2008 +Defender2006–2010Defender2006–2010+Forward2006–20102018+Midfielder2007–2009Midfielder2008–2011+Defender2008–2011+Midfielder2008–2009New Zealand+Defender2007–2018+Midfielder2009–2011^Forward2009–2011Midfielder2009–2011+Forward2009–2012+Defender2009–2012Midfielder2009–2013+Full back/Winger2009–2014Midfielder2009–2012+Forward20102011–2016Midfielder2010–2018+Goalkeeper2010–2011+Forward2010+Midfielder2011–2012Full back2011–2014+Midfielder2011Defender2012–2021+Forward2013–2018+Defender2013–2017Midfielder2013–2021Goalkeeper2013–2019+Midfielder2014–2018+Goalkeeper2014–2020+Midfielder2014–20152016Forward2015–2021+Defender2015–2019+Winger2016–2017+Midfielder2017–2021+Midfielder2017–20182021–2022New Zealand+Forward2016–2018+Defender2018+Midfielder2019–2021+Midfielder2019–+Midfielder2019Midfielder2014–2021+Forward2021Midfielder2018–2021Defender2015–2022Forward2018–2024+Defender2020–Defender2017–+Midfielder2021–+Defender2018–+Forward2023–Forward2021–+Midfielder2021–+Defender2021–+Midfielder20122023–+Forward2017–20182024+Midfielder2024+Defender2023–+Forward2024–+Goalkeeper2024–+Forward2024–+Defender2024–+Midfielder2024–+Midfielder2023–Defender2022–
Club captains Below lists the club captains of Ipswich Town since the club turned professional in 1936. The club's first professional captain was Jimmy McLuckie, who captained the club from 1936 to 1945. Mick Mills has made the highest number of appearances as Ipswich Town captain, having captained the club for 11 years between 1971 and 1982. The club's current captain is Luke Chambers, who has held the captaincy since 2014, after Carlos Edwards left the club. In July 2021, Chambers left Ipswich after making close to 400 appearances in 9 years at the club, having been club captain since 2014. Following Chambers' departure, new signing Sam Morsy was named club captain in October 2021.
DatesName1936–1945 Jimmy McLuckie1945–1946Unknown1946–1957 Tommy Parker1957–1961 Reg Pickett1961–1962 Andy Nelson1962–1971 Billy Baxter1971–1982 Mick Mills1982–1986 Terry Butcher1986–1988 Ian Atkins1988–1991 Romeo Zondervan1991–1993 John Wark1993–1995 Steve Palmer1995–1998 Tony Mowbray1998–2003 Matt Holland2003–2006 Jim Magilton2006–2008 Jason de Vos2008–2009 Richard Naylor2009 Gareth McAuley2009–2010 Alex Bruce2010 Jonathan Walters2010–2011 David Norris2011–2012 Grant Leadbitter2012–2014 Carlos Edwards2014–2021 Luke Chambers2021 Lee Evans2021–2025 Sam Morsy2025- Dara O'Shea
Player, Manager & Team awards PFA Team of the Year The following have been included in the PFA Team of the Year whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 1974–75 First Division: Kevin Beattie 1975–76 First Division: Kevin Beattie 1976–77 First Division: Kevin Beattie, Mick Mills, Brian Talbot 1980–81 First Division: Russell Osman, Frans Thijssen, John Wark, Paul Mariner 1991–92 Second Division: David Linighan 1997–98 First Division: Kieron Dyer, Mauricio Taricco 1998–99 First Division: Richard Wright, Mark Venus, Kieron Dyer 1999–2000 First Division: Richard Wright, Marcus Stewart 2004–05 Championship: Kelvin Davis 2013–14 Championship: Aaron Cresswell 2014–15 Championship: Daryl Murphy 2022–23 League One: Leif Davis, Sam Morsy, Conor Chaplin
PFA Players' Player of the Year The following have won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 1980–81: John Wark
PFA Young Player of the Year The following have won the PFA Young Player of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 1973–74: Kevin Beattie
FWA Footballer of the Year The following have won the FWA Footballer of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 1980–81: Frans Thijssen
Bravo Award The following have won the Bravo Award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 1980–81: John Wark
PFA Fans' Favourite The following player was selected as the PFA Fans' Favourite for Ipswich Town as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the Professional Footballers' Association in 2007: John Wark
PFA League One Player of the Year The following have won the PFA League One Player of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2022–23: Conor Chaplin
PFA Fans' Championship Player of the Year The following have won the PFA Fans' Championship Player of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2023–24: Sam Morsy
Football League Awards Football League Young Player of the Year The following have won the Football League Young Player of the Year award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2011: Connor Wickham
Championship Apprentice Award The following have won the Championship Apprentice Award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2011: Connor Wickham
League One Team of the Season The following have been included in the League One Team of the Season whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2021–22: Wes Burns 2022–23: Leif Davis, Conor Chaplin
Championship Team of the Season The following have been included in the Championship Team of the Season whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2023–24: Leif Davis
Championship Goal of the Season The following have won the Championship Goal of the Season award whilst playing for Ipswich Town: 2023–24: Wes Burns
Managerial awards LMA Manager of the Year The following have won the LMA Manager of the Year award whilst managing Ipswich Town: 2000–01: George Burley 2023–24: Kieran McKenna
LMA Championship Manager of the Season The following have won the LMA Championship Manager of the Season award whilst managing Ipswich Town: 2023–24: Kieran McKenna
Premier League Manager of the Season The following have won the Premier League Manager of the Season award whilst managing Ipswich Town: 2000–01: George Burley
Championship Manager of the Season The following have won the Championship Manager of the Season award whilst managing Ipswich Town: 2023–24: Kieran McKenna
Team awards France Football European Team of the Year 1981: Ipswich TownHenderson, pp. 126–127
Footnotes For a full description of positions see Football Positions Jimmy McLuckie was Ipswich Town's first professional captain. Billy Reed was the first Ipswich player to receive full international honours while registered for the club, playing for Wales. Ted Phillips scored the most goals in a season for Ipswich, with 41 in the 1956–57 season. Ray Crawford is the club's all-time goal scorer with 203 goals between 1958 and 1969. Mick Mills is the all-time appearance record-holder. Allan Hunter is the club's most capped player with 47 appearances for Northern Ireland. John Wark was the PFA Player of the Year in 1981. Matteo Sereni is the club's record transfer purchase, £4,500,000, from Italian club Empoli. Connor Wickham is the club's record transfer sale, £8,100,000, to Sunderland. Mick Mills is the longest serving Ipswich Town captain.
References General
Specific