Chairman Patrick Cobbold First Division 2nd League Cup Fourth Round | Manager Bobby Robson FA Cup Semi-Finals UEFA Cup Winners | |
During the 1980–81 English football season, Ipswich Town F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.
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Season summary
Ipswich had ended the previous campaign in third place following an unbeaten run of 23 matches stretching from the beginning of December to the final Saturday of the League season. They took this excellent form into the new season, remaining unbeaten in their opening 15 matches, and by the middle of March they were strong title contenders with only two defeats in 32. However, a 2-1 reverse at Manchester United triggered a slump which handed the initiative to Aston Villa, although Ipswich did win at Villa Park during the run-in. This loss of form was due in no small part to a fixture pile-up as Ipswich also reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, losing in extra time to Manchester City, and the final of the UEFA Cup. A 5-4 aggregate victory over Dutch side AZ Alkmaar clinched the club's first (and, to date, only) European trophy success and was some compensation for the domestic disappointment.
Top scorer for the season was 23-year-old John Wark, who scored a remarkable total of 36 goals in all competitions. 14 of these came in the UEFA Cup, including one in each leg of the final, to equal the legendary José Altafini's record of 14 goals for Milan in the 1962–63 European Cup (this total was later exceeded by Jürgen Klinsmann in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup). Wark's goalscoring form saw him win the European Young Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year awards. Frans Thijssen was named Footballer of the Year.
Kit
Ipswich Town retained the kit worn during the previous two seasons, manufactured by Adidas.
First-team squad
Squad at end of seasonNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.