Ipswich Town FC is an English professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk. The club was founded as Ipswich AFC in 1878,  and ten years later merged with Ipswich RUFC to become Ipswich Town FC. They also took up residence at Portman Road, which had been the rugby club's ground. The club played in the Norfolk and Suffolk League and Southern Amateur League until turning professional in 1936 when they joined the Southern League.  They were elected  to  join the Football League two years later  playing in Division Three (South) until the end of the 1953–54 season, when they won the title and promotion to Division Two. The club were immediately relegated back to Division Three (South) the following year at the end of a poor season.  Their fortunes improved with the arrival of new manager  Alf Ramsey in August 1955. The club won the Division Three (South) title again in 1956–57, and returned to the higher division. This time, Ipswich established themselves in Division Two, and as the division champions, won promotion to the top level of English football in 1960–61. In the top flight for the first time, Ipswich defied the odds to become Champions of the Football League in 1961–62.  Ramsey quit the club in April 1963 to take charge of the England football team.  Two years after winning the league title, Ipswich slipped down to the Second Division.  

Another golden era came under Bobby Robson who became manager in January 1969.  Robson led Ipswich to two major trophies and several seasons in top flight European football. By the late 1970s, Robson had built a strong side  adding Dutch players Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen to  a team that featured home internationals including John Wark, Terry Butcher and Paul Mariner.  In 1978 Ipswich beat Arsenal at Wembley Stadium to win their only FA Cup trophy. This was followed by a UEFA Cup victory in 1981. The club also finished as league runners-up in 1981 and 1982. Once again Ipswich lost their manager to the England national team, and after Robson’s departure in 1982 the club’s fortunes went into decline ending with relegation in 1986. The club returned to the first tier of English football in 1992-93, the first season of the newly-created Premiership.  Ipswich suffered a Premiership record defeat, 9–0, at Manchester United, on their way to relegation two seasons later.  They returned to the Premiership in 2000 and were pipped by Liverpool on the last day of the following season for a Champions League place. This spell in the top division ended after two seasons and the loss of income due to relegation led to the club going into financial administration.  A succession of high-profile managers could not prevent the club’s relegation to League One  where the club struggled to put together a sustainable challenge for promotion.  Ipswich finally returned to the Championship with a second-place finish at the end of the 2022-23 season.