The 1961-62 season is remarkable for unfancied Ipswich Town winning the League title in their first season in Division One.  The club’s manager Alf Ramsey had worked a minor miracle after his arrival at Portman Road in August 1955 with Ipswich in Division Three (South). Within two seasons, Ramsey had lead them to the title. 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 were dismissed by pundits when Ramsey’s collection of unknowns and discards signed only one new player for the forthcoming season.  They paid a club record £12,000 for Doug “Dixie” Moran from Falkirk. Ramsey proved a remarkable motivator and strategist as he blended them into a formidable team.  Ray Crawford (33 goals) and Ted Phillips (28) were outstanding, while Jimmy Leadbetter, ostensibly a left-winger, confused defenses with his unorthodox positioning.  Ipswich made a poor start to the season, with only one point from their first three matches, but a 6-2 win over Burnley showed they intended to do more than survive. When Ipswich lost 5-0 to United at Old Trafford on 7 April, the dream appeared to be over, and with five games left, they were a point behind Burnley who had two games in hand and a vastly superior goal difference. But Burnley, chasing the double, won only one of their last seven games. Ipswich bounced back with their fresh, fluent football, and took the title by three points. The Birmingham Weekly Mercury, 29 April 1962,  enthused ‘Many critics doubted whether Alf Ramsey’s men would be strong enough to hold their own in the top division when they were promoted last season.  But they clinched the top title with a 2-0 victory over Villa at Portman Road and it was a little ironical  that they should clinch the championship against Villa who had won the Division One title six times before Ipswich had played their first game in the Football League in 1938. Two second-half goals from England’s discarded leader Ray Crawford gave Ipswich victory but many of the fans remained silent at the whistle wondering how nearest rivals Burnley had fared in their clash with Chelsea. If Burnley had won then they would have had to wait until after the Turf Moor men’s game with Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow. - A few minutes after the whistle however came the announcement over the loud speaker... ‘‘Burnley 1 Chelsea 1”. The whole of Ipswich went wild with delight and the fans swarmed over the pitch. By this time  the players had disappeared into the dressing room but their faithful supporters promptly  set up a cry for their heroes, "We want the team," they shouted. And the players shortly appeared to do lap of honour round the ground. Wing half Bill Baxter had been bundled out without even a shirt on his back, and each player was virtually mobbed as he struggled round.’