In five days, the Canaries will use their sharp beaks to deflate the Tractor Boys' tyres. The EDP's Steven Downes goes up against Terry Hunt from the East Anglian Daily Times to pick the best of the encounters.
Norwich City fan Steve Downes dons his yellow and green-tinted spectacles to select the top 10 derby matches in (recent-ish) history.
• March 6 1985 - Norwich 2 Ipswich 0 (agg 2-1)
Schadenfreude is a key ingredient in any derby triumph. When Steve Bruce wheeled away in front of the Barclay to celebrate the late goal that took City to Wembley for the Milk Cup final, we were overwhelmed by the joy of history being made. Then we thought about the poor Ipswich fans whose chance of glory had been snatched away - and laughed. It was made even better by the fact that City didn't really deserve it over the two legs. A bitter pill. Tee hee.
• April 21 2011 - Ipswich 1 Norwich 5
We were on the train heading for promotion; Ipswich had the chance to put some leaves on the line. Instead, they raised all the level crossing barriers and their defenders stood on the platform to wave us through. Surman, a McAuley own goal, Jackson, Martin and Pacheco added insult, injury and indignity. I was following the match from the Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre, where me and my Cockernee muvver were watching Chas and Dave. As the bearded musicians crooned 'Mustn't Grumble', I thought of the Town fans.
• November 28 2010 - Norwich 4 Ipswich 1
No derby is complete without a pantomime villain. John Wark, Ian Marshall, Craig Bellamy - and Grant Holt. The Ipswich fans booed the great man, who responded by outpacing their centre halves (read that bit again), and scoring a hat-trick. Hoolahan added flamboyant icing to the cake with a sublime 4th goal. 'Agent' Roy Keane was the Town manager, which made it even sweeter. The result would have wiped the smile off his face - if he ever smiled.
• March 7, 2004 - Norwich 3 Ipswich 1
It has been a fairly common recent theme - Norwich pushing for promotion, and Ipswich having nothing to play for except ruining City's party. But, typically, they couldn't even manage that - despite having comedy defender and rabble-rouser Fabian 'I hate Norwich' Wilnis in their ranks. Braveheart Malky Mackay showed Wilnis that action speaks louder than words, with a memorable double, before the coup de grace was applied by Darren Huckerby.
• December 21, 2003 - Ipswich 0 Norwich 2
See above. Promotion chasers, party poopers, comfortable win.
Someone thought it was a good idea to arrange my surprise 30th birthday on the day of the match. So I spent the first two hours of the party sitting in the car, listening to the radio and learning the words to 'top of the league at Portman Road'. It was the day that Leon 'the Lion' McKenzie roared into our view for the first time. It was love at first sight.
• September 19 1994 - Ipswich 1 Norwich 2
Because we spent so many years in the league above Ipswich, this was the first time that I donned my body armour for the trip to Portman Road. Despite the repeated warnings, I was still shocked by the devastation that I witnessed - particularly in the heart of Town's defence, as Rob Newman and Carl Bradshaw danced in the drenching rain to give us victory and a happy journey back to civilisation. Oh, and John Wark scored at the age of 95. Bless.
• November 19 1995 - Norwich 2 Ipswich 1
At 2-0 up, goals from Jon Newsome and Robert Fleck meant Norwich were coasting. Then John Wark scored at the age of 96. Then a penalty was given to Ipswich - before the referee Kevin Lynch made himself a derby legend by changing his mind. Wark's moustache bristled, and the post-match interview with Town boss George Burley was replayed until my video tape snapped. He continually repeated 'he's give it'. Yes, George, but 'he's taken it away'. Referees move in mysterious ways, our amusement to provide.
• August 23 2014 - Ipswich 0 Norwich 1
Recently-relegated from the Premier League, Norwich went to Portman Road to face up-and-coming Ipswich. Surely a bloody nose was coming for the Canaries? If only Ipswich could've laid a glove on them. Grabban scored early, Ipswich huffed and puffed, Norwich lit their cigars. And I sat in a square in Nuremberg, raising a stone mug of doppelbock to toast my heroes.
• October 11 1996 - Norwich 3 Ipswich 1
These were the wilderness years. And, in a season when City lost 6-1 and Port Vale and 3-0 at Oldham, any tiny shaft of light was welcome. So thank you, Andy Johnson, for your two carbon copy goals in front of the River End. And thank you John Polston, for snuffing out any Ipswich comeback hopes with the third goal. This was a match that reminded us how to cheer.
• October 20 1998 - Ipswich 0 Norwich 1
Oh, how the Ipswich fans hated Craig Bellamy. In fact, all fans seemed to hate Bellamy - except us. Any study of football history will tell you that the player who you boo will be the one who ruins your day. The Town fans didn't have the good sense to button it, so Bellamy shut them up with a close-range header that stuffed their jeers back down their throats and made them choke. I started with schadenfreude and end with schadenfreude.
True blue Town fan Terry Hunt takes a completely balanced and unbiased look at ten of the greatest East Anglian derbies during his five decades of following the Blues.
• February 1968 - Norwich 3 Ipswich 4
A sublime hat-trick from young South African midfielder Colin Viljoen sealed this Carrow Road thriller. The other goal was a collectors' item -- a free-kick from full-back Billy Houghton. Under Bill McGarry, Town were storming to the Second Division title. Viljoen was a key figure for Ipswich for many seasons and played twice for England in the mid-1970s. His Blues career ended amid much controversy when Robson brought him back into the side at the expense of Roger Osborne for the final league game before the 1978 FA Cup Final. Town were thrashed, Osborne came back, and the rest is history.
• May 1973 – Norwich 1 Ipswich 2
OK, it was only the Texaco Cup, but this was the start of something big. Town took a slender 2-1 first leg lead to Carrow Road, where they won 2-0, ironically thanks to the Norfolk-born pair of Trevor Whymark and Clive Woods. Robson's first piece of silverware was safely in the trophy cabinet.
• February 1977 - Ipswich 5 Norwich 0
Four years later, and Whymark was at it again, this time destroying Norwich with a hat-trick in front of a Portman Road crowd of more than 34,000. John Wark opened the scoring, and Paul Mariner got the other. Born in Burston, near Diss, Whymark was grabbed by Town from under the noses of the Canaries. And what a signing. Somehow he won only one England cap, and injury robbed him of an appearance in the 1978 cup final.
• December 1993 - Ipswich 2 Norwich 1
Oh, how we laughed! This pre-Christmas derby game at Portman Road looked like heading for a less than memorable draw. John Wark had put Town ahead in the seventh minute, with Mark Bowen equalising just before half-time. It stayed that way until the 90th minute, when Ipswich won a corner. Over it came, straight on to Gary Megson's head. He rose like a salmon, and powered home a bullet header - past Bryan Gunn and into his own net. At the end of the season, Town stayed up by one point, so Megson's OG saved us from relegation.
• April 1996 - Ipswich 2 Norwich 1
Oh, how we laughed...again! This was another derby which looked destined for the 'not much to write home about file'' - until the 86th minute. Ian Marshall had put Town ahead, before Jamie Cureton - green hair and all - equalised. With time running out, full-back Rob Ullathorne rolled an innocuous-looking backpass to Bryan Gunn. The Norwich keeper didn't bother to stop the ball, but instead tried to hoof it first time. Big mistake on an unusually dodgy Portman Road pitch. The ball hit a divot, bounced over Gunn's boot, and trickled gently into the Churchman's end net. Cue wild celebrations among Town fans and the installation of the 'Gunn moment'' in Ipswich Town folklore.
• February 1998 - Ipswich 5 Norwich 0
Possibly the most memorable of all derby games. Alex Mathie set us on our way in the second minute, and it just got better and better. By half-time, Town were three up, all courtesy of the Scottish striker. Mathie didn't reappear for the second half, nursing a niggle, and goalscoring duties were assumed by Dutch winger Bobby Petta, whose two strikes brought Town's total to five - the last courtesy of a blunder from Norwich keeper Andy Marshall, later to have an unhappy spell at Portman Road.
• March 2003 - Norwich 0 Ipswich 2
How's that for impact! Dean Bowditch was only 16 when Joe Royle sent him on as a sub with the score 0-0 at Carrow Road. Within 30 seconds, Bowditch had set up the first goal, scampering down the left past a stricken Craig Fleming, and pulling the ball back. Tommy Miller miscued, but Fabian Wilnis (you know, the one who 'hates Norwich''), thumped it home. Into injury time, and Boy Wonder Bowditch released Darren Bent to put the result beyond doubt.
• February 2006 - Norwich 1 Ipswich 2
Enter 18-year-old Danny Haynes, the 'Canary Crusher.' New signing Jonatan Johansson put Norwich ahead at Carrow Road after Town's offside trap went horribly wrong, but Jimmy Juan equalised five minutes later with a deflected free-kick. It stayed that way until two minutes from time, when Alan Lee headed the ball along the six-yard line, and Danny Boy knocked it home with... his hand. The birth of a derby day legend.
• November 2006 - Ipswich 3 Norwich 1
Later the same year, and Danny was crushing the Canaries again. Town had gone behind to a Luke Chadwick goal before Sylvain Legwinski levelled before half-time. All was quiet until Danny replaced Billy Clarke in the 76th minute. Within 60 seconds, he had put Town in front with his head, and then he made the game safe in the dying seconds.
• April 2009 - Ipswich 3 Norwich 2
This was Jim Magilton's final game as Town manager - and he certainly went out on a high. Although David Mooney (who?) put the visitors ahead, goals from Alan Quinn, and a controversial penalty from Giovanni dos Santos (you know, star of the World Cup Finals, La Liga, and the Olympics) put Ipswich in front before Jon Stead (yes, now a Bradford FA Cup legend) made it safe in the last minute. Sammy Clingan scored an injury time consolation. Magilton celebrated on the pitch at the end - and was sacked 24 hours later, to be replaced by someone called Roy Keane.
Well, blow me down with a feather – I've done all ten and not included any Norwich wins! My most sincere apologies for the lack of balance in this article. It does occur to me, though, that the last of the top ten is now nearly six years ago. Time for another, boys!
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