IPSWICH TOWN 1980-81 UEFA CUP WINNERS
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
ERIC GATES admits that the UEFA Cup wasn’t Ipswich Town’s priority in the season they came close to winning a treble.
Bobby Robson’s side missed out on the First Division title after they were pipped by Aston Villa by four points despite being only a point behind with a game in hand at one stage.
They had earlier been beaten in the semi-final of the FA Cup by Manchester City, thanks to a stunning Paul Power free-kick in the first period of extra-time at Villa Park.
But Gates says that, as the chances to win silverware fell by the wayside, the more seriously they started to take the UEFA Cup.
Amazingly, Ipswich didn’t win an away game in the competition until the quarter-final first leg against Michel Platini’s Saint Etienne, who had not lost at home in Europe for 30 years.
Ipswich won 4-1 in France before finishing the job with a 3-1 win at Portman Road to earn a semi-final against German side Cologne, whom they beat 1-0 in both legs.
The first leg of the final against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar was played in Suffolk and the Super Blues breezed home with goals from John Wark, Paul Mariner and Frans Thijssen.
Thijssen then scored the opening goal in his native Holland before Kurt Welzi and Johnny Metgod put Alkmaar in command.
Wark scored a record 14th goal in the competition but Pier Tol and Jos Jonker ensured an anxious finish.
“The UEFA Cup was the one that we least wanted to win,” Gates recalls. “The club had won the FA Cup in 1978, though I hadn’t been part of that, so for most of the team the focus was on the old Championship.
“We should have clinched it but Aston Villa pipped us, even though we beat them home and away and also in the Cup.
“We had to go to Middlesbrough in our second-last game of the season and then Southampton the following Tuesday. We win both games and we are crowned champions.
“At Middlesbrough we were winning 1-0 at half-time and knew that Aston Villa were getting beaten by Arsenal so we had our hands on the trophy.
“To be honest we should have been five up, we absolutely demolished them. But we go out for the second half and a fella called Bosko Jankovic scored with two headers.
“They beat us 2-1 and it meant we couldn’t win the title.
“We had been so close in two domestic competitions.
“Eventually we said, ‘We had better give the UEFA a go.’ Yes, it really was an after-thought.”
1. John Wark: Former Scotland international lives in Onehouse, near Stowmarket in Suffolk, and works in the corporate hospitality department at Portman Road.
2. Kevin Beattie: England centre back voted Ipswich’s greatest-ever player still lives in the town and has been a publican, carer and pundit for BBC Radio Suffolk.
3. Steve McCall: Returned to Ipswich as a coach, then was chief scout until leaving Portman Road this July after 13 years.
4. Kevin O’Callaghan: Republic of Ireland winger lives in Meopham, Kent. He was an academy coach at Millwall and then worked for a rail maintenance company.
5. Bobby Robson: Legendary boss who went on to manage England, Bacelona and Newcastle. Was living in County Durham when he sadly lost a long battle against cancer in July 2009, aged 76
6. Arnold Muhren: He became a youth coach at Volendam and has spent the last decade working in Ajax’s youth academy.
7. Paul Mariner: Spent many years coaching and managing in the United States, then managed Plymouth Argyle and was also director of player development for Toronto FC. Is now a TV analyst.
8. Alan Brazil: Former Scotland international ran a pub and a racing club, but since 2001 he has been a colourful radio presenter on
talkSPORT.
9. Frans Thijssen: Is now a technical coach at Dutch club FC Twente after spending time managing and coaching in the Middle-East, Sweden and Holland.
10. Allan Hunter: Northern Ireland international lives in Ipswich, he
became a school woodwork teacher, later making garden furniture until retiring.
11. Mike Ferguson: He managed Barry Town and Newport County before returning to Ipswich, where he was in charge between 1982-87. He has also scouted and coached at Sunderland.
12. Terry Butcher: Has managed Coventry, Sunderland, Motherwell, Sydney FC and Brentford before moving to Scotland with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hibs. Is back living in Suffolk.
13. Russell Osman: Has managed Bristol City and Cardiff City and has worked in television, been assistant academy manager at Portman Road. He is now working as a football consultant.
14. Laurie Sivell: Is still based in his home town Lowestoft where he has run his own fish business. Has also coached Lowestoft Town.
15. Mick Mills: Went into management with Stoke, Colchester and Birmingham. He was chief scout at Sheffield Wednesday before settling back in Suffolk working in sports management.
16. Paul Cooper: He lived in Liverpool and worked for a firm selling nuts and bolts until moving to Tenerife in 1997 and setting up his own company, Tenerife Golf Services.
17. George Burley. A management career has included eight years at Portman Road. He has also managed Scotland, Crystal Palace and Cypriot club Apollon Limassol.
18. Eric Gates. Now lives in Barnard Castle in the north-east and earns a living as a radio pundit and guest speaker.