CITY 2 IPSWICH TOWN 1
League Division 2
27th November 1995
Attendance 19,416
Scorers
City Crossan(33 & 54)
Ipswich Spearitt(76)
Ref J Thacker
City Dowd, Kennedy, Bacuzzi, Horne, Heslop, Oakes, Summerbee, Crossan, Murray, Brand, Young – sub Pardoe(75)
Ipswich Hancock, Smith, McNeil, Lea, Baxter, Thomson, Hegan, Kellard, Brogan, Baker, Spearitt – sub Walsh(20)
The visit of Ipswich Town towards the end of November 1965 served to illustrate the value of City’s Northern Ireland international, Johnny Crossan.
An inspired signing by former manager George Poyser from Sunderland the previous season, he had at one time been banned sine die for alleged financial irregularities over a proposed transfer from Ireland to Bristol City. As a result, he was forced to go into Europe to play football, firstly with Sparta Rotterdam and then with Standard Liege.
City were third in the table and were determined to make up for their defeat the previous week at Bolton.
Mike Summerbee and Crossan were the tormentors-in-chief of the East Anglians, carving out numerous chances which their colleagues at times seemed determined to ignore.
The visitors weren’t helped when they lost full back and England international, Mick McNeil, after 20 minutes through injury. Bobby Kellard, making his Ipswich debut after arriving from Crystal Palace, was switched to defence to help out.
It was Crossan who scored both the City goals, one either side of half-time. The first, after 33 minutes, came from a deflection off Bill Baxter’s leg as the Irishman hit a Ralph Brand pass from 25 yards.
The second was a beauty as Baxter gave the ball away to Crossan, who ghosted past two opponents before cracking in a shot that utterly defeated `keeper Ken Hancock.
Summerbee limped off with a pulled muscle before Eddie Spearitt grabbed a consolation goal for Ipswich, who had former Blues Gerry Baker in their ranks.
TAKEN FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOCKS IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 25TH NOVEMBER 1995