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Portman Road

Address:Portman Road
-
IP1 2DA
Ipswich
Map & Directions: Multimap.co.uk
Telephone: (01473) 400 500
Fax: (01473) 400 040
Box Office:(01473) 400 555
Club: Ipswich Town

Ground Profile

Owned by the Corporation, Portman Road took its name from the ancient office of Portman in the Borough of Ipswich and was first used by the football team in 1884. The soccer club, which was formed in 1878, chose the name Ipswich AFC, and the rugby club were known as Ipswich FC. In September 1888, the AFC and FC amalgamated under the new title of Ipswich Town and for the next nineteen years played on what is now the training pitch behind the Britannia Stand. Then it was a cricket pitch, used in summer by the east Suffolk Cricket Club.

Although there was little in the way of ground improvements, Ipswich Town were one of the first to use goal nets in 1890. Three sides of the ground were bordered by fields and trees and the fourth was overshadowed by the construction, in 1901 , of a tobacco processing plant belonging to the Churchman brothers. It was claimed that because the club were tenants, they were not allowed to build stands and instead boards were laid along the touchlines.