Season 1980-81

UEFA Cup Winners, with a impressive run to final that includes a 4-1 away win at St. Etienne over Michel Platini, Johnny Rep and Company. Football League Division 1 Runners-Up. FA Cup Semi-Finalists. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Paul Cooper. John Wark was elected 'Player of the Year' by the PFA, with Frans Thijssen and Paul Mariner coming second and third respectively. Frans Thijssen was voted the Football Writers player of the year, with Mills, Wark and Muhren finishing in 2nd, 3rd and 6th places respectively. Leading scorer John Wark (pictured) with 36 league and cup goals. His 14 goals in the UEFA cup equalled the record for most goals in European competition by one player in one season.

Season 1981-82

Football League Division 1 Runners-Up. League Cup semi-finalists. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Alan Brazil. Leading scorer Alan Brazil (pictured) with 28 league and cup goals. League doubles over Manchester United, Leeds United, Aston Villa, Westbrom, Coventry, Middlesboro and Brighton. Electronic scoreboard installed over the North Stand. International call-up's for Mills, Mariner, Butcher and Osman (England), Brazil, Wark and Burley (Scotland), and Muhren and Thijssen (Holland).

Season 1982-83

Bobby Robson (pictured) leaves the club (after 13 years) to become England Manager and is replaced by Bobby Ferguson. Mick Mills plays his final game for Town in the league game with Liverpool at Portman Road (he made 741 appearances in total). Muhren, Thijssen and Brazil also depart. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Paul Mariner. Leading scorer John Wark with 23 league and cup goals. Town lose in opening round of UEFA Cup to Roma.

Season 1983-84

ITFC 'Player of the Year' Trevor Putney (pictured). Leading scorer Eric Gates with 16 league and cup goals. Jason Dozzell becomes the youngest ever player (at 16 years and 57 days) to represent Town in a first team fixture. He scores on his debut against Coventry and becomes the youngest ever goal scorer in the First Division. Wark and Mariner depart for Liverpool and Arsenal respectively.

Season 1984-85

League Cup Semi-Finalists. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Terry Butcher. Leading scorer Eric Gates with 16 league and cup goals. Mick Mills makes his 100th appearance for Southampton against Town at the Dell (his 900th in first class competition). Burley scores the fastest goal at Newcastle for over 40 years - an own goal after 20 seconds !. Steve McCall (pictured) sets a club record 175 consecutive appearances.

Season 1985-86

Town lose over half their league games, and take just 8 points from their last ten, and are relegated to Division 2. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Terry Butcher (pictured) sold to Glasgow Rangers. Leading marksman Kevin Wilson with 15 league and cup goals.

Season 1986-87

Town are defeated in the 1st Division/2nd Division play-offs by Charlton Athletic, and miss out on a Wembley appearance in the Full Members Cup losing 3-0 at Blackburn in the semi-finals. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Romeo Zondervan. Leading marksman Kevin Wilson with 25 league and cup goals.

Season 1987-88

John Duncan (pictured) succeeds Bobby Ferguson as manager. ITFC 'Player of the Year' Frank Yallop. John Wark returns to the club. Match of the Day camera's are at Portman Road for the first ever 'live' transmission of a home game, and the 2-1 defeat by Manchester United in the FA Cup 3rd Round.

Season 1988-89

Sergei Baltacha (pictured) joins Town, becoming the first player from the Soviet Union to play in the Football League, and scores on his debut in the 5-1 home win over Stoke City. Leading marksmen John Wark, Dalian Atkinson and Jason Dozzell with 13 league and cup goals each. ITFC 'Player of the Year' John Wark.

Season 1989-90

A final league position of 9th, humiliation on their away travels at Port Vale (0-5), Bournemouth (1-3) and Hull City (3-4), and a League Cup exit at the hands of Third Division Tranmere, sum up a season of inconsistency for Ipswich. John Duncan is sacked as Manager. ITFC 'Player of the Year' John Wark (pictured).