Portman Road

Portman Road stands in Ipswich, Suffolk, on the edge of the town centre. It is the home ground of Ipswich Town Football Club and has been since 1884. The stadium has hosted England youth internationals and one senior friendly against Croatia in 2003. It has also held athletics meetings, hockey matches, concerts and Christian events. The ground was once used as a cricket pitch by East Suffolk Cricket Club from 1855 until the club moved out in 1936. The stadium is worth visiting for its long football history and record crowds. In March 1975, 38,010 fans watched Ipswich play Leeds United, the highest attendance ever recorded here. The ground’s four stands became all-seater in the early 1990s after the Taylor Report. Redevelopments in the early 2000s raised capacity from 22,600 to over 30,000, making it the largest football ground in East Anglia. After a takeover in 2021, new dugouts, undersoil heating and a hybrid pitch were installed, reducing capacity slightly to 29,673. Visitors find a modern stadium with four distinct stands. The Portman Stand runs along the east side and houses the Centre Spot restaurant beneath it. The Sir Bobby Robson Stand sits at the north end, while the South Stand and Britannia Stand flank the pitch. The ground’s oldest surviving feature is the Churchmans End, named after the tobacco family whose plant once stood nearby. A statue of Sir Alf Ramsey stands at the corner of Portman Road and Sir Alf Ramsey Way. The stadium blends sporting heritage with recent upgrades, offering a clear view of the pitch from every seat.