Ipswich Town's last Premier League line-up 22 years ago including World Cup star and England ace

Ipswich Town have sealed their place in the Premier League, clinching back-to-back promotions under manager Kieran McKenna to return to the big time.

The Tractor Boys garnered a reputation as entertainers as they scored 101 goals in League 1 in the 2022-23 season. However, while fellow promoted sides Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday only survived relegation on the final day this term, McKenna's men spent the season battling it out at the other end of the table.

It went right down to the wire for Ipswich, too, with a three-point gap to Leeds United going in to the last day of the campaign. Three points ultimately became six, though, with Ipswich seeing off Huddersfield and Leeds losing at home to Southampton.

Some members of the current squad weren't even born the last time the team played a top-flight game, against Liverpool back in May 2002. Here, Mirrror Football looks back at the team that lined up that day.

Goalkeeper and defence

Italian keeper Matteo Sereni began the campaign as first-choice between the sticks, but had been relegated to the bench by May. On that final day against Liverpool it was Andy Marshall, signed from rivals Norwich the previous summer to great annoyance in Norfolk, who conceded five.

Academy graduate Titus Bramble would later rack up games as a Premier League centre-back for Newcastle, Wigan and Sunderland, but on this occasion the defender - still just 20 at the time - lined up at right-back. On the opposite side was Hermann Hreidarsson, with the Iceland international going on to suffer five separate relegations from the Premier League (this was his third).

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Titus Bramble was part of the Ipswich back-line that suffered relegation
(Image: PA)

In the middle, it was a pairing of John McGreal and 35-year-old Mark Venus. While McGreal would later return to Portman Road as part of the coaching staff, even serving as caretaker boss directly before McKenna's 2021 appointment, Venus has served as number two to former Tractor Boys centre-back Tony Mowbray at a succession of clubs.

Midfield

It was a difficult end to the season for Matt Holland, but the Ipswich captain - who started in central midfield - would have a happier time the following month. He was part of the Ireland squad which made the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup, scoring their first goal of the tournament.

Matt Holland would go on to score for Ireland at the 2002 World Cup
(Image: PA)

Holland and central midfield partner Tommy Miller both stuck around the next season in the second tier as Ipswich looked to bounce back up. He left for Charlton after a seventh place finish, though Miller stayed a little longer.

Out wide were two men who played their part in the run to fifth in the Premier League in 2000-01. Dutch winger Martijn Reuser ensured a tough second season, while Jamie Clapham - often used at left-back as well as in midfield - ended his five-year Ipswich spell midway through the 2002-03 campaign.

Forwards and substitutes






Darren Bent stayed with Ipswich after their relegation to the second tier
(Image: PA)

Ipswich's fifth-place finish the previous season came in no small part due to the goals of Marcus Stewart. He was on the bench for the Liverpool game, though, entering the fray along with fellow striker Alun Armstrong during the second half.

In their stead, Burley opted for a Bent double. Darren Bent - who went on to earn 13 England caps - was at the start of his career, scoring his first senior goal in April 2002, while Marcus Bent - signed for £3m in November 2001 - top-scored with nine league goals but couldn't quite save his team from the drop.

The other sub to make an appearance was Dutch defender Fabian Wilnis, who would end up staying at the club until a few months shy of his 38th birthday in 2008. Sereni was one of the two unused subs, along with Argentinian attacking midfielder Sixto Peralta, whose loan from Inter Milan was not made permanent after a return of five goals in all competitions.

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