Old boys...

THAT WAS THE WEEKEND THAT WAS...

The date was 1 March, 1980, the venue was Portman Road and Ipswich Town's opponents were Manchester United. And the significance? It was the last time that a United team conceded six goals in a league match.

Alan Brazil, later to become a United player, scored two goals and Paul Mariner got a hat-trick. Frans Thijssen scored the other goal as Bobby Robson's attractive and effective team enjoyed one of their finest days. United failed to muster even a solitary reply, and the rout would have been greater still but for their goalkeeper Gary Bailey, who saved two penalties.

Given that United were second and Ipswich third in the First Division table of the day, it was an astonishing result. But it changed the course of the season not one iota. United finished second and Ipswich third, neither able to deny Liverpool their fourth championship in five seasons.

Two years later, still in an Ipswich shirt, Brazil joined an elite brigade of strikers by scoring five goals in one match... against Southampton.

Ipswich Town: Cooper; Burley (O'Callaghan), Beattie, Thijssen, Osman, Butcher, Mills, Mariner, Gates, Woods, Brazil.

Manchester United: Bailey; Nicholl (Jovanovic), Houston, McIlroy, McQueen, Buchan, Coppell, Sloan, Jordan, Macari, Grimes.