Ipswich Town do have a proud history and a number of players have been in both camps. Leicester manager Peter Taylor made a magnificant signing when he brought James Scowcroft to Leicester from Ipswich back in 2001. Scowcroft had done well with The Tractor Boys and had the experience and skills that Leicester were out looking for.
He had played 206 league games and scored 46 goals when he made his £3million move to Leicester. He did well at Leicester helping the club back to the top flight in 2002/03, and before leaving in 2005, playing 133 league games and scoring 24 goals. Scowcroft moved to Coventry and later played for Crystal Palace and Leyton Orient. He did return to Ipswich for a short loan spell playing 9 league games without scoring in 2004.–
When Ipswich won the league back in 1961/62, they had former Leicester winger Roy Stephenson in their side. He moved to Portman Road early in his career playing just a handfull of games at Leicester before his move. A total of 144 league games in four years with Ipswich Town and among a few of former foxes to have won a league title.
Russell Osman had a grand career at Ipswich Town and established himself for England, and to get such a player to Leicester in the mid 80’s was a surprise, when Leicester did see relegation Osman moved to Southampton. In total 294 league games for Ipswich, adding up 108 at Leicester.
Marcus Bent made a loan switch to Leicester in 2003, joining to help staying up, but despite being seen as a good loan signing, playing 33 league games and scoring 9 goals, he couldn’t stop a relegation. Bent had a travelling career putting in shifts at Charlton, Everton, Blackburn, Brentford and Birmingham being among his clubs.
Paul Cooper had a grand career in goal for Ipswich and did see most of those great years being the certain first choice, later a short period with Leicester. Mark Grew also played in goal for both parties.
Defenders Damien Delaney, Mark Venus, Gareth McAuley and Richard Stearman are players with a life in both camps. McAuley did join Ipswich from Leicester, Venus also made a straight move to Portman Road. All of them playing at the two clubs when they were at tier two in English football.
DJ Campbell did score goals in both camps with a good tally at Ipswich during a 2012/13 loan spell hitting 10 in 17 appearances. His record was not great at Leicester after his big money move from Birmingham City. He had his best years with Blackpool firstly joining on loan from Leicester and permanent to Bloomfield Road where he surprisingly helped the club gain promotion to Premier League.
Jamie Clapham had a grand time at Portman Road playing 207 league games and scoring 10 goals before making his move to Tottenham and later a short term spell with Leicester City in 2007-08.
South African Mich D’Avray made a loan move to Leicester, and also having a good period at Ipswich playing 211 league games over eleven years at Ipswich from 1979 to 1990, moved to Holland and played on for NEC Nijmegen after his time at Portman Road, with his short spell at Leicester in 1988 playing three league games, one of them at Anfield vs. Liverpool.
Matt Elliott also had a brief spell at Ipswich on loan making 10 league appearances in 2004, at Leicester he is seen as a legendary figure with 245 league games over period of eight years at Leicester. He also represented Scotland as a Leicester player and had a massive impact as captain also over a number of years.
Former Leicester manager Bryan Hamilton played his best football at Portman Road being part of the top teams under the manager Sir Bobby Robson before making a switch to Everton. David Lowe played for both clubs and hammered in goals from his forward positions, scoring 37 in 137 league games with Town and 22 in 94 for City.
Ben Thatcher joined Leicester from Tottenham in 2003, five years later moving to Ipswich from Charlton playing 20 league games while Portman Road. He just had a season at Leicester before snapped up by Man City.
Players in both camps,
- Goalkeepers
- Paul Cooper
- David Stockdale
- Marton Fulop
- Defenders
- Russell Osman
- Damien Delaney
- Richard Stearman
- Gareth McAuley
- Mark Venus
- Roy Stephenson
- Midfield
- Roy Stephenson
- Jamie Clapham
- Richie Wellens
- Forwards
- Marcus Bent
- James Scowcroft
- Mich D’Avray
- David Lowe
- George Hirst
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