THE GROUND
Portman Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 2DA
Ipswich Town have played at Portman Road since 1884, six years after the club was founded.
The stadium, which staged an England international in 2003, was redeveloped in the early years of the new century.
It is now a 30,311 all-seater stadium with four separate stands.
Away fans are seated in the Cobbold Stand, opposite the main stand and the usual allocation is 3,000 tickets.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Portman Road is approximately 92 miles from Griffin Park using the M25 and A12.
The ground is a few miles from the end of the A12 and drivers should take the A2124 towards the centre of Ipswich.
Turn on to the A137 and the ground is sign posted.
Street parking around the ground is problematic but there are pay and display car parks nearby.
The ground is also close to the town centre, where parking is available.
The nearest station is Ipswich and it is a five minute walk to the ground.
Ipswich is served by Abellio Greater Anglia services from London Liverpool Street.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will host Ipswich Town on Boxing Day, December 26.
The Bees then travel to Suffolk on Saturday March 7.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Ipswich Town are the longest serving team in The Championship, having been in the second tier since relegation from the Premier League in 2002.
The Suffolk side spent two years at the top table, finishing a remarkable fifth in 2000/01, their first year at that level.
The following year they played in Europe, reaching the UEFA Cup Third Round, but started badly in the league and could not recover well enough to avoid the drop.
They came close to promotion in the years that followed, reaching the Play-Offs twice, but have become a mid-table side in recent years.
They finished ninth in 2013/14, their first top ten finish since 2009.
It looked for a while as if they could do even better as, after a slow start; they were in the top six on New Year’s Day.
But a run of one win in six at the start of 2014 dropped them to mid-table and they couldn’t claw it back.
The Tractor Boys eventually finished four points outside the Play-Off places, having taken four points from their last four games.
THE MANAGER
Mick McCarthy has been Ipswich Town boss since November 2012 after nine months out of the game.
The 55-year-old is one of the most experienced managers in The Championship, having taken his first managerial role more than 20 years ago.
After a playing career that saw him win 57 Republic of Ireland caps and play in a World Cup Quarter Final he took over as Millwall boss in 1992.
He managed Ireland in the 2002 World Cup, which included a very public falling out with Roy Keane, and then moved to Sunderland.
He had just under six years at Wolves, taking them to the Premier League and keeping them there, before he was sacked in February 2012.
McCarthy took over at Ipswich later that year, hauled them away from relegation rouble in his first season and mounted a Play-Off push last season.
THE TOP SCORER
David McGoldrick scored 16 goals in all competitions for Ipswich last season, 14 of them in The Championship.
He got those goals in just 31 Championship games, missing part of the season with a knee injury.
McGoldrick joined Ipswich on loan in January 2013 and made the move permanent later that year.
He came through the youth ranks at Notts County before a move to Southampton.
The 26-year-old joined Nottingham Forest in 2009 and has also had loan spells at Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday among others.
THE KEY MEN
Ipswich will be looking to add more goals to their squad to push for promotion in 2014/15.
The Tractor Boys scored 60 league goals last term, only Brighton and Hove Albion in the top half scored fewer, and almost half of them came from the front pair.
As well as McGoldrick getting 14, Daryl Murphy scored 13 Championship goals in 45 games.
Sylvain Ebanks-Blake left Ipswich in the summer after failing to contribute a goal and others leaving included second choice goalkeeper Scott Loach, former Brentford winger Stephen Hunt and forward Paul Taylor.
In the last few days defender Ryan Cresswell, who played 44 games last season, moved to West Ham United for an undisclosed fee.
Many of Ipswich’s other key players from last season will be back for 2014/15.
Defenders Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith played 46 and 45 Championship games respectively while goalkeeper Dean Gerken played 41.
Christophe Berra was also a key part of the defence, featuring in 42 Championship games.
In midfield Paul Anderson played 31 games and Luke Hyam 35 while Cole Skuse was a consistent presence, playing 43 matches.
Ipswich have signed Carlos Edwards from Millwall after a loan spell and winger Cameron Stewart from Charlton Athletic.
Alex Henshall, who spent the last weeks of 2013/14 on loan from Manchester City, has joined permanently.
THE FIRST AND MEMORABLE MEETING
November 11 1955, Football League Division Three (Southern Section) – Brentford 3 Ipswich Town 2
Brentford line-up: Cakebread; Tickeridge, Coote; Rainford, Robinson, Roe; Pearson, Morgan, Francis, Taylor, Towers
Brentford goal scorers: Francis, Morgan, Towers
Jim Towers scored a last minute goal as Brentford beat Ipswich Town in the first meeting between the teams.
THE LAST MEETING
August 24 2004, Carling Cup First Round – Ipswich Town 2 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Nelson; Dobson, Fitzgerald, Frampton, Myers; Peters (sub Tabb), Smith (sub Talbot), Hargreaves, Rhodes (sub Rankin); Burton, O’Connor
Subs (not used): Julian, Palmer
Brentford lost to Championship Ipswich Town in Carling Cup First Round.
THE ODDS
Sky Bet is offering 25/1 on Ipswich Town winning The Championship in 2014/15.
Those who back The Tractor Boys can get ¼ of the odds if they finish in the top three.
Every bet you make with Sky Bet benefits Brentford FC – click here to see the Championship market.