Ipswichvs.Brighton

First meeting in the very old Division Three South, the two clubs gradually made their way up to the top, dropped down, and have now found themselves at the summit together again.

The reverse fixture in September was the first time the two had faced off in the Premier League, with the majority of their 71 meetings taking place across the lower leagues.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 71

Ipswich wins: 31

Draws: 16

Brighton wins: 24

The history between Ipswich and Brighton dates back to before World War Two, when the two both competed in the Division Three South almost every year until its dissolution in 1958, with Brighton winning the first ever meeting between the clubs 2-0 at home one year before the advent of war.

These two ended up being the final two champions of that division before it was scrapped for a nationwide Division Three and Four, with Ipswich gaining promotion to Division Two in 1957, and Brighton joining them there a year later.

Competing in the second tier together for three years, Ipswich were dominant over Brighton, winning five of the six meetings, averaging four goals-per-game across those successes, and home and away wins in the 1960-61 season helped the Tractor Boys to gain promotion to the top flight.

Ipswich were then a top-flight staple for many years, with the two not facing off again until 1979 when Brighton joined them in Division One, and the Seagulls lasted four years before suffering relegation back to Division Two.

That was the last time the two faced off in the top flight until September 2024, when a 0-0 draw at the Amex handed Ipswich their first away point and clean sheet in the Premier League for over two decades.

Division Two, and subsequently the Championship, is where most of these head-to-heads have taken place, and the 1991-92 season had differing fortunes for both.

Ipswich won four points in their two games with Brighton that year, sealing the title under John Lyall to return to the top flight, while Brighton suffered relegation to the third tier the same season.

Between Brighton winning promotion to the Championship in 2010-11 and their rise to the Premier League in 2017, it was often a very close matchup in the second tier, with the 12 meetings seeing four draws and four wins apiece for the two clubs.

Most of the past meetings have been league affairs, with just two early-round FA Cup meetings between the sides, and they came in back-to-back seasons in 1949-50 and 1950-51 - Ipswich won both.

Previous meetings

Sep 14, 2024: Brighton 0-0 Ipswich (Premier League)

Feb 14, 2017: Brighton 1-1 Ipswich (Championship)

Sep 27, 2016: Ipswich 0-0 Brighton (Championship)

Dec 29, 2015: Brighton 0-1 Ipswich (Championship)

Aug 29, 2015: Ipswich 2-3 Brighton (Championship)

Jan 21, 2015: Brighton 3-2 Ipswich (Championship)

Sep 16, 2014: Ipswich 2-0 Brighton (Championship)

Mar 22, 2014: Brighton 0-2 Ipswich (Championship)

Sep 28, 2013: Ipswich 2-0 Brighton (Championship)

Jan 01, 2013: Ipswich 0-3 Brighton (Championship)

Oct 02, 2012: Brighton 1-1 Ipswich (Championship)

Feb 25, 2012: Brighton 3-0 Ipswich (Championship)

Oct 01, 2011: Ipswich 3-1 Brighton (Championship)

Apr 15, 2006: Ipswich 1-2 Brighton (Championship)

Oct 29, 2005: Brighton 1-1 Ipswich (Championship)

May 08, 2005: Brighton 1-1 Ipswich (Championship)

Nov 27, 2004: Ipswich 1-0 Brighton (Championship)

Mar 22, 2003: Ipswich 1-0 Brighton (Division One)

Dec 10, 2002: Brighton 1-1 Ipswich (Division One)

Sep 24, 2002: Ipswich 3-1 Brighton (League Cup)

Previous Premier League meeting

Sep 14, 2024: Brighton 0-0 Ipswich

Written by

Andrew Delaney