The 1961–62 season was the 73rd season of competitive football played by Ipswich Town. Although the club exited both the FA Cup and the Football League Cup in the fourth round, they ended the campaign as Football League champions, becoming the third club to win back-to-back Second and First Division titles. Matt Busby described the title-winners as "...one of the First Division's most attractive sides...". As league champions, Ipswich qualified for European footballfor the first time in the club's history. Seventeen players represented the club during the season, with six different goalscorers, including Ray Crawford who was joint English and European top scorer with Derek Kevan of West Bromwich Albion and became the first Ipswich player to win a full England cap. Crawford and Ted Phillips scored 73 goals between them during the season.
This was Ipswich's first ever season in the top flight of English football and initially they found the transition from Division Two difficult. A goalless draw at Bolton was creditable enough but was followed by two defeats. At Burnley, Ipswich lost to the odd goal in seven after equalising three times, and two late goals by Peter Dobing clinched a 4–2 victory for Manchester City in the opening fixture at Portman Road. Ipswich resoundingly won the return match against Burnley and followed this up with a further three wins before being brought back down to earth by a 5–2 thumping at Everton. Defeat by Fulham two games later would be the last in the League at home, and although Ipswich suffered five further defeats on their travels before the end of January, such was the strength of their home form that they never lost touch with the leading pack. By the beginning of March, they had forced their way up to second place, albeit four points behind leaders Burnley having played one game more, and they ended the month as leaders after beating Wolves 3–2 with Doug Moran scoring a late winner. Burnley lay two points behind but now had four games in hand on Ipswich, with reigning champions Tottenham a further six points adrift in third place. April began with a demoralising 5–0 defeat at Manchester United, and consecutive draws against Arsenal and Chelsea over the Easter weekend also looked costly, although it was to their credit that Ipswich recovered from two goals down in both matches. Ahead of their penultimate match – a trip to Highbury on Easter Monday – Ipswich led the table with 52 points, with Burnley a point behind and with one game still in hand. Two goals by Ray Crawford helped Ipswich to a vital 3–0 win which extended their advantage to two points as Burnley could only manage a draw at Blackpool on the same day. However, Burnley's superior goal average meant that they would be guaranteed the title by winning their remaining two games. Ipswich ended their season by beating Aston Villa at Portman Road thanks to another two Crawford goals, and shortly after the final whistle news filtered through that Burnley had been held at home by Chelsea. Alf Ramsey's side had thus created footballing history by becoming the first ever club to win Division One at the very first attempt.
Ipswich's title-winning season qualified them for the 1962–63 European Cup, the club's first foray into European football. The club defeated Maltese champions Floriana 14–1 in the preliminary round, with Ray Crawford scoring seven across the two ties. The Suffolk club then faced Italians and eventual champions A.C. Milan. Ipswich were unable to overturn a 3–0 first leg defeat in the San Siro, despite winning 2–1 at Portman Road. On 25 October 1962, Ramsey agreed to take charge of the England national team, commencing 1 May 1963. Domestically, Ipswich struggled to repeat their form the following season, finishing 17th and four points above the relegation zone.
