I caught on SkySports that they just thrashed someone 8-1, and I got the sense it was no friendly. So who were they playing, and why?
Yes, Ipswich were playing in Europe, in the qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. They beat Avennir Beggen (of Luxembourg) 8-1 at Portman Road, having won the first leg 1-0, to go through to the tournament proper 9-1 on aggregate. They qualified through the Fair Play league, which essentially throws the name of the "cleanest team" from each European country into a hat, with three drawn out to enter the following season's UEFA Cup as a reward. In spite of finishing bottom of the Premiership, Ipswich finished top of the Fair Play table in England and were then one of the lucky three.
sorry ,minor point , ipswich did not finish top of the f.p.l. but the teams above them were already in europe.