When war ruled the derby null and void

There have been some classic encounters down the years between Norwich City and Ipswich Town - and last season's Championship match at Carrow Road was one of the best.

But if the quality of football is not always up to scratch, the needle element invariably makes up for it.

Go on, admit it. It's all very admirable shaking hands on derby day, but there's nothing like a bit of mutual antipathy for spicing up the occasion.

And it's a fixture that has had its fair share of controversy. Tonight we look at 10 derby day dramas . . .

1 No, Prime Minister! (September 2, 1939): Both sides thought they had a point from a 1-1 draw at Portman Road in this Division Three South fixture. City earned a share of the spoils thanks to an equaliser from former England international Billy Furness. But they must have feared that man with the moustache would stop their little game. The very next day, Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. The opening matches of the 1939-40 season were declared null and void as Britain entered six years of war.

2 Kicking the bucket (January 2, 1965): It was strictly come skating for goalkeeper Kevin Keelan and the City defence as they went two goals down by half-time at a partly frozen Portman Road. But worse was to follow. The referee asked ground staff to spread salt in the Churchmans end goalmouth, which Town 'keeper Ken Hancock had to defend in the second half, to try to make it less slippery. Incensed City fans ran on to the pitch to stop the salt being spread and kicked the buckets over, but to no avail. Town won the Division Two derby 3-0.

3 Hawkeye wasn't invented (December 4, 1974): John Bond's Canaries produced some electrifying football in front of a full house in the early stages of this League Cup quarter-final at Carrow Road, and led through a Colin Suggett goal. But Town forced a replay through Norfolk-born Trevor Whymark when his effort was adjudged to have crossed the line before Keelan clawed it away. The 'keeper claimed otherwise but City had the last laugh with a 2-1 replay victory.

4 Let's call the whole thing off (February 15, 1977): City's treatment room had begun to look like an episode of MASH as they prepared for this Division One derby at Portman Road, but Bond's appeals for a postponement fell on deaf ears. With half a dozen players missing and others patched up and sent into battle, the Canaries were thumped 5-0 by title-chasing Town, that man Whymark doing most of the damage with a hat-trick.

5 Foot in the door (March 6, 1985): The Canaries' famous 2-0 Milk Cup semi-final, second leg victory, is not fondly remembered south of the border. Town boss Bobby Ferguson is reputed to have refused to shake the hand of opposing manager Ken Brown, believing City's approach to have been a little too robust. On reflection, Louie Donowa's challenge on Trevor Putney - later to join Norwich - may have been a shade unorthodox, but referee Keith Hackett was unmoved. Certainly no reason for Terry Butcher to kick a hole in the door of the visitors' dressing room.

6 The long Wark (March 20, 1995): Referee Paul Durkin showed John Wark - in his third spell with Town- the red card for a clumsy challenge on Darren Eadie just before half-time in this TV game. It paved the way to a 3-0 Premiership victory for the Canaries as they completed their first league double over Ipswich for 43 years. And the scorer of the first goal? Oh yes, Jamie Cureton, who has now scored in three derbies for City against Town, spread over more than 12 years. But both teams were relegated.

7 Oh no it isn't (November 19, 1995): Town thought Christmas had come early when, trailing 2-0 in this post-relegation derby, they were awarded two penalties in the final 10 minutes at Carrow Road, but it was merely a pantomime prank. Wark scored the first spot-kick after a push by Robert Ullathorne on Alex Mathie. But referee Kevin Lynch changed his mind about the second, awarded when Claus Thomsen fell under challenge from Ashley Ward, after his linesman had flagged for offside, instead giving City a free-kick. Nine years later, Lynch performed another televised U-turn, changing his mind over a goal he awarded in the London Masters - because replays showed the ball had deflected off the VIP box, 15 yards off the pitch.

8 I get a kick out of you (April 14, 1996): The return Division One fixture, also a live Anglia TV game, gave Town the last laugh as goalkeeper Bryan Gunn kicked thin air in trying to deal with Robert Ullathorne's backpass. The own goal gave Town a 2-1 win after Jamie Cureton, sporting green hair, had scored a stunning equaliser for the Canaries. But the real scandal came after the final whistle when Ipswich fans invaded the pitch and some City players were attacked.

9 Jeepers, 'keepers (September 15, 2002): Town's ex-Canary goalkeeper Andy Marshall was screaming blue murder about a challenge by Iwan Roberts as Malky Mackay gave the Canaries the lead late in this televised Portman Road game. But opposite number Robert Green had more cause to curse his luck after Adam Drury conceded a stoppage time penalty. Darren Bent hit the post, Green saved brilliantly from Jamie Clapham's follow-up, but Pablo Counago was first to the rebound to score.

10 You need hands (February 5, 2006): More TV trauma for the Canaries in what proved to be Nigel Worthington's last derby as manager at Carrow Road. The winning goal in Town's 2-1 success came just two minutes from time as a combination of Danny Haynes' arm and Gary Doherty's foot shovelled the ball over the line, for an own goal. On-loan striker Jonatan Johansson had given City the lead before Jimmy Juan equalised. Haynes, who once had a trial with City, has since scored three authentic goals against them.