portman road was home to ipswich town's first football league match on 27 august 1938. ipswich won 4–2 against southend united in front of more than 19,000 spectators. the fans helped pay for more improvements like concrete bleachers in 1952 which meant the ground could hold over 29,000 people. floodlights were built in 1960, and ipswich's first televised match was held two years later.