Wanderers and Ipswich met in their latest confrontation last weekend but the Whites' 4-1 win was just another absorbing episode in a series of intriguing fixtures between the two sides.

Here we chart the contrasting fortunes of both sides over recent seasons.

MAY 1999: Wanderers finish sixth in the table and are drawn against Ipswich in the play-offs. Wanderers win first leg 1-0 at the Reebok, lose the second 4-3 at Portman Road but go through on the away goals rule, only to lose to Watford in the final.

May 2000: It's Ipswich again in the play-offs but are sensationally beaten 5-3 at Portman Road in the second leg after a 2-2 draw at the Reebok. Bolton were minutes away from their second successive play-off final when Jim Magilton equalised then in a series of bizarre decisions, referee Barry Knight sent off Mike Whitlow and Robbie Elliott, and gave the home side THREE penalties. Ipswich go on to beat Barnsley 4-2 in the Wembley final, and prepare for the Premiership.

Summer: After failing to gain promotion Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is forced to sell during his first close season with the club. Eidur Gudjohnsen moves to Chelsea, and Claus Jensen signs for Charlton. Within three months defender Mark Fish joins the Dane at The Valley. Bolton's major summer signing is Michael Ricketts from Walsall. Meanwhile Ipswich are able to improve their squad with the £4 million purchase of Hermann Hreidarsson, a further seven figure sum was spent on Martijn Reuser from Vitesse Arnheim.

August: Wanderers make a slow start to another First Division season, only managing a home draw against Burnley on the opening day of the season. Ipswich begin their Premiership campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham but quickly bounce back with a draw against Champions Manchester United then victory over Sunderland.

Jan 2001: Ipswich beat Birmingham 1-0 in the first leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final, but are denied a visit to Cardiff as they lose 4-1 at St Andrews.

May: After a long drawn out struggle Blackburn pip Wanderers for the second automatic promotion spot in the First Division after beating Preston. Allardyce's men must again face the play-off lottery again, but come through the semis against West Brom.

Ipswich confounded all their doubters to achieve an amazing fifth place in the Premiership and guarantee a spot in the Uefa Cup. Their position is the club's highest finish since Bobby Robson left in 1982.

May 29: Bolton achieve Premiership status with a thumping 3-0 win over Preston at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium.

Summer: Although the Premiership guarantees large sums of money, Wanderers concentrate on loan signings and free transfers over the summer. A small fee entices Dane Henrik Pedersen, while Nicky Southall, Djibril Diawara and Akinori Nishizawa are brought to the Reebok for nothing.

Despite their success, Ipswich sell highly-rated goalkeeper Richard Wright to Arsenal for £4.5 million. He is replaced by Italian Matteo Sereni, whilst Nigerian international Finidi George is a high-profile recruit.

August: Wanderers make an unbelievable start to the season with a 5-0 win over Leicester on the opening day. Further victories over Middlesbrough and Liverpool put Bolton on top of the table.

Ipswich make a bad start to their second Premiership season, going down 1-0 to Sunderland. They win just one of their opening games and spend the majority of the first half of the campaign at the foot of the table.

Sep 20: Ipswich play their first European game since 1982 when they draw 1-1 with Torpedo Moscow, they edge the Russians out 3-2 on aggregate.

Oct 20: Wanderers achieve the victory of all victories when they beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford. Juan Veron puts United ahead, but goals from Kevin Nolan and Michael Ricketts seal every Bolton fans favourite victory of recent years.

Nov 1: Struggling in the Premiership, Town progress to the third round of the Uefa Cup after beating Helsingborgs 4-1to earn dream tie against Inter Milan.

Nov 18: Gudni Bergsson and Ricketts score the goals which help the Whites win at Portman Road, and lay some ghosts to rest.

Nov 22: Four days after defeat against Bolton, Burley's team beat an Inter side that includes 1-0 at Portman Road with a late goal by Alun Armstrong.

Dec 6: Ipswich's European dreams are ended in the San Siro as Inter turn on the style to achieve a 4-1 win in the second leg.

Dec 22: Ipswich beat Spurs. only their second victory of the season but those three points inspire the East Anglians to seven wins in their next eight games, and they reach the dizzy heights of 12th in the table by February.

Feb 9 2002: Ipswich are thrashed 6-0 at home by Liverpool.

Feb 18: French World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff joins Wanderers on a contract until the end of the season.

Mar: Wanderers sink to the bottom three, but are revitalized by successive wins over Charlton and Villa. Meanwhile Ipswich find themselves back in severe trouble after another poor run of results.

Apr 6: Wanderers thrash Ipswich 4-1 at the Reebok in what had appeared to be a relegation "six-pointer". German striker Fredi Bobic grabs a first half hat-trick, with Djorkaeff scoring the other.