Wolves and Ipswich Town will have the same feeling about the Scottish star
In the 2010s, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town were EFL mainstays.
The Tractor Boys have been out of the Premier League since their relegation in 2002, whilst Wolves have enjoyed more recent success, having been in the Premier League since 2018.
Prior to their elevation, they had been in the EFL for six seasons, having been demoted in 2012 and then dropping to League One for the second time in a row the following year.
Both clubs have gone down in League One and back up in what has been a difficult 15 years for both.
However, having a good leader at the back – an experienced member of the squad who can keep everything together – is beneficial during these moments.
This is something Wolves and Ipswich have in common: they both have the same defender for at least four seasons – Christophe Berra.
Berra showed his quality at the highest level for Wolves
Berra originally arrived in England with Wolves, entering on the final day of the January transfer window in 2009 for a reported sum of £2.5 million, having previously played for his hometown club Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
His arrival brought an end to Wolves’ seven-month pursuit of Berra, who had an initial bid of £1.5 million rejected in June 2008, shortly after making his international debut for Scotland.
The previous bid was reportedly rejected since Hearts did not have a management at the time.
In his first half-season at Molineux, he helped Wolves win the Championship, securing a return to the Premier League after five years away.
Berra would remain a mainstay in the top division for the next three seasons, playing at the heart of Wolves’ defence alongside Richard Stearman, Jody Craddock, and Roger Johnson.
However, Wolves were relegated in 2012, and Berra requested a transfer away from the club to pursue a new challenge abroad.
After failing to agree on a move, Wolves’ manager at the time, Stale Solbakken, announced in December 2012 that he would like to sign a new contract with Berra once he improved.
Berra would ultimately leave in the summer of 2013 as his contract expired, having seen his game time limited after Solbakken’s sacking – Wolves would also be relegated to League One in that season.
Christophe Berra used his experience to Ipswich Town’s benefit
Berra would subsequently join Ipswich on a two-year contract after failing to agree personal terms with Scottish giants Rangers, reuniting with manager Mick McCarthy, who had previously signed him for Wolves.
Berra won the Supporters’ Player of the Season award in his debut year in Suffolk, after forming a strong centre-back partnership with Tommy Smith.
He started the 2014/15 season so successfully that he signed a new three-year contract in September 2014, and Ipswich went on to make the play-offs, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by bitter rival Norwich City.
Berra’s final two seasons at Portman Road, however, saw Town deteriorate: in 2015/16, Ipswich ended seventh, barely outside the play-offs, before finishing 17th in 2016/17.
Berra left Ipswich in 2017 at the conclusion of his contract because he wanted to be closer to home; he returned to Hearts, and after brief stints with Dundee and Raith Rovers, he retired at the age of 37.
Berra shown exceptional leadership qualities at both clubs, and he was with them through the highs and lows.
While he was never the fastest, he compensated with excellent game reading and defensive skills. He will be remembered fondly for his time with Ipswich and the Wolves.
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