They might be two places with a fierce rivalry - but now Ipswich-based scientists seem to be setting aside decades of bitter competition to help Norwich City’s quest for Premiership glory.
The Canaries' recent promotion to the top flight of English football this year pained many people south of the A140, especially as Ipswich Town were relegated to League One at the same time.
The battle for supremacy seemed as emotive as ever during the past season, particularly when Blues boss Paul Lambert was sent off following a brawl during this year's East Anglian derby.
But now the Ipswich-based University of Suffolk is to play a leading role in Norwich City's 2019/20 campaign by providing new scientific evidence to help the players' performances.
However Norwich City is not the biggest team the university will be working with - it is also linking up with Italian champions Juventus on a PhD programme in sport and exercise science.
Dr Marco Beato, senior lecturer and course leader for the BSc (Hons) strength and conditioning course at the Waterfront-based university, will be expanding the relationship he already has with sports scientists at Carrow Road as part of the new link-up.
He said that using greater evidence-based practice could help to improve training and performance and reduce errors in training.
"Both of these collaborations mean our academic team will be in touch with elite clubs and professional bodies," Dr Beato said.
"We can transfer new knowledge to our students and therefore the students should learn the most innovative sport science methodologies, which could play a critical role in their future employability.
"This is particularly true when students can be exposed to some internships/placements in professional clubs.
"The academics in sport science at the university have developed a very ramified network with the most important clubs in the region and beyond and our students can benefit from it during their studies here."
Of the University of Suffolk's work with Juventus, Dr Beato added: "The collaboration between the club and the University of Suffolk is a very important achievement because it proves the international reputation that our course has achieved."
University scientists are not the first to switch sides - former Norwich City star Darren Eadie took up a coaching role at St Joseph's College in Ipswich last year.
To find out more about the University's sport science degrees, click here.
To find out more about the PhD programme in sport and exercise science, click here.
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