▁success ive ▁prom ot ions ▁to ▁the ▁First ▁Division . ▁ ▁I ps wich ▁Town ▁Johnson ' s ▁performances ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁fellow ▁First ▁Division ▁side ▁I ps wich ▁Town , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁East ▁Ang lia ▁club ▁for ▁a ▁fee ▁of ▁£ 1 . 1   mill ion . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁debut ▁against ▁Wol ver ham pton ▁W ander ers ▁two ▁days ▁later , ▁scoring ▁I ps wich ' s ▁only ▁goal ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 – 1 ▁draw . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁score ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁goals ▁for ▁I ps wich ▁that ▁season , ▁including ▁his ▁first ▁career ▁hat - tr ick ▁in ▁a ▁ 5 – 2 ▁win ▁over ▁Oxford ▁United ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁I ps wich ▁finished ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Division ▁table ▁that ▁season , ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁lose ▁ 2 – 0 ▁on ▁aggregate ▁to ▁Char l ton ▁Athlet ic ▁in ▁the ▁play - off ▁semi - final s . ▁ ▁Johnson ▁scored ▁another ▁ 1 4 ▁goals ▁for ▁I ps wich ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁a ▁third - place ▁finish ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 , ▁but ▁again ▁they ▁lost ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁play - off ▁semi - final s , ▁this ▁time ▁losing ▁to ▁Bol ton ▁W ander ers ▁on ▁away ▁goals . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁the ▁same