Mick McCarthy hopes fans will be lauding the performances of striker David McGoldrick for several seasons to come with the 25-year-old settled at Portman Road and beginning to fulfil the potential he showed as a youngster. The Blues frontman has scored five goals in 11 league starts this season and was named September’s Championship Player of the Month.

McCarthy says he wants McGoldrick to continue to make that sort of impact: “I hope that they’re talking about him in glowing terms for the next three or four years, and that it’s at Ipswich.”

But things haven’t always gone so smoothly for the Blues striker. He was thrust into the spotlight as a 16-year-old when Southampton paid an undisclosed fee to take him from hometown club Notts County to the Premiership in August 2004 after he had made only four senior appearances for the then-League Two side.

Having featured for the Saints as Town beat them in the final of the 2005 FA Youth Cup final, McGoldrick returned to Meadow Lane on loan and then had spells at Bournemouth and Port Vale to gain experience.

However, the 6ft 1in tall striker never made the expected impact at St Mary’s and in June 2009 he was sold to Nottingham Forest for £1 million.

In his four years at the City Ground he similarly failed to hit the heights but after a highly-successful loan spell at Coventry in League One in the first half of last season — 17 goals in 24 starts and one sub appearance — he joined the Blues initially on loan in January before signing a two-year permanent deal in July.

McGoldrick is far from the only striker to have begun to fulfil his promise later rather than sooner. Current Saints and England frontman Rickie Lambert spent most of his career playing in the lower leagues as did ex-Blue Marcus Stewart, who was 27 when he made his Premier League debut for Town.

McCarthy says he isn’t sure why players such as McGoldrick take longer to come through but believes he’s in a more stable environment at Portman Road: “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. He was at Southampton, Nottingham Forest, always a talented, talented player.

“Sometimes with very talented youngsters it takes them until they are 24 or 25, they get married, they have kids they see a different side of it, they settle down.

“He comes here and he knows he’s valued and appreciated and loved by everybody. And he could see that right from the start when we tried to sign him. He’s thriving in that environment.”

The Blues boss believes the player’s relationship with him and assistant Terry Connor has also been a factor: “I think he can trust me, there’s no doubt about that.

“And he can trust Terry to be dead straight with them and treat them properly. I like to be able to trust them, and I can, every one of them. They’re a good squad.”

Photo: Action Images

TrabzonBlue added 06:12 - Oct 9 He looks a bit like Thierry Henry in that photo.
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billysdad added 07:36 - Oct 9 I don't think Cresswell looks anything like Henry personally.
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lowtit added 08:27 - Oct 9 where was he at the Derby match?
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JimmyJazz added 08:55 - Oct 9 I disagree that he failed at Southampton, after all they found someone to pay 1 million for him. In his last season there he scored quite a few goals. It was at Forest that things didn't go as planned which was mostly due to Forest having about 6 decent strikers on their books at one time and McGoldrick didn't get much of a chance
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Keaneish added 09:06 - Oct 9 He's 6'1"..!!? Really... So if MM like a big man little man combo, Taylor could very well partner him up front?
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bluelady added 09:13 - Oct 9 lets hope when other clubs come sniffing (and they will) that he realises this is the best time of his life at town :-)
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Michael11 added 11:04 - Oct 9 @Keaneish I was going to say the same thing, can't believe he's as tall as that. He doesn't look it on the pitch. If Mick wants us to laud him for 3 or 4 years then get Evans to pull his finger out and offer him a long new contract! I think he's been brilliant at home but we need to get him on the ball more in the away games. He's the one player that seems to make us tick but he doesn't seem to get the support and service away like he does at home.

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theblueginger added 11:58 - Oct 9 He does look like Henry in his peak, a certain pomp about him. Anyway it is true what MM is saying. I mean on the flip side look at jaime peters: scouted by Man United and Bayern as a teenager, now look at him....
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kalypso added 12:03 - Oct 9 fantastic news at ITFC, everyone happy, playing well. just where we want to be, well placed for play-offs. everyone seems to have taken a complacency pill. with all this love, we'll end up exactly where we are now 12th and planning for next season. yaaaaaawn.................
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bluemikey100 added 12:40 - Oct 9 kugi got 20 goals 04-05 season since then only alan lee with 17 goals so DIddy has great chance of being our top scorer over the past few years hope he injury free
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LankHenners added 15:27 - Oct 9 Michael11 - agree, he is so effective at home, and perhaps Taylor could be a nuisance away with his direct running and energy.
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runningout added 16:19 - Oct 9 Someone should have gone to 'Specsavers'... We as a squad have so much more to give, not sure if enough of them know how good they can be...
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buryblue77 added 19:14 - Oct 9 So am I, I just wish he'd put his shooting boots on away from home. I must admit, I was slightly worried that he wouldn't be prolific enough, but his goal return so far this season is proving me wrong.
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ormey75 added 19:25 - Oct 9 Has he scored an away goal yet?
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TimmyH added 20:35 - Oct 9 exactly my thoughts @ormey then again other than the Derby game we don't score that many away.
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