Ipswich new boy Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has revealed he was once rejected by the club.

The former Wolves striker, reunited this week with boss Mick McCarthy, was just 14 at the time.

He explained: “I was at Cambridge United and they said I wasn’t good enough for Ipswich. After that I signed for Manchester United but it’s good to get here at last.”

Ebanks-Blake said it was former Town academy recruitment officer Malcolm Moore who rejected him.

But the player, who left Old Trafford for Plymouth and was signed by McCarthy for £1.5 million in 2008, is keen to make up for lost time.

He added: “It wasn’t about money. Mick is the best manager I’ve ever had and he was at the front of the queue to sign me.

“I need to get match fit and the only way I will do that is by playing matches.”

Ebanks-Blake suffered a broken leg and ankle ligament damage in April, a major factor in Wolves’ relegation to League One.

But he confirmed: “I’m ready to get going. Wolves were brilliant in the way they looked after my rehabilitation.

“Mick was constantly in touch to see how I was getting on and that counted for a lot with me.

“I was training with the Wolves reserves for about four weeks and I’ve had a week here.

“It is good to see some familiar faces, like my former Wolves team-mates Stephen Hunt and Christophe Berra, but all the lads have been great.

“It is a tight-knit squad and we are in a great position in the Championship. I am looking forward to helping them get even better.”

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

Moscow_Blue added 06:34 - Dec 21 Could he make the same difference that Marcus Stewart did in 2000?
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irishtim added 07:59 - Dec 21 Hopefully Moscow Blue, Hopefully.
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feelinblue2 added 08:35 - Dec 21 What a refreshing statement, "best manager I've worked with" haven't heard that about an Ipswich manager for a while...........welcome aboard SEB!
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hossblue added 09:09 - Dec 21 L ike the way Mick keeps his cards close to his chest when going about his signings.Seem it was always going to happen.
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bluemikey100 added 09:21 - Dec 21 a reject comin back to the club with a point to prove thats good motivation think we signed marcus stewart when we just outside playoffs same scenario this season got a good feelin with mick n terry at the helm
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Mark added 09:35 - Dec 21 Just think about our striker signings over recent years: KEANE £1.7M on Priskin, £750K on Scotland (replacing Rhodes and Stead...cheers Roy). JEWELL £1.5M on Taylor, £1M on Chopra, Ellington on free. MCCARTHY £100K on Nouble; McGoldrick, Murphy and Ebanks-Blake on frees. What a strike force we now have, without spending big!!
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jas0999 added 09:56 - Dec 21 Mark, agree completely, although thought Scotland did okay for us, the rest have been big money flops or just useless frees (Ellington) in comparison to Micks business! Believe nouble cost less than £100k as well!
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menacinho added 10:11 - Dec 21 Agree with the comments about the strike force that MM has assembled on a budget. However, I don't see Taylor as a flop at present; his injury couldn't be foreseen and he was out for so long that he hasn't yet had a chance to prove himself.
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clint_eastwood added 10:42 - Dec 21 Not good enough for Ipswich but good enough for Man Utd????
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 10:48 - Dec 21 Jas - Nouble cost 25k. I know he splits opinion but at that price I think it was a good signing.
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Mark added 11:30 - Dec 21 Nouble - £25K, thanks for the correction. Worth a punt for that money and he still could come good for us after more promising recent displays. He's 22 so has time to improve under the guidance of TC. Scotland - I liked him and think he did quite well for Town, often having to play an isolated role up front on his own. Depressing times. £750K plus no doubt big wages coming from the Premier League didn't make him cheap though and we left for free. Taylor - Clearly has ability but I have my doubts over whether he will make it in Mick's team. He's fit now after the injury, but hardly featuring. £1.5M on which we will get no return I fear.

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Pendejo added 11:32 - Dec 21 Excited about this as I was about Marcus Stewart..... I hate hope, such an anti climatic deceiver... give me pessimism and misery any day. Beat Watford at home and I may suffer more hope and optimism... it is an unusual feeling.
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groovyASH added 11:47 - Dec 21 Mark- Taylor isn't perfectly match fit yet. He was great at Blackpool and made a real difference on the pitch, and he also scored an excellent goal. Time will tell, but with Taylor, Murphy, Nouble, McGoldrick and Ebanks-Blake, we have 5 bloody good options for this division.
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