Jay Tabb has emphasised his desire to stay with Town, even when a pre-season chat with manager Mick McCarthy left him with the option to move elsewhere.

McCarthy mentioned earlier in the season how he had spoken to the midfielder and explained that based on his performances last season he was unlikely to be able to hold down a regular first-team place and that if he could fix himself up with a new club Ipswich would not stand in his way.

Tabb said: “It was fair enough really. I didn’t do well enough last season and I could see where he was coming from.

“It didn’t really come as much of a surprise when he called me into his office. Maybe it took a little bit of pressure off me coming into pre-season and I got on with it.

“If Cameron Stewart had been fit he would have started the season but he got injured in the friendly at Leyton Orient and I found myself in the starting XI.

“I did okay but then I was out of the team for a bit before I came back in. Mick was justified in having the conversation he did with me and luckily things have turned round for positive reasons.

“He gave me the option of moving on or staying. My intention was always to stay here because even though I knew we had a good squad I also knew it was a small squad.

“I was expecting to start the season on the bench, or not in the squad at all, and then having to try to work my back in when there were injuries or suspensions.

“The way it worked out I had quite a good pre-season and there were a couple of injuries so I started the season. I never wanted to go anywhere else and I’m not a massive fan of going out on loan.

“I like staying at a club and working hard but when I initially came to Ipswich on loan it was the right thing to do. I wouldn’t want to leave here because I love it here.”

Tabb merely applied himself to the task in hand and dismissed the suggestion that he did anything differently.

He added: “I know what I am, I’m 30 years old and it’s not as if I’m going to start doing step-overs and Cruyff turns or find an extra 10 yards of pace or turn into Gareth Bale.

“I know what I’m good at and I think the manager knows that as well. I’m just trying to concentrate on the job he wants me to do and that’s working hard and being reliable, as well as getting into the box, creating chances and nicking a goal.

“If you’re going to get promoted you need goals from all positions. You can’t just rely on Murph and Didz, or Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra, to come up with the goals.

“I need to chip in myself and we — that’s the other midfielders, Skusey, Luke Hyam, Ando, Hunty, Kevin Bru, Bish and Darren Ambrose — should be looking to get one or two each before the end of the season.

“That’s the one thing that all our midfielders need to add to their game, popping up with a couple of goals.

“In my last couple of games I had chances. There was one against Derby that came early in the game.

“I’ve watched the replay and it got stuck in my feet a bit, but I’m getting into the box, creating a couple of chances and getting chances myself, so maybe before the end of the season I can hit the target a couple of more times.”

Illness saw Tabb miss the FA Cup clashes with Southampton and he also had to come off early in the home defeat by Derby that was sandwiched in between.

He said: “The team have been playing well and we’ve been getting results so the manager hasn’t had to make too many changes. We just have to keep it going.

“That’s why I had to be careful with the illness because if you keep on playing and training it never goes away. It has pretty much cleared up now and if I’m going to play at Millwall on Saturday I feel like I could put a good performance in.”

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