New boy Richard Chaplow has outlined what he has to offer Town in the final weeks of the campaign as the Blues look to regain a top-six place and also reignite their bid to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

“I like to get forward, close people down and press the ball," he said. "From what I’ve seen of this group of players I will fit in well because there’s a hard work ethic throughout the squad.

"I like to get in the box and nick a goal, or set one up. My game is to run beyond the back four and get up to support the strikers.

“But I’ve been playing for 12 years so I have played in pretty much every position on the pitch. Hopefully I bring a wealth of experience and an ability to play anywhere in midfield or even in the hole as I did against Norwich.

“I even played right-back earlier in the season for Millwall and as long as I’m on the pitch and contributing, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench, I’ll always be looking to pay Ipswich back as a thank-you for taking a chance on me.”

Chaplow, on loan from Millwall until the end of the season, is a distinctive figure on the field having suffered with the hair loss condition alopecia since he was a teenager at his first club Burnley.

He said: “Alopecia is something I’ve had for a long time now, since I was 18. I think I made my debut at Norwich with a full head of hair and then, after eight games, I came back for pre-season training with a bald head. It’s just something that I got on with at the time and looking back it didn’t really affect me too much.

“I was loving life — I had just made my debut for the Burnley first team and I was enjoying being on that adventure. I’m sure it can affect people a lot more in general life if things are not going so well for them but that wasn’t the case with me at the time.

“Everything happens for a reason and I’m sure that maybe shaped me into the person I am today. You’ve got to be resilient in anything you do in life and to be a footballer at any level you need to have it in abundance, so I’m sure it actually helped me in that respect.”

Photo: Action Images

battyblue added 11:10 - Mar 6 I sincerely hope it works out for you Rich but automatic promotion your having a laugh mate,playoffs maybe Just...... But good luck hope Mick plays you and all in their favored positions from now on but somehow i doubt it.
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hoppy added 11:11 - Mar 6 "Chaplow: I Should Fit in Well" Was that headline in reference to the hard work ethic like the other players.... or was it after being interviewed by Phil when talking about losing his hair?
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gibbo added 11:37 - Mar 6 A midfielder with a poor goalscoring record, should fit in perfectly then.
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dangerous30 added 14:23 - Mar 6 hope i am like most fans and say if you give 100% then we cannot ask for more. good luck for the rest of the Season
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IP3 added 15:51 - Mar 6 anyone else think he was absolutely AWFUL against Norwich?
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jas0999 added 16:59 - Mar 6 I wish him well, but can't get too excited by a player who isn't good enough for Millwall reserves. I've not been impressed with what I have seen so far. Still, there is time for him to impress and would like nothing more than him scoring a goal tomorrow!
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BrettenhamBlue added 21:26 - Mar 6 He's seemed ok so far, and wasn't awful against Norwich. Adds more threat than Tabb.
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