Recent arrival George Hirst has confirmed there was interest from Ipswich last summer and has made it clear he is not considering a permanent move to Portman Road for the time being.

When asked about the possibility of a long-term future with the Blues beyond the end of the current campaign, the Leicester City loanee said: “That’s a conversation for the summer. I’m not really too focused on that for now. I’ve come here in January so I’ve got about three and a half months or so to do my very best for this club.

“I know where Ipswich and their fans want to be next season — and where they should be — so my time is going to be spent trying to make sure that happens.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s something that I have most definitely thought about, but right now the focus has to be on Morecambe tomorrow night and I’m trying not to look too far beyond that to be honest.

“There was quite a lot of contact between me and Ipswich last summer. I obviously ended up going to Blackburn and it was a pretty tough decision.

“I spoke to the gaffer here but I wanted to go and test myself at that level, the Championship, and I felt I could make it there, although it didn’t pan out that way.

“The gaffer understood my decision but when I heard they were still interested in bringing me to the club it was a no-brainer for me.

“From speaking to the gaffer in the summer I understood how he wanted to play and what he was expecting of me, and after speaking to some of the boys here, like Marcus Harness, who I knew from our time at Portsmouth, I was keen on the move straight away.”

Older Town fans will no doubt remember Hirst’s father, David Hirst, during his days as a goalscoring forward, predominantly for Sheffield Wednesday, in the 80s and 90s. He started his career with Barnsley, ended it with Southampton but it was for the Owls that he displayed his best form — 106 goals in 294 league games — and he also scored one goal in three senior games for England.

Hirst junior added: “He’s been a huge help and I’m probably still paying him back a little bit. He’s been brilliant for me and he played — and scored a lot of goals — at the very top level for a number of years, so I’ll always ask him questions when I feel I need to.

“He’s always the first person I speak to after a game. If he tells me I’ve done alright, I know I’ve had a good game, and if I haven’t done that well, he’s the first person to tell me.

“He keeps me grounded as well, which I think is really important for me. It’s nice to have someone at home like that, to bounce ideas and thoughts off, and it’s free of charge!”

Is there any pressure in terms of expectation at following in the footsteps of his famous father? He said: “It’s something that I knew would come with me being a footballer as well. From when I was just five or six years old I was following him around and I could see that everybody knew who he was. That’s something that I’ve always had.

“The fact that we are both strikers is probably the only similarity between us, the way that we play. He was 5ft 11ins tall when he played and I’m 6ft 4ins, so straight away there’s a difference. He probably had things in his game that I don’t have; he’s right-footed and I’m left-footed for example.

“There are a few more differences than I think people realise, but with us both being strikers there is always going to be a comparison. For me, it’s about doing as much as I possibly can while I’m playing and hopefully one day he’ll be known as George Hirst’s dad!”

Was there a time when he started getting the better of his old man in garden kickabouts? He added: “I like to think so but he would probably give you a different answer to that. Whether he was going easy on me, I don’t know, but maybe one day I’ll get the answer to that.

“I’m not sure but he could just be keeping me grounded by not telling me. Actually, he was always good as gold with me when I was younger and growing up through the youth ranks, plus he’s always been there for me when I’ve needed help or advice.”

Wednesday are the visitors to Portman Road two weeks on Saturday and when asked who his father would be supporting, Hirst added: “I think, most definitely, it will be me and Ipswich. As much as he was at Sheffield Wednesday for years and loved his time there, he’s my dad and I’m his son, so he’s going to support me wherever I go.

“But I don’t think many of his mates will be happy if I score that day, so it will just be one for the bragging rights when they meet up in the pub that weekend.”

Photo: Matchday Images

FrimleyBlue added 17:50 - Jan 23 Lol. Basically. I fked up. Thought I was better than I am. Found out I can't play championship football and agreed to join a level where I might be able to score goals again.
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churchmans added 18:09 - Jan 23 If you want to put it bluntly like that than yeah! But I will add that he could improve under KM and find form! Like 2steps back to then gain a step forward before another step forward and again and again!
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Juggsy added 18:29 - Jan 23 Was a highly rated youngster at SW, definitely a player in there.
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FrimleyBlue added 18:34 - Jan 23 Think we'd get the best out of him playing in a 2 with freddie. Looks to be the striker you want in the box. But won't get much pressing out of him. We missed freddies running against Oxford. Time to play 2 up top and make the most of what we have.
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Stato added 18:55 - Jan 23 Doesn't exactly reflect the KM and Ashton stance of us only bringing players who really want to be here. He has looked no different to Ladapo so far so I need Blues1 to explain why he posted such enthusiasm for this signing during the summer. And Id happily accept an explanation from anyone why we need a big lump up forward like Ladapo or Hirst when our back 8 are all busy passing it between themselves on the half way line. We don't even mix it up with some direct balls into our big number ,9 to hold it up and then bring the 10s into play. It all seems muddled thinking from McKenna

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therein61 added 19:19 - Jan 23 Get promoted and if you want me i will sign
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Bazza8564 added 19:26 - Jan 23 OMG some people! Ever hear of a guy called Kevin Be Bruyne and a fella called Mo Salah. Now call me a cynic but I seem to remember they both played for Chelsea and it didn't work out , and a fella called Ian Rush who didn't do so well at Juventus and Mark Hughes who went to Barcelona and didnt last 5 minutes. Now they've probably scored somewhere north of 750 odd goals after they went somewhere and didn't do so well..... And Hirst with Ladapo together? OMG it's like Cook is still here. Our problem isn't the system its a conversion rate of easy chances. If you want two up top use Broadhead or Chaplin as the 2nd striker but never in a million years will KM play two 9s alongside one another, but we need to fix our shooting not our build up play we had 4 chances inside 10 yards at Oxford and didn't even hit the target, that's the problem, the shape is fine! Perhaps we should get Whymark and Belfitt back, are they still alive?

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ArnieM added 20:03 - Jan 23 Hmmm , not so sure about Mr Hirst now. Basically he's not really interested in signing up permanently for a club in league one . Understandable to an extent, but he's used up all his Championship cards now , so now is “ interested” in good ole Ipswich. If his goals get us promoted he'll probably then be “ interested” in signing permanently. But Maybe he's not good enough at Championship level?

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jas0999 added 20:03 - Jan 23 Good player. Needs match fitness though.
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churchmans added 21:59 - Jan 23 Baza8564! The players you mentioned all play or played at an elite level! This is leauge 1
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churchmans added 22:00 - Jan 23 He must be half decent Leicester would not of given him a new 3year contract if he wasnt
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MickMillsTash added 22:20 - Jan 23 Jeepers-He's a good player and has showed that although not yet in the box Taking him off on Saturday ended us an attacking threat Good touches, good strength, clever player I think our biggest issue will be going long to him too often but... after playing around at the back and drawing in attackers we can now hit Hurst and play off him with confidence 2 Up front- Yes! Ladapo or Broadhead playing off Hurst would be worth a look and developing especially when chasing the game

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Bert added 22:44 - Jan 23 The clue is in the words “ for the time being”. That suits all parties. What on Earth is wrong with that.
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blueboy1981 added 23:36 - Jan 23 His heart is not in it then ! - so why give him the pleasure of Game time ?
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terryf added 08:05 - Jan 24 My Nephew is a Pompey supporter and says don't expect an immediate impact as he needs kick starting so lets judge him at the end of the season. Probably keeping his options open which is fair enough. Saw his Dad play a few times and thought he was a really good player.
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RobsonWark added 11:57 - Jan 24 "A conversation for the summer"... In other words: If we make the Championship I might, If we don't I won't.
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TractorCam added 12:23 - Jan 24 Good god we have some dense fans.
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ButchersBrokenNose added 13:48 - Jan 24 I must say, we're being a bit harsh on the lad. I thought he handled himself well in the interview and said all the right things: I'm concentrating on the Morecombe game, Ipswich should be in the Championship at least and I want to get them there, I'm not thinking about contracts until the summer. Who can blame him for wanting to play at a higher level? It's a shame it didn't work out, but KMcK has a strong reputation as a coach, and maybe that's why he came here. Being a loanee is tricky: he's still a Leicester player who happens to play for us right now. If he came out and said, "I love it here at Ipswich and it's the best club in the world," and then we choose not to take the option on him in the summer, he'd look a bit silly when he goes back to his club. Give him a chance; I think he'll be the clinical piece we've been missing.

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Linkboy13 added 14:23 - Jan 24 Always makes me laugh when so called fans write a player off after one and a half games. I admire the guys honestly too many players come out and just say what the fans want to hear this is a massive club and should be in the premier league waffle. Footballers are only human and have a family life and might not like or settle in the area. If he scores goals that get us promotion and then departs because he doesn't like the area or gets a better offer elsewhere good luck to him no soar grapes from me.

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Tractorboy58 added 14:37 - Jan 24 Does he really want to be here ? If I were Ladapo I would be pissed off !
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Linkboy13 added 15:59 - Jan 24 If he didn't want to be here he would not have come in the first place.
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