Striker Ronan Murray says he hopes his loan spell at Swindon Town can help him to emulate the success of his former Blues academy team-mates Connor Wickham and Jordan Rhodes. The Irish U21 international was Sunderland frontman Wickham’s regular strike partner as they came through the ranks and also played alongside Rhodes prior to his move to Huddersfield.
Murray said: "I played alongside Connor Wickham from U14s all the way through to playing in the first team together as well.
"Jordan was also at Ipswich at youth level and he was great. He just didn’t get his chances there but moved on and now he is doing really well for himself.
"I look at those two and I put myself in that bracket and believe I can achieve a lot in my career. The aim is to kick on now and start scoring goals for Swindon.”
The 20-year-old says getting senior games under his belt with the Robins will do him the world of good: "I feel I will benefit massively from playing first team football because when you are playing reserve games you do not have the crowd.
"It is just a different feeling. Everyone is up for the games, you have to be up for it and no one gives less than 100 per cent, so it is a great feeling playing senior football, especially when you win.”