Arran Lee-Barrett may have been in and out of the Ipswich first team this season — but overall the goalkeeper is satisfied with how the season has gone.
He said: "I’ve been happy with the games I’ve played and pleased with the record of points won while I’ve been playing. My only disappointment is that I haven’t had more games this season.
"I feel fortunate to be at the club but at the same time I also believe I deserve to be at the club. But I’m just the same as every other player — I want to be playing.”
With on-loan custodian Alex McCarthy recalled by Reading, 28-year-old Lee-Barrett marked his return to first team action with a clean sheet in last week’s 1-0 home defeat of struggling Barnsley.
While Town undoubtedly deserved to pocket all three points Lee-Barrett was still called upon to make a number of key saves to keep the Tykes out and send them crashing to a seventh successive away defeat.
Lee-Barrett said: "I had a bit to do. You can be nervous going back into the team and I was happy to get over that. I think I settled down quite well after a shot I saved almost crept over the line.
"It wasn’t a problem — it didn’t go in — and I was happy with my overall performance. I made two or three saves pretty close together and that’s the way goalkeeping is. You have to stay focused even if you are not seeing a lot of the ball and be ready to deal with it when you do.”
Lee-Barrett revealed he was only told 90 minutes before the kick-off that he was going to be playing against Barnsley.
He added: "I prepared as I always do, regardless of whether I am in the starting line-up or not. I have my own routine to prepare mentally and I was ready to play. The gaffer named the side at 1.30 and that’s when I knew for certain that I was playing.”
Photos: Action Images