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Martin Happy to Stay and Wants Future Sorted Soon - Ipswich Town News

Lee Martin is so keen to remain at Ipswich that he would like to have his long-term future resolved long before his current contract expires next year.

The rejuvenated midfielder signed a four-year deal when he arrived from Manchester United in 2009 so will go into the new campaign knowing it could be his last at Portman Road.

Martin, 25, said: "I would like to get something sorted nice and early. I was just talking to a couple of the young boys and they are a little bit on edge because they don’t know what’s happening.

"It made me think that I’m going into my last year and then, when you hit the six-month mark, you don’t know where you’re going to be. The quicker it is sorted, the better it is.

"But it all depends on (a) whether the manager wants to keep me and (b) whether the owner agrees. That decision comes from the top but the way I see it my career here has just started.

"I’m being played in what I regard as my position and I’m maturing every day. Hopefully next season I can kick on even more, which I honestly believe I will.

"I would be more than happy to stay here. I don’t feel the need to go anywhere else. I want to be at a club where I can progress and repay the faith that has been shown in me.

"It could happen for us next season. I’m sure the manager would agree that we need a couple of players to shore it up. We’ve got a core of players who have played together for a reasonable time and we’ve looked good. The back part of the season, we’ve done well, so if we add to the current core who knows what we can achieve?”

The effervescent Martin is unrecognisable from the figure who lost his sparkle under Roy Keane and was shipped off to Charlton on loan.

He added: "This is my best season at the club. Well, it’s what I regard as my first full season. It’s been a good season. It was tough under Roy but the new manager has given me an opportunity in what I regard as my best position and I’ve enjoyed it.”

Turning his attention to tonight’s penultimate home league game against promotion-chasing Birmingham, Martin said: "When we played them at their place in January we were by far the better team.

"We should have got something out of the game. I scored an equaliser and at 1-1 we should have been given a penalty. Decisions really cost us.

"If we had scored from the spot and gone 2-1 up I think we could have defended knowing we didn’t have to chase the game and it might have been a very different outcome.”

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