Town midfielder Ryan Stevenson insists he has no regrets about moving south, even if he could have been looking forward to participating in the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday. Former club Hearts, surprise semi-final winners over Celtic, take on Hibs in an all-Edinburgh showdown at Hampden Park.
Stevenson, who has been offered a matchday role working for a television company, has so far been only been a bit-part player for Town and sees next season as his best opportunity to become an established member of Paul Jewell’s starting line-up.
He said: "I am very happy to have come to Ipswich and I’m looking forward, not back. I’m pleased for my former club and all my friends there that they are in the final and the fact that they are playing Hibs gives it plenty of added spice.
"Hearts will be favourites because they are so many places higher in the league but Hibs have not won the Scottish Cup for 110 years and you can’t help but think their day will come at some point, although I hope it’s not going to be this year.”
By the time he returns for the start of pre-season training at Playford Road on July 5th, the 27-year-old former Chelsea youngster will be in the last year of his contract at Ipswich — but it is not something that causes him any anxiety.
He added: "I’m to just wait and see what happens. I’m here until the end of next season so there’s no rush. I’ll speak to my agent and the manager over the summer and see where we are.
"I’m just happy to be here. I’ll come back for pre-season training, try to impress and see where we go from there. I’m not going to rush anything. I’ll have a good summer and leave the contract to my agent.
"I’ll be working hard over the next couple of months. With the sort of person I am I always keep myself fit over the summer but this summer is more important than any other for me because I want to come back here and do well in the Championship.
"I’ll have a couple of weeks back in Scotland, resting and recharging the batteries, and then get straight back into it. I am already looking forward to the new season and the challenge it will bring.”
Stevenson believes there are plenty of players north of the border who could follow him into England and added: "Despite the troubles that are happening up there just now there are some good teams — and good players — in the SPL.
"I’m not overawed by the Championship. There are plenty of players who have come here from the SPL and they are holding their own in the Premier League, never mind the Championship. For me it will be something fresh, something new and it is exciting even to think about it.”