Town goalkeeper Scott Loach might have been lining up for Leeds at Portman Road today had his career worked out differently.
Loach was with previous club Watford when he joined the Elland Road club on trial during the 2007 pre-season with a view to making a loan switch.
He appeared in several warm-up fixtures but with the Yorkshire giants subjected to a transfer embargo due to ongoing financial problems the proposed deal had to be shelved and he returned to Vicarage Road.
Loach, 25, said: "It was an honour to play for them. They were in a financial crisis at the time when I went up there but I’ve got to say I really enjoyed it. They are an amazing club but all that’s in the past now.
"I’m the Ipswich Town goalkeeper and I want to beat Leeds on Saturday. It’s a game I am looking forward to. If any footballer is not looking forward to playing Leeds there is no point in him playing the game.
"They’re a massive club and not just in England because they are known throughout the world. Obviously, they are now in our league so we’re on a level par but they’ve got a great name and they are going to bring a great following so there should be a great atmosphere on Saturday.”
Loach admitted a permanent move to Leeds might have been on the cards as he added: "There was a rumour that Dennis Wise had spoken to Aidy Boothroyd about taking me but you’d have to ask them about it.
"That’s all I heard. But it didn’t happen and I’ve gone on to play for Watford. Since then my career’s gone as I would have liked it to go.”
Loach is not only looking to build on the defeat of Millwall by beating Leeds today, he is keen to make Portman Road a stronghold in the bid to fashion a promotion challenge this season.
He added: "Home form is going to be massive, huge. I think in this league it’s massive and that’s why Cardiff went up last year — their home form was brilliant. They only lost once at home and we’ve got to make Portman Road a fortress.
"No one likes losing and it’s okay saying we only lost the games at Reading and QPR by one goal. But it doesn’t matter to me if it’s one goal or four goals. It’s still a loss at the end of the day and we’ve got to cut that out.
"At the same time, though, it shows just how close we are because Reading and QPR will both be up there at the end of the season and there’s no reason why we can’t be up there with them.”