Alan Lee has apologised to Town fans — and begged their forgiveness — after playing for arch-rivals Norwich.
Lee is back at Portman Road five years after he was transferred to Crystal Palace following a successful 20-month stint that saw him plunder 34 goals in 109 games.
He returned in the summer to join the academy coaching staff but has since reversed his decision to quit playing and signed non-contract terms that could see him feature in first team action over the coming months.
It was in March 2009, during his time at Selhurst Park, that he agreed a loan move to Carrow Road but although he scored twice in seven appearances he was unable to prevent the Canaries being relegated to League One.
Lee recalled his brief spell with Norwich and said: "I suppose I’ve got some making up to do with the supporters and I’ll do everything I can.
"But at the time I was lonely in London and for me it was an opportunity to get back with my family. That’s got to be number one and I took it.
"My mate Gunny [Bryan Gunn] was manager of Norwich at the time and first and foremost I was looking after number one. I apologise but it was something that was right for me.”
Lee admitted he did not want to leave Ipswich in 2008 but felt he had no alternative than to head for South London when then boss Jim Magilton made his position clear.
He added: "There were quite a few things. I didn’t want to leave but the manager said I wouldn’t get another contract and I figured at that stage my best option would be to sign for Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace.
"I had a horrible start when I got injured in my very first training session. It was a horrible year but the next year was one of my favourite years in football. It might sound silly because we were in administration and everything was against us.
"But as a group of staff and players we just pulled together so well. Everyone gave absolutely 100 per cent and we stayed up on the last day of the season. Everything’s for a reason and I ended up having a great time at Crystal Palace. I loved it and was sorry to leave there as well.”
But Lee, who later joined Huddersfield before being released in the summer, is delighted to be back for a second time at Portman Road.
He said: "Right from the start I loved playing for Ipswich Town. It hadn’t gone well for me at Cardiff and from not being in the team there I was starting for Ipswich.
"The atmosphere, the stadium, the beautiful training ground, the facilities, I felt wanted again. It really worked out for me and I loved my time here.”
Meanwhile, Hull winger Cameron Stewart, who recently joined Charlton on loan until January, has revealed that Tigers boss Steve Bruce confirmed that Town were, as reported at the time, amongst the clubs showing interest in him in the summer.
"I did see Steve Bruce and he said that he had spoken to Charlton, Blackpool and Ipswich about me and that Celtic had been in contact," he said.
Elsewhere, games against Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, Colchester, Crewe, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Leeds, Barnsley, Watford and Coventry have been added to the U18s fixture list.