Ipswich new boy Frazer Richardson has confirmed his wish to extend his stay beyond the end of the season.
Richardson, 31, has been signed on loan from Championship rivals Middlesbrough and was an unused substitute in the 1-1 midweek draw at Leeds, the club where he launched his career.
He will be at Portman Road until the end of the current campaign when he becomes a free agent but today insisted he wants to do well enough to attract the offer of a permanent deal from manager Mick McCarthy.
Richardson said: "It was important for me to find a club where I can come and impress and earn a contract for next season. Tony Mowbray took me to Boro last summer but unfortunately he got released.
"It’s obviously well documented what happened there and I think the writing was on the wall for me then.
"I had been involved all season. I played 11 games for them and I was on the bench up until Christmas. Aitor [Karanka] pulled me in and just said ‘I don’t think things are going to work out here so you are more than welcome to try to find a club on loan’.
"There was no ill feeling about it at all. I owe Middlesbrough a lot because they gave me another chance of Championship football this season. But I’m really happy to be here.”
Richardson revealed how the move came about, adding: "It was literally two days before the Reading game. Mick got in touch and said he would love me to come down on loan until the end of the season.
"I jumped at the chance, to be quite honest, and I’m really happy to be here and to give it a good crack.”
Photo: ITFC