Manager Mick McCarthy is yet to offer loan midfielder Paul Green a contract for next season but has urged him to stay in touch over the summer. The 31-year-old, whose deal with parent club Leeds is up at the end of June, has impressed the Blues boss since moving to Portman Road in February.
Ireland international Green netted his second goal for Town to win Saturday’s final day game against Sheffield Wednesday and McCarthy says he’s given him something to think about.
"I thought Greeny was outstanding today,” the Town manager said after Saturday’s match. "I thought he was far and away the best player on the park in the first half.
"I’ve just spoken to him and said to keep in touch. We’re not going to sign him now, that’s not going to be the case, but he’s certainly given me a lot of food for thought in how he played and how he goes about his business. I think he’s great, I really like him.”
McCarthy has said he’ll also weigh-up whether to offer terms to fellow loanee Frazer Richardson, who is out of contract at Middlesbrough, and Stephen Hunt, whose short-term deal is up, later in the summer.
The Town boss agreed that his team has shown exceptional spirit this season but has sometimes lacked quality at key moments.
"I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that,” he said. "In the league you have to stick with it and we weren’t playing well today.
"I went in today at half-time and said that I’d take the rap, the gaffer changed it to 3-4-3 or whatever number, so I’ll take that bit, but you’ve still got to be able to pass it to each other whatever shape you’re playing.
"But they always stick with it and when you’re not playing well, you can grind a result out. And we’ve had to defend as well today, Gerks has made saves, so they’re a really spirited bunch of lads.”
He added: "I think we’ve given it a right good belt but we just weren’t good enough, and for whatever reason that frustrates me, that annoys me.
"But I’m not frustrated and annoyed with the players because they’ve given absolutely everything. They’ve worked harder than every team every single week. Never once did they leave anything on the pitch.
"I’m immensely proud of them and actually proud of what they’ve done this season. Slightly annoyed and frustrated as I said, but I don’t think anybody can complain really from what we started with and where anybody thought we were going to finish.”
Looking forward to next season, McCarthy says the core will be made up of the current squad with a few additions: "The nucleus of that team is still there.”
Following Saturday’s game McCarthy joined his squad on the traditional lap of honour and believes most fans will have felt that the players were worth their appreciation, the Blues having achieved their best finish for six years.
"I’d like to think so,” he said. "I think everybody I’ve spoken to, maybe the ones who don’t think it’s deserved don’t speak to me, and I’m sure there are some of them, but that doesn't bother me.
"I think the majority would say they’ve appreciated the effort from the players. And we always appreciate the support, certainly the away support has been magnificent.”
Elsewhere, departing skipper Carlos Edwards and Millwall confirmed their Championship survival with a 1-0 home win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
Last week Lions manager Ian Holloway paid tribute to the 35-year-old, who is set to leave the Blues when his contract is up this summer, for adding stability to his defence in their successful battle to avoid the drop.
"Carlos Edwards was [brought in] just as a winger and I put him to right-back and he's settled us down,” he said.
"Young Ryan Fredericks will be a brilliant player in the future but at the moment that experienced old head has calmed things down little bit.”
The Trinidad and Tobago international has been a big hit with fans at the Den and has said he would be interested in signing for Millwall on a permanent basis. Edwards joined Londoners at the end of March and the Lions were unbeaten in his eight starts in which he scored one goal.
Elliott Hewitt was left out of Gillingham’s final League One game of the season, which ended in a 1-1 home draw with Shrewsbury. The Gills finished safely in 17th.
The 19-year-old right-back made 20 appearances for the Kent side across two spells at the Priestfield Stadium.