Former skipper Carlos Edwards, who will be back at Portman Road with his current club Millwall on Saturday, says last season’s loan move to the Lions went very much to plan after he had drifted out of the picture at Town.
The 35-year-old joined the Blues from Sunderland for £1.35 million in the summer of 2009 and went on to make 170 starts and 21 substitute appearances, scoring 10 goals, but had dropped out of the Town matchday 18 by the end of January.
"I don’t know what the issue was at Ipswich,” the Trinidad and Tobago international told the News Shopper.
"The manager kept saying be patient. The games were running out and I don’t know whether he wanted me to be patient with him come the last game of the season, so when the opportunity came for me to come on loan here I jumped at it.”
Edwards, whose Blues contract was up at the end of June, moved to Millwall on loan in March and the Lions were unbeaten during his eight games as they escaped relegation with the former Luton and Wrexham man - who scored one goal - largely playing at right-back.
"I didn’t just come [to Millwall] to play games,” he added. "At the same time I wanted to prolong my career and to do that I needed to play games to put myself back into the window so people could see I was still available.
"Fortunately I came here to Millwall, helped the team stay up and was offered a new [one-year] deal.
"I’ve still got a few friends at Ipswich who I will relax and chill a bit with afterwards, but Millwall is my family now.
"I’ve had great times at Ipswich, fond memories and a few bad ones, but I would thank them for all the things they have done for me on and off the pitch.”
Millwall have started the season well, they are currently fifth in the table, and Edwards, who has started every league game, says they are targeting the top six: "We did set goals for the season and [reaching the] play-offs is one of those goals, to be there come the final day of the season.
"I don’t think it is beyond us. It is going to be tough, but at the same time we have what it takes in this squad to push for something good this season.”