Town new boy Ryan Fraser has revealed how he arrived at the club’s training ground and could hardly believe his eyes to discover fellow new recruit Brett Pitman was also clocking on.
While winger Fraser is on a season-long loan deal, Pitman has signed a three-year contract - with Town having an option for a further season - following his departure from Bournemouth, where the pair were team-mates for two and a half years.
Fraser said: "Brett and I played quite a lot of games together but I didn’t even know he was coming here. I came up for my medical and I couldn’t believe it when he was lying on the bed.
"Nobody said anything and he decided not to tell me. He could have given me a lift up from Bournemouth and I’d have saved my own fuel. But seriously, it was good to see him and it’s helped me out to have him here.”
Fraser said he wasted no time in completing his year-long loan move, adding: "It all happened within a couple of days. I got a phone call from Eddie Howe [the Bournemouth manager] and also from my agent, who basically said that if I wanted it to go through it would go through.
"I knew I would love to play football here so I said ‘Yes, definitely, get it done as quickly as possible’. I was here the next day signing contracts then back to Bournemouth and back here training within two or three days. It was nice to get it done and then get on with my football.”
Having helped the Cherries to clinch the Championship crown last season, Fraser has twice won promotion since leaving hometown club Aberdeen in January 2013 to travel all the way to England’s south coast.
Bournemouth were in League One back then but he helped them win promotion to the Championship within five months and after two successful seasons he is looking forward to the next chapter of his career in Suffolk.
He added: "I always wanted to play in England and my move from Aberdeen also happened really quickly. I got a phone call, went down to Bournemouth and wasn’t allowed home.
"I had none of my stuff — I didn’t take a suitcase down there — so I had to get my mum and dad to jump in the car and bring a suitcase with some clothes the very next day. I’m used to it now. I love playing down here and I just want to carry on improving as a player.
"I was young when I went to Bournemouth and had never been away from my mum and dad before, but the minute I did it and then settled down to play football I forgot all about it.
"The football takes over and you have to make a lot of sacrifices to get on. That was one that I made but I have no regrets and I’m happy with the way everything has worked out.”
Photos: ITFC/TWTD