Former loan striker Luke Varney has revealed that he was about to sign a contract with the Blues when he suffered his ruptured achilles injury in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Norwich City at Portman Road in May.
"I was in bits in the changing room, high on gas and air, I was crying," the striker or wideman told BBC Radio Suffolk.
"It makes you realise how close things are to changing. I was about to sign a contract at the club.”
That deal is now on hold until he gets fit with the 32-year-old targeting October for his return.
Despite not being contracted to the club, Blues boss Mick McCarthy and owner Marcus Evans offered Varney the use of Town’s facilities while he recovered from the injury, which required surgery, an offer he took up despite the PFA making St George’s Park in Staffordshire - closer to where his family is based - available to him.
He says he had also held talks with his then-parent club Blackburn about staying at Ewood Park beyond the end of his deal which was up on June 30th, but was never in any doubt that he preferred to join Town.
"There were discussions going on with Blackburn,” the Leicester-born player added. "I think they were going to offer me something but I made it clear to the manager I wasn't going to return even if they were to offer me any sort of wage.
"I still would have stuck with Ipswich because I've enjoyed my time here and am desperate to get back playing. People say I'm here to do my rehab, but I want to put the shirt back on."
Speaking at the start of pre-season training last week, Blues boss McCarthy was pleased to find Varney in an upbeat mood: "I’ve just seen him in there, he’s in his usual high spirits.
"He told me had a good holiday but that he had to have a mobility scooter which, when he saw a couple of his ex-team-mates, caused huge hilarity for him. I think he was like the woman off Benidorm!
"He’s such a great character, so he had a laugh at that as well. He seems in good form. He’s just such a good, positive character.
"I don’t know how long he’s going to be out for, he’s going to be a good while yet having snapped his achilles. But we’ll look after him and get him fit and hopefully he’ll be a player for us again.”