New Town signing Jonathan Douglas has arrived on the back of his best season for goals, making the decision of former club Brentford to dispense with his services all the more puzzling.
The experienced midfielder contributed eight league goals — a record on a par with that of Town’s entire midfield department — as the Bees finished in the Championship play-offs just one goal better off than Mick McCartney’s sixth-placed team.
A similar tally in the forthcoming campaign would be very welcome, although the eight-cap Republic of Ireland international is at pains to emphasise his game is about a lot more than goals.
He said: "I probably offer, as everyone should offer, 100 per cent. I find that if you give 100 per cent you can look at yourself in the mirror and give a little bit of respect to yourself. I’ll always give my all and hopefully it will help to drive Ipswich up the table.
"I think with the squad we have here we have a real chance. I’ve only been here a couple of days and I can see the quality in the squad is really good. I think we should be challenging.”
Douglas discovered that Brentford’s decision to dismiss manager Mark Warburton and assistant David Weir, now working in tandem at Rangers, had far-reaching effects.
Despite their lofty finish in May the Bees are adopting a statistics-based continental model in the new campaign, with new head coach Marinus Dijkhuizen ringing the changes with a host of new summer arrivals at Griffin Park.
Douglas, who was informed he did not fit in with the Dutchman’s plans, added: "That’s just football. Things change when a new manager comes in and they want to go down a different route.
"I found out I wasn’t going to play there but I’m at Ipswich now. They’re a big club, a great club, and I’m looking forward to playing for them.
"There was no problem with the new head coach. I didn’t have anything against him and we never really spoke to be honest. He was appointed and it’s just the route that they want to go down.
"It is a big gamble by Brentford but I think that’s where the owner has made his money. He’s a gambler and he can do what he wants. I hope it doesn’t work out for them on Saturday but after that I’m sure they will have a good season and I wish them all the best.
"I was told about my own situation two weeks ago. I’d done all the pre-season work and got called in by the sporting director.
"He said they were bringing in new players, that I didn’t fit in and I could look elsewhere. It could have been handled a little bit better but I don’t want to go into it. It’s in the past now and I’m looking forward.”
Photo: ITFC