Hunt Was Close to New Town Deal - Ipswich Town News
Former Blue Noel Hunt has revealed that he was close to agreeing a new contract with the Blues until the deals which saw Brett Pitman and Ryan Fraser move to Town and Tyrone Mings join AFC Bournemouth for £8 million. The 32-year-old former Ireland international's previous Blues terms were up at the end of last season.
"I was in discussions with Ipswich over a potential deal and we were haggling over a couple of minor issues,” Hunt writes in his column for BeanBagSports.
"That was a Wednesday and on the Thursday I was out in Portugal for a friend’s wedding when the Tyrone Mings deal to Bournemouth went through.
"As part of the deal Ipswich signed Brett Pitman and Ryan Fraser and I kind of knew then I was in a bit of trouble because it meant Ipswich now had four strikers.
"I came back from Portugal and went in to see the gaffer. He said, ‘I know we were talking about a contract but this deal came about and it was too good to turn down’. That’s football unfortunately.”
But Hunt, who subsequently joined League One Southend, having held talks with amongst others Chicago Fire, says he’s far from bitter.
"People ask me if I feel hard done by and the honest answer is no, I don’t. What Mick McCarthy and Terry Connor did for me last November is something I can never repay them for.
"They took me in on a limb and I hope I did well for them. Even this summer they invited me to train with the guys to keep fit until I found myself a club.”
Having been told he wouldn’t be staying at Portman Road, Hunt had a surprise waiting for him at home: "My wife was holding a pregnancy stick and I’m thinking 'Aww f*****g hell, here we go!'.
"I was gutted on one hand because of the club situation whereas I was delighted for myself and my missus on the other. I said to her, that’s great news, all I have to do now is find a job!”
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