Ryan Fraser is hoping for a double celebration at the end of the season — promotion for Town and survival in the Premier League for parent club Bournemouth, who he helped to the Championship title in May.
The Scottish winger, on a season-long loan from the Cherries, would consider it mission accomplished if he could help Mick McCarthy and his men clinch a top-flight return.
Fraser had been out of action with a knee injury picked up on Scotland U21 duty following the 2-2 home draw with Bristol City on September 26th, a game in which he scored his fourth Town goal, and only returned to action in last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Derby when he came off the bench to replace Brett Pitman in the 58th minute.
He said: "I went back down to Bournemouth straight away when it happened because I have family and friends down there, and the staff at the club know me better as well.
"They looked after me and I did my rehab every day, stuff like exercises and strengthening work, and I’m back better than ever.”
Fraser’s temporary return to the south coast at least enabled him to see club colleagues and witness a remarkable turnaround in fortune for the Cherries, whose first season in English football’s top tier has been hampered by a series of injuries, one of which has ruled ex-Town defender Tyrone Mings out for the entire campaign after he was crocked early in his debut following his £8 million summer switch.
He added: "I went to most of their games and it was good to see the lads and how well they are playing.
"I saw them being beaten 5-1 by Tottenham but they have come a long way since then and in the last few weeks they have picked up some great results. They’re going to have a great Christmas down there.
"I was at the game against Everton when they drew 3-3 and the players and the fans were all buzzing after that.
"Everyone had a real lift and you could tell the season was going to turn round from there. The following week they went to Chelsea and won, and we were all thinking it couldn’t get any better than that.
"But a week later they beat Manchester United at home and last weekend they won again, this time at West Brom, so they are in a good position right now. Hopefully they can keep it going and stay up.
"My aim is to help Ipswich go up, which means at least getting into the play-offs to start with, but I have a contract at Bournemouth and when I return there it would be great if they are still a Premier League club.”