When Liam Feeney was offered the chance to join Town on loan from Bolton this week he wasted no time in tracking down team-mate Liam Trotter.
Once the pair had their conversation, with ex-Portman Road midfielder Trotter painting a perfect picture of his home town, Feeney’s mind was made up and he was on his way south.
Feeney said: "Liam’s a good mate of mine and we did have a chat about it. He filled me in about all the good things about the club, the town and the people. He said how nice it was down here. I picked his brains a little bit before I set off to drive down here.
"It was interesting what Liam had to say but I admit I was already keen on the move before I spoke to him.
"It’s a fantastic opportunity for me, with the team doing really well, and I think most people expected them to be right up there challenging. I’m really looking forward to getting started and I hope I can add something to help us make the play-offs.
"There is always pressure to get results in football but it will be a very different kind of pressure here to the pressure we were under at Bolton.
"It still represents a challenge because there is the expectancy of winning games but I’d rather be playing under this kind of pressure than the pressure I was under at Bolton, where we were struggling to stay in the league. Compared to that it’s really exciting here.
"It’s a big six or seven weeks for the club and for me too. If I can be part of a successful side that reaches the play-offs it will stand me in good stead.”
Feeney has been given the usual warm welcome reserved for new players, adding: "All the boys have been really good.
"I’ve known a couple of them for a little while, so that made it a little bit easier, and all the ones I have met for the first time have been really welcoming. Training was good and sharp, and I’m really looking forward to my time here.
"I had about two and a half years with Brett Pitman at Bournemouth (above). We had a successful time down there, the start of Eddie Howe’s first spell in charge.
"Brett was on fire and I reckon I helped to get him his move from there to Bristol City after he had scored loads of goals from my crosses and passes!
"We went up from League Two to League One and had a good time together. It would be great if we could strike up the same relationship here at Ipswich.
"I know Giles Coke as well — he came on loan to Bolton last year — and when I was on loan at Blackburn I was there with Luke Varney.”