Town loan signing Conor Grant loved the fact that he was thrown in at the deep end to play a part in Saturday’s 4-2 opening-day home win over Barnsley.
Grant, 21, is on a season-long loan at Portman Road from Everton and the win over the Tykes, when he was a half-time substitute alongside hat-trick hero Grant Ward, represented the highest level at which he has played so far.
He said: "It was a brilliant feeling and nice to get involved so quickly. I was so excited just to be here so it was nice just to get a half and I’m glad we got the win.
"It was a nice welcome to the Championship, an end-to-end game with a lot of battling for the ball and that’s something I’ll learn as the season goes on.
"It was really enjoyable and I’m hoping for more. It was the first game of the season and a lot of end-to-end stuff, plus there’s always tension because you want to get that first win under your belt. I was just glad to get the chance to make a contribution.
"It has been a whirlwind few days and obviously being so far away from home it was quite a tiring journey.
"It’s just nice to settle in and get playing so having played on Saturday and helped us get a win I feel I’ve bedded in well.
"There’s a great blend of youth and experience at the club, and all the lads have been brilliant with me. They have all taken to me well and just let me get on with my business, and it’s important now that I repay all that out on the pitch.”
Overshadowed, as everyone else on the pitch undoubtedly was, by fellow new signing Ward, Grant should have more chance to make an impact this evening when he is set to face Stevenage in an EFL Cup first round tie — unless, of course, the £500,000 winger from Tottenham takes the scoring honours again.
He laughed: "What a debut for Grant. It was incredible and a bit surreal. With every goal that went in it was more and more amazing. I’m made up for him and he’s a very good player.
"We’re good pals after we both joined up recently. It always helps if there’s someone else who is new to it all and we’re staying in the hotel together. It’s just nice that we’ve come in at virtually the same time.”
Midfielder Grant wouldn’t mind scoring a few goals during his time with Town, having netted four times in a loan spell with Doncaster in League One last season and once in a temporary spell north of the border with Motherwell towards the end of the 2014/15 campaign.
He added: "Goals are definitely something I want to add to my game and I feel I can do it. When I get the ball around the box I like to have shots so I hope I will be able to bring goals to the team.”