Town new boy Jordan Spence can’t emphasise enough how grateful he is for the chance to resurrect his career at Portman Road.
The former West Ham defender has signed a deal through to the end of the season after being in limbo for several months following his release by MK Dons when they were relegated from the Championship in May last year.
Spence, 26, spent time on trial during September and October at Town, playing in the U23 games at Bolton and at home to Liverpool, without being offered a contract.
But the loss of central defender Adam Webster, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, prompted a rethink by manager Mick McCarthy.
Trials at Rotherham United and Birmingham City that followed his temporary spell at Ipswich also came to nothing so when he received a belated offer from Town he was quick to accept.
Spence said: "I wouldn’t say I had given up hope of joining Ipswich but I had put it to the back of my mind.
"I enjoyed my time here and I always felt that if the call came from Ipswich I’d be more than happy to accept. It’s strange how football works but it can be strange how life works too. I’m here now and really looking forward to it.
"I did have other options and by the time we had reached this stage of the season I was really looking to get back to playing again.
"I’d had a few near misses, shall we say, and a few complications as well but that’s all water under the bridge now. I’m an Ipswich Town player and very grateful for the opportunity I have been given.
"I played in the Championship last season with MK Dons and I was hoping I would get another chance there.
"I thought that if I stayed at this level I could build on what I did last season and thankfully that has materialised.
"Every player wants to play at as high a level as they can and every footballer probably thinks they should be playing at a higher level.
"If they don’t there’s probably no point in playing the game. I’m ambitious and I wanted to be at a club like this.
"I know a few of the Ipswich lads — Freddie Sears from our time at West Ham and also when I’ve been pitting my wits against him, both at Colchester and Ipswich.
"I also know Skusey, Gerks and Pits well from my time at Bristol City, so I’m not walking into a changing room of strangers and that helps when you are starting out.”
Spence, who agreed he is entering a key period in his career, is eager to re-establish himself in English football. He added: "Hopefully I’ve got 10 good years left in me. Thank God I’ve been able to stay relatively injury free throughout my career. I’m 26 and hopefully my best years are ahead of me.
"I’m an East London boy and my family are on the right side of the city to get out here for home games and support me. I’m not unfamiliar with this part of the world after playing a lot of youth football out this way.”