Town manager Mick McCarthy says Jordan Spence has been brilliant since moving to central defence.
The 27-year-old, who joined the club in January having been on trial early on during the 2016/17 campaign, is primarily a right-back but switched to the middle of the backline after skipper Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith and Adam Webster all suffered injuries. Chambers has now returned but Smith and Webster remain sidelined.
"I was just talking about the [first] goal that we conceded [at Leeds] and I said it was disappointing from a back four’s perspective,” McCarthy said.
"We were talking about a few things, but I had to stop myself and say, ‘But by the way’ - and I wasn’t blaming him, it just how the goals went in - ‘I said you’ve been brilliant at centre-half, you’ve done really well, so well done’.
"When I didn’t take him 12 months ago as a full-back, I never, ever imagined him playing at centre-back.
"So it’s to his credit. He went away, he had a few [trial] spells at different clubs, he came back here and he was different again and I think he’s played really, really well there. He’s competed. I’m delighted with him.”
Meanwhile, the Blues boss says striker Martyn Waghorn is champing at the bit having been left out of the starting line-up for the last two games.
"Waggy’s got a chance of playing tomorrow,” McCarthy said of the August signing from Rangers, who scored four goals in his first three league games for the Blues.
Having been brought in to play as a central striker and being handed the number nine shirt, Waghorn has played in a wide role in all three of his starts for Town.
However, McCarthy says the plan is still that the 27-year-old will more often operate down the middle, but with the form of current pairing David McGoldrick and Joe Garner keeping him and Freddie Sears out of the side at present.
"I just had a chat to Freddie today and he went, ‘Gaffer?’, but the lads are flying and even Waggy, who has scored four goals has not been in the team. Didzy and Garns have been excellent,” he added.
"But it would be nice to have him up front and I’m sure he’d like to play there. But I think he’d play anywhere, if I asked him to play at centre-back I think he’d play there tomorrow.”