Town new boy Trevoh Chalobah may have rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in English football but he has a lot of respect for the Championship and its demanding schedule.
Chalobah, who only turned 19 last month, has caught the eye in a holding midfield role since arriving on a season-long loan from Chelsea, where he ended last season on a huge high by collecting an FA Cup winner’s medal.
The Sierra Leone-born player recalled: "I trained with the Chelsea first team squad quite a lot last season and before the final Antonio Conte hinted I was going to be involved. When I was named as one of the substitutes you could say I was a bit excited.
"The FA Cup final at Wembley and against Manchester United — it’s a dream for every kid — and I hope it’s not the first and last time for me. Obviously, I didn’t come on but as far as experiences go it was unforgettable. It was probably the best day of my life.”
There was another big surprise still to come when England boss Gareth Southgate invited Chalobah and his older brother, Nathaniel, to join his squad as they trained and prepared for the World Cup finals being held in Russia, where they progressed to the semi-final stage before being eliminated by eventual runners-up Croatia.
Chalobah added: "We were delighted to be asked to take part and it was a good experience for us both.
"The squad did well out in Russia and made the country proud and for the manager to give us a call shows he is watching players. You never know where it might lead.
"It’s my main aim to play for my country and if I can play regularly here at Ipswich I’ll be hoping to get a call-up to the U21 squad.
"I see this move as the first stepping stone towards making it at Chelsea. It’s my first professional loan and I think it’s important that I impress and do well.”
But Chalobah admits he is still nowhere near the finished article he hopes to become in the years ahead and he acknowledges the part that being given an opportunity to play in the Championship can have in his long-term development.
He said: "When I was training with the Chelsea first team and then the England squad, for me the most important thing was to show I wasn’t overawed. I was young but hardly a little boy so I just went straight in and got involved. Now I’m with Ipswich and I’m still young but I want to show what I have to offer.
"The training here is not the same as the training I’ve been used to at Chelsea but it’s what I need to prepare me for the men’s game. I’m adapting to it and feeling the benefit because I’m getting stronger.
"Antonio Conte brought in a more tactical approach to training and that’s important here too. I couldn’t help but improve when I was working alongside guys like Eden Hazard. Being involved with the England squad was another big step in the right direction.
"I had a few loan options but I thought this was the best move for me. The manager made it clear he had faith in me and that swayed me to come here. He told me from the start the role he had in mind for me and that appealed to me too.
"I’ve come from academy football and it’s a lot different to be playing in the Championship. You can’t really compare the two because it’s a lot more physical at this level and there’s the mental side too, which is a lot tougher.
"Academy football is a lot more about your development, whereas the Championship is about winning games.
""It means you are going to feel the defeats a lot more and it’s not a good feeling. There’s a league table to remind you that results are what it’s all about and that every time you go out on the pitch it means a great deal. I think I’m still coming to terms with it but I can feel I am getting better with every game.”