On-loan winger Danny Rowe says he expects Town will want him back at Portman Road ahead of their 2019/20 League One campaign but says he loves playing at Lincoln, who he has helped to win the League Two title having rejoined the Imps in January, and would be open to a return to Sincil Bank.
Rowe, 27, who picked up a Checkatrade Trophy winner’s medal during his loan spell with Lincoln last season, says he has enjoyed this year’s stint with the side managed by Danny Cowley.
"This is a team and a manager that want to win all the time and I think that’s important because as a player you need to win things,” he told BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Hope and Glory podcast.
"It was a good opportunity for me and I’ve come here and we’ve won the league, I’m delighted.”
Rowe, who was joined on loan at Sincil Bank by fellow Blue Jordan Roberts later in January, has had a bittersweet season with Lincoln wining promotion to League One while Town were being relegated.
"It is, it’s surreal really,” the former Stockport man reflected. "It’s never a nice thing to see your club get relegated, especially as I’m close to a lot of the lads there.
"It was always going to be a challenge for the boys after the start they had. I thought when the manager [Paul Lambert] came in he turned it around, they were playing good football, it just didn’t go for them.
"It’s disappointing but obviously on a personal point when you go it’s a selfish game and you’ve got to go and do well and thankfully I’ve come here I’ve done well and I’ve enjoyed my time here and we’ve won the league.”
Looking to next year Rowe believes Town will want him back for pre-season, boss Lambert having said last week the Blues had heard nothing from Lincoln about wanting to keep the Mancunian longer term.
"From what I’m hearing I think Ipswich might want me back in the summer,” he said.
"Obviously, I love playing here, I get on well with all the boys and there’s a great manager so obviously I would be open to coming back here depending on what football I’d be guaranteed elsewhere. For me I’d love to be back here, but we’ll have to see what happens.”
Rowe, who is contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2020, has made only three starts and eight sub appearances for Town since signing from Macclesfield in January 2017.
He made two brief sub appearances for Lambert prior to joining Lincoln on loan, but would have started the game at QPR had he not been unwell.