Will Keane has revealed that his prayers were answered when Town boss Paul Lambert signed him on a permanent basis last month after he had fully recovered from a serious hamstring injury suffered on the final day of last season.
Keane was on loan from Hull at the time but he was later released by the Tigers and faced an uncertain future, although he was well aware of Lambert’s interest provided he could put his injury woes behind him.
Asked if he felt his injury problems were now a thing of the past, 26-year-old Keane said: "Hopefully, and that’s definitely the aim. I worked really hard over the summer to get myself right and I need to make sure I do all the right things going forward.
"The aim is obviously to stay fit throughout the course of the whole season.”
Keane reflected on his injury nightmare and added: "There was an issue with the tendon at the top of my hamstring, which had to be reattached.
"It was what they called a Grade 4C, which is not a good one. It was a pretty big tear and it came as a real shock to be honest because after I did it initially I got myself back fit.
"In hindsight I maybe rushed it a little bit. I was eager to get back and play the last couple of games of the season so I’d be going into the summer having returned to playing and shown everyone I was fit again. Was it worth pushing it when our fate was already sealed? Probably not.
"I did it again right at the start of the game at Sheffield United so it obviously wasn’t fully right.
"It was a bit of a learning curve for me and I need to manage myself better. If something’s not right I have to be more cautious, rather than push it and risk a setback like that.
"It was a big disappointment but I was in good hands and saw the best surgeon around who specialises in that sort of injury. I did all the right rehab and it feels good now.
"At least the last injury didn’t mean I missed loads of games, although there was a period of uncertainty over the summer when I didn’t have a club.
"I’m hoping for a change of luck. Every time I get myself fit I am telling myself ‘Right, this is it now’ and I like to think that if I keep doing the right things my luck will change.
"I really enjoyed my time here last season because I was playing well, enjoying my football and enjoying playing under the manager.
"That’s why I was so keen to come back and what better than to be part of a promotion push and getting the club back to where it should be?
"It was a tough summer dealing with another injury setback. I was also out of contract but I was confident that once I got myself fit I would get something sorted.
"I was focusing more on the rehab side of it — that was my priority. Obviously, you get a bit anxious when the lads are back for pre-season training and it took a few weeks, back and forth, to get the move all sorted. I really believed in myself and was glad to get back here.
"To be fair, Hull looked after me. I went back there and did parts of my rehab with them.
"I had three years there and got to know the staff really well. I had a couple of injuries there and the medical staff always took great care of me, which I really appreciated, and I wish Hull well this season.”
Keane, who has been a long-term absentee on two previous occasions when laid low by separate anterior cruciate ligament tears, was asked if he felt he was injury prone.
He responded: "I don’t like that label but it’s understandable I suppose because that’s the reality of my situation over the last couple of years.
"I’ve had big injuries and been really unfortunate with a couple of them. I don’t seem to be the type to pick up niggles.
"But it’s part of the game — some lads can go years without them and others pick injuries up more regularly.
"When it happens you’ve just got to learn how to deal with it and I’ve dealt with it better as the years have gone by. Hopefully, it’s all behind me now.
"I think the move back to Ipswich was always in the pipeline. There was contact throughout the summer, on and off, and the first couple of months were just about me getting myself right.
"They kept in touch and they spoke to Hull about where I was up to fitness-wise then the negotiations picked up again from there. I was always hoping it would happen and when it did it was really pleasing.”
Did he have other options? "I think there were a couple of rumours and a few sniffs about potentially joining clubs for training, but nothing concrete,” he admitted.
"I knew the interest was definitely there from Ipswich because after I was here last season the manager made it clear he would like to get me back if I managed to get myself fit.
"I managed to do that and my main intention was always to get right and to get back here.”