Local boy Bailey Clements says playing for Town means the world to him, the left-back having come on as a half-time sub for his third senior appearance in last night’s on-penalties Papa John’s Trophy win at home to Colchester United.
The 20-year-old replaced the unwell Myles Kenlock at the break as the Blues and U’s played out a 0-0 draw before Town won the shootout 4-3.
Clements says that's the way to win a cup tie: "Definitely, with the drama of the penalties! Definitely a deserved win I feel and we go through to the next round.”
He says he wasn’t among those to raise their hand when it came to the shootout: "No, I’ll leave that to the senior lads!”
He says the prospect of a Wembley final in the competition is motivation for the Blues: "The manager said tonight before the game to go out there and win, it’s another step closer to Wembley.
"Wembley for us as a club would be massive, we haven’t been there for so long, it would be a great opportunity for the club.”
The former Northgate High School pupil was pleased with how the evening went from a personal perspective: "I was happy with my performance. I feel that I’ve offered a lot going forwards, kept it solid at the back, so I was happy with my display.
"[The manager said] just enjoy it, be positive, get forward and do what I do best.
"I found out yesterday, I got the call yesterday morning that I was in training with the first team and it was nice to get the call.”
Late on he even had an opportunity to score from a quickly-taken free-kick, which he feels he may have rushed.
"It all happened a bit quickly,” he reflected. "I should have been a bit more composed but maybe I just wanted the excitement of a penalty shootout!”
Clements says the competition, in which he was making his debut having previously made two Carabao Cup starts, is a good one for players such as himself.
"In previous rounds we’ve had a few younger lads on the bench and it’s an opportunity for us to show what we can do and hopefully now with another round coming we’ll get an opportunity again,” he said.
"Every opportunity I get here I feel like I just have to produce and hope that I can do everything I can to be in the manager’s mind.”
He says he is confident that he has the ability to break into the league side: "I definitely don’t see a reason why not. There’s obviously tough competition to get into the team and I’ve got to earn the right to play, but I feel like I’ve produced performances to say that I might have a chance.”
Having played against Newport in the Carabao Cup in August, Clements admits it was disappointing not to get another chance until last night but can see why that was the case.
"It’s frustrating but you’ve got to look at the squad we have here and understand that there are very good players around me who also deserve the right to play, so when I get the opportunity I just have to take it,” he continued.
Does he learn from the club’s other left-backs, Kenlock, Matt Penney and Hayden Coulson? "More Myles than the other two, I haven’t been training as much with them, but Myles is definitely a positive player to learn from.
"We’ve learnt lots of different things, a lot from the coaches as well, there’s a lot of positive stuff to learn.”
He says he enjoys being part of the first-team squad when given the call to join them: "Yes, 100 per cent, it’s a very welcoming, happy environment to be involved in. Everyone’s very jovial and it’s nice to get the call-up and train when I do.
"Everyone knows how positive a person the manager is and how positive he likes to make people around the club. He likes to keep everyone happy.”
Clements began the campaign training with the first team day-in, day-out but as the squad became stronger moved back into the U23s.
"At the start of the season I was with them every day and then as more and more players joined the opportunities slowly dwindled but I just keep working hard to make sure I get the opportunity whenever I can to train,” he said.
Clements is very happy working for Paul Cook: "Very good. I’ve really enjoyed learning under him. He’s given me opportunities and he backs me, that’s the main thing, he backs every player.”
Having made his senior debut in the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Luton in August 2019, Clements believes he’s made significant progress since then.
"I definitely feel I’ve come a long way since Luton, it wasn’t my finest game,” he recalled. "I’ve definitely developed physically, mentally and technically as well, I feel I’ve got better in all departments.
"I’m always working on getting forwards and joining in the play. I probably should get more goals and assists than I maybe do, but if I keep getting in the areas, there’s no doubt they’ll come.”
As a local lad he says he had family watching on from the stands: "Just my mum and dad, brother and grandparents were here tonight.”
He says he loves playing for Town, his boyhood club: "It means the world, I literally live a minute from the training ground, it’s all I’ve ever dreamt of. I used to be a season ticket holder, come to the games, everything is Ipswich for me.
"I think [I first watched Town under] Jim Magilton and then through Roy Keane, Paul Jewell, that era.”
Does he still have to pinch himself when he’s out on the field wearing the blue shirt? "Not really, no. It feels very normal, this is now my fifth year full-time.
"It feels very normal now I’m used to the environment, but it was definitely a pleasure to play here tonight.”
He isn’t the only footballer in the family with his brother Kyran in the National League and his father having played locally.
"My brother’s at Braintree, he’s a centre-half, he was at Bury Town and he’s been at most local clubs,” he said.
"My dad played just locally, for Whitton and teams like that, he never quite made it to the next step, but he was a good player back in the day I think.”
Having spent spells on loan in non-league with Hemel Hempstead and the Dagenham & and Redbridge, Clements now feels his next step is a loan in the EFL.
"I definitely feel that I’m capable of going to a league club on loan but obviously it hasn’t happened,” he said.
"If that’s the next step for my career to help me get into the first team here, that’s what I’ll have to do.”
He says U23s football is no longer enough of a test for him: "I started playing U23s football when I was 16 so I now feel like I’ve, not exceeded it, but I’m used to it now and I need a new challenge.
"Some games are tough, depending on what opposition teams are put out. It fluctuates so much that you’ll get an U18s team one week and then a few injured first-team lads dropping down the next. Some games are beneficial but sometimes it is a bit not proper football.”
As well as operating at full-back he has played as a centre-half for the U23s, a role he says he is comfortable playing.
"I like to think I’m pretty versatile,” he continued. "I can play anywhere across the back four really. I feel comfortable on the left or right, anywhere to be honest. I enjoy it as long as I’m playing.”