Carlisle United have confirmed the signing of former Blues keeper Tomas Holy on a two-year deal.
Holy, 30, was released by the Blues at the end of the season having spent the second half of 2021/22 on loan at Port Vale after a previous emergency spell at Cambridge United earlier in the campaign.
The 6ft 9in tall Czech made 65 appearances for Town, only three in 2021/22, all in cups. He kept 28 clean sheets during his time with the Blues.
Carlisle manager Paul Simpson, who was targeted by Bobby Robson back in his playing days, told the Cumbrians’ official website: "He’s a keeper I’ve known about for years,” he said. "He’s done really well at Ipswich, and he’s had a couple of good loans, and obviously when I found he was being released and available I knew it was something I’d be interested in.
"I had a number of conversations with [head of recruitment] Greg [Abbott] and my other staff about him, and we spoke to people who know him, and I’ve got to say that everybody has said the same thing — he’s not only a top player, he’s a top quality person and an excellent professional as well.
"I had a Facetime meeting with him a couple of weeks ago, and he came across as a very good individual and someone I want to work with.
"He’s really keen on the whole Carlisle project that we want to get going here and I’m delighted that he’s jumped on board.
"It’s a really big position to fill and I think he does that for us really well. I’ve never talked about it but I’m fully aware of the criticism I received when we released Mark Howard, but from a footballing point of view, and where I want the football club to go, I’m just delighted that Tomas has agreed to sign.”
He added: "I want a keeper who can make the saves and who can also dominate the 18-yard box, as well as get us moving once he has the ball in his hands.
"With his presence and distribution I think Carlisle fans will take to him once they see the way that he can strike a ball in terms of getting it out to our own players.
"As a 30-year-old he’s still got a lot of football left in him and he’s got such a good pedigree. That started at an early age with his involvement in the Czech Republic national age groups, and with the clubs he subsequently played for.
"I’m really hoping he throws himself into it and shows us what it’s all about. At the moment, with him having joined us, I’m going to wait and see how that position develops.
"My idea is to get a spine of a team that I’m comfortable with. The keeper is part of that spine, and I have situations going on with two other areas through that spine which hopefully over the next week or two will come to fruition.”