Nathan Broadhead is celebrating a double after winning Town’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards for February — but he has set his sights on an even bigger end-of-season prize.
Broadhead arrived at Portman Road in a £1.5 million deal from Everton during the January transfer window and since day one his target has been to help the Blues to win promotion back to the Championship after a four-year stay in League One.
The 23-year-old Welshman played a major part in helping Sunderland to return to the second tier last season when they put together a lengthy unbeaten run — 13 games in the regular league programme plus three in the play-offs — to achieve their goal.
Broadhead said: "I only found out yesterday about the two awards and it’s great to get recognition from the fans. I’m delighted and hopefully there will be more to celebrate this season.
"I haven’t been here very long but I feel I’m getting closer to my teammates, as well as getting to know the manager and the way he wants to play.
"I’m only going to get stronger and fitter, and hopefully that means there’s a lot more for me to achieve here. I hope we can go on to win the league this season.”
It was no surprise to see Broadhead collect the Goal of the Month accolade for his super free-kick conversion in the 2-2 home draw against promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday. With Town trailing 2-0, he saw his 20-yard effort beat the wall and the keeper as it found its way into the net off the underside of the bar.
"When I was younger I hit a few like that, but not in senior football,” he admitted. "In fact, I think that was only the second one I’d ever taken. It wasn’t celebrated the way it would have been had it been a winner.
"At the time, all I wanted was to get going again, because the reaction from the fans showed we had changed the game and we hit back again to get the draw.”
Recalling his season-long stay at the Stadium of Light last term, which saw him score 13 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, Broadhead added: "I really enjoyed my time there, although it was tough at times. We were seventh towards the end of the season so there was pressure from the fans to get up there.
"I like to think I’m a calm head and I believe my experience there will stand me in good stead here as the season progresses with Ipswich. When we got to the end of the season at Sunderland people were saying how well we had done.
"I got back into the team and it coincided with a great run of form, so it was a good time to be at Sunderland and I only wish them well for the future.”
When asked about the experience of playing under a manager like Kieran McKenna, Broadhead went on to echo the sentiments of many of his colleagues.
"It’s unbelievable the way we train and his attention to detail, plus the way he puts it across,” he said. "In my eyes he’s been like a breath of fresh air, one of the best people I’ve worked with in my career.
"I don’t know if I played against any of his teams when I was at Everton and he was at Manchester United, and when I came to Ipswich with Sunderland, he had just got the job and was sitting in the stand for that one.
"I remember that game but not just because I scored. It was also the unbelievable atmosphere and, of course, I’ve experienced it again a few times since signing for Ipswich.
"After that game and having watched the lads play on television, when I’d been very impressed, it made sense for me to come here. I’m enjoying my role in the team because it suits me. When I was playing at Sunderland I felt like I was playing there a lot, even if I was playing as a striker.
"I was drifting into those areas a lot and obviously the manager had seen me a lot in that role last season before he brought me here. I think it suits me and I like playing in that area of the pitch.
"My main aim at the moment is to help get this club to the next level and I firmly believe it can be done.
"After that it’s up to the club and the team to move forward again and get into the top flight and I would love to be part of that. This is a club that is only looking one way, forward, and I can see a bright future here.”