Player of the Year Conor Chaplin says it means everything to bring success to Town, the forward having taken his goals tally for the season to 29 by netting twice in this afternoon’s 6-0 hammering of Exeter which confirmed the Blues’ promotion to the Championship.
Chaplin, who is now League One’s top scorer on 26, three of his goals having come in cups, carried off the Supporters Club’s Player of the Year gong post-match with skipper Sam Morsy second.
The forward, who joined Town from Barnsley in the summer of 2021, also carried off the Ultimate Members’ Player of the Year award, while Edwin Agbaje was the Academy Player of the Year and Megan Wearing was the Women's Player of the Year and Anna Grey the runner-up.
Chaplin once again was among the Blues’ top performers in the victory over the Grecians, getting the afternoon up an running with his first of the afternoon in the seventh minute. His second came on 32 to make the scoreline 5-0.
"It was good, brilliant, probably the best day at Portman Road for a long, long time,” the 26-year-old said. "So glad, so relieved that I could be a part of it. A really incredible day.
"This team’s relentless, I don’t think we feel sorry for anyone. This team’s a special, special group, special boys, special human beings first and foremost.
"Well-coached and run as hard as we can for as long as we can, and that goes a long, long way.”
Had he ever played in a first half performance as good as that? "I can’t remember, it was incredible.”
The Blues were welcomed to the ground by thousands of fans lining the final stretch of the route.
"The entrance was extra fuel, for sure, it was incredible,” he said. "Flares, smoke bombs, the number of fans there were going down Portman Road was special.
"It doesn’t happen like that at many places, let me tell you. So just so grateful for the support and fingers crossed we can go and win next weekend and see where we are.
"It helped for sure, the atmosphere was incredible but we knew that we couldn’t hide behind that, we had to go and win the game as early as we could, and thankfully we did that.”
Was it easy to focus on the game? "It was, the job wasn’t done, the job desperately wasn’t done. Exeter have been a good side the whole season, they stayed up for a reason, they’ve got good players, they’re well coached, so we knew we had to be relentless and go straight away from the start, and that’s what we did.”
"Asked what winning promotion meant to him, Chaplin reflected: "Everything. We worked so hard for so, so many years. It means everything to bring success to this football club.
"I said as soon as I signed that that was what I wanted to do and I’m just so thankful and grateful that I’ve been able to do that.”
Chaplin isn’t stopping at 29 goals, he says he’ll be looking for more when the Blues end the season at Fleetwood next weekend.
"Need to keep going, definitely,” he said. "I’m going to go again Sunday and win the game and contribute to the team.”
Chaplin was struggling under the weight of his Player of the Year trophies while speaking to the media.
"Not enough, there’s room for one more, for sure,” he laughed, with Town still vying with leaders Plymouth for the League One title.
"Obviously it’s special when it’s voted by the fans who pay their money and come and watch you every single week home and away.
"I think that’s probably the best one you can get, maybe behind the Players’ Player, that’s the best one you can get.
"So grateful for that, they’ve been incredible the whole year, just so glad that we can make them happy, give them a day to remember here and hopefully a night and tomorrow to remember as well celebrating.”
Town took their goals total to an extraordinary 99 via their thrashing of Exeter and are on 97 points and 100 points and 100 goals are in their sights at the Highbury Stadium.
"For sure, we want more always,” Chaplin said. "This team and this group of lads, the manager and all his staff are never satisfied.
"I think that’s how everyone wants to be and we feel like that. As soon we’re back in next week, we’ll be ready and raring to go for Sunday.”
Chaplin says the prospect of Town playing in the Championship next season is exciting but that today is for celebrating promotion.
"I can’t wait, that will be a conversation for another day,” he said. "We’ll enjoy tonight and tomorrow and then get onto Fleetwood.”