Keeper Cieran Slicker, who has signed a new contract with the club which runs to the summer of 2028, says Town now feels like home.
The Scotland U21 international skipper’s new deal was announced last night, the 22-year-old having joined the club a year ago from Manchester City.
"It feels like home now,” he told TownTV. "I think Wes [Burns] said a similar thing with his interview [after he signed his new contract], it feels like a real family and I’m buzzing to be a part of what we did last year and continuing what we’re doing.
"Since I walked into the club, everyone has been brilliant with me and it’s a place of real development, that’s what I’ve found.
"Comparing to when I was walking into the club last year to where I am now, it’s a real big step, I think. I’ve improved a lot and my development’s on an upward trajectory and I don’t want to stop that.
"I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to keep going and keep pushing to where our want to get to finally, but I love this place.
"All the boys I’m really close with. The new boys coming in, Liam [Delap], it was nice to reunite with him [having been at City with the Town striker], but the boys I was here with last year, even the ones who have moved away from the club now, we’ve got real friendships for life, I’d say. It was really easy for me to settle in. Even in the town, living here, I really enjoy it.”
He says he learns from senior keepers Christian Walton and Aro Muric, someone else he knows from his time at the Etihad.
"Christian and Aro are great people and are top goalkeepers,” he added. "Aro, I remember looking up to him when I was about 14 or 15 at Man City and he was with the first team, trained with him a couple of times.
"Having him here as well, it’s great, I think we’ve probably got in some ways a similar style, so I’m picking up from him.
"And then Christian’s great, I’m picking up things from him as well. It’s great to have two top goalkeepers to work with on a day-to-day basis.”
In the summer there were suggestions that Slicker, who made his first two senior cup appearances for the Blues, might go out on loan, however, manager Kieran McKenna made it clear he wanted to keep him at Portman Road as his third-choice number one.
"I spoke with the boss early in pre-season and he said he wanted me to stay and I was buzzing with it, to be fair,” he said.
"It was a compliment to how I did last year and I was buzzing to see that he’s seeing the improvements that I made last year as well.
"That’s good that everyone’s on the same page and I’m buzzing to be here and it’s a big season ahead, which I’m excited for.”
Quizzed on his aims for the season, Slicker, who is currently sidelined with a hand injury, said: "Probably similar things to last year. Always being ready, training well, so if an opportunity does come, I’m ready.
"And then just keep improving, keep pushing the other two goalkeepers, the younger ones as well, trying to help them as much as I can.
"But trying to keep the development levels high and seeing where I am at this point next year. That’s the main thing, just go day by day and see where you are.”