Alex Palmer’s journey to the Premier League has not been straightforward, but Town’s new goalkeeper always believed the opportunity to play in the top flight would come.
A product of the West Bromwich Albion academy, it took the 28-year-old until October 2022 before making his Baggies league debut in the Championship after a host of temporary spells away from the Hawthorns.
Palmer played in non-league for hometown club Kidderminster Harriers before gradually climbing the football pyramid with further spells at Plymouth Argyle and Lincoln City after a few brief appearances elsewhere on emergency loans.
Now, after two and a half full seasons of Championship football under his belt, which included keeping the division’s highest number of clean sheets last season, the glovesman is set to be first choice for Kieran McKenna for the foreseeable future.
"I always had that belief that I’d get the chance,” Palmer said following his man-of-the-match performance against Aston Villa. "I’ve been around long enough to know that if it happens it happens. That’s how I take life, I don’t try and force too much.
"When I got the chance to come here to a good club and a great manager, I jumped at it. To be able to make my debut is a very proud moment for me and my family.
"With all the loans and all the appearances I’ve made, it’s all come down to help me in these environments. It’s a real privilege and I’m really proud to do it for Ipswich Town.”
Having left West Brom on transfer deadline day after a 14-year association with the club, Palmer's maiden Premier League appearance came just four miles down the road at Villa Park.
As a result, the Blues’ latest recruit had a number of family members in attendance, including his mum Lisa, of whom Palmer credits much of his sporting success to.
He said: "I know a few people on the opposite side as well. There’s a lot of staff members that have helped me get here that are at Aston Villa and I’m grateful for the chance they gave me when I was younger at West Brom.
"They were all happy for me and happy for where I am. I tried to stay on their good side, I think they’re all more happy for me and it’s a good day.
"I had my wife and my agent here who is more like a mentor, he’s been with me since I was 17. They’ve always supported me, they’ve always travelled wherever I’ve been to come and watch me even if it’s just one of them. I’m really grateful for how they are and how they support me.
"My nan, my grandad, they were all supporting my mum. It was a tough time for her, she had three kids that she had to ferry around playing football, horse riding or whatever. She was able to do that and that’s a big reason why I’m standing here today.
"She’s proud, I gave her a little wave and blew her a kiss in the crowd along with my wife, it was a nice moment.”
A point in the West Midlands was not enough to lift Town out of the relegation zone, but it did end a run of four straight league defeats and came in gritty circumstances after Axel Tuanzebe was sent off towards the end of the first half.
That was in no small part to Palmer’s acrobatic contributions, having denied Morgan Rogers in stoppage time after his close-range effort deflected off former Baggies teammate Conor Townsend.
Asked if it felt like a win when the final whistle blew, Palmer said: "At the end it does feel like that but we would have definitely liked an extra two points.
"It shows the togetherness and we’ll dig in. If it’s just for a point we’ll settle for it but it’s a point gained rather than a point lost.
"It’s been cut back, the lad’s scuffed his shot and it’s flicked up off Conor. It was just instinct and a bit of luck with which side of the post it falls, I was just able to do my job.”
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