New Town number one goalkeeper Dean Gerken is keen to play his part in the club climbing the Championship over the coming weeks.

Gerken, 28, said: “With the players and the management we have here there’s no reason why we can’t be pushing up the table.

"I look at the training sessions that are being put on, plus how the players perform in them, and they are among the best I’ve seen.

“For me the sky’s the limit. It’s just about getting that bit of luck and showing the consistency that we know we can do, then showing where it can get us.”

Following his release by previous club Bristol City the keeper was given a trial by boss Mick McCarthy that eventually resulted in him signing a two-year deal.

Then, when McCarthy decided to ring the changes for Town’s trip to Birmingham, one of the five he made resulted in Gerken replacing Scott Loach in goal.

The ex-Colchester keeper is delighted at the way things have worked out after he found himself one of hundreds of players on the lookout for a new club.

He added: “In the summer I had a couple of opportunities to go elsewhere but the only thing on my mind was to find a good club where I would play games, whether it was League One or the Championship or whatever.

“I had worked before with Malcolm Webster, the goalkeeping coach, when I was at Colchester and back then my game improved in leaps and bounds. The chance to be reunited with him was a massive thing to me.

“He’s the best goalkeeping coach I’ve ever worked with and he’s got me in a position now where I feel I’m at my sharpest for a number of years.

"The fact that he was here played a big part in me deciding to sign for Ipswich.

“Malc knows all the ins and outs of the job. It doesn’t matter what sort of session he puts on — crossing, kicking, whatever — he knows every aspect of goalkeeping and how to make keepers better.”

Photo: Action Images

Michael11 added 10:14 - Sep 13 Wow, can't believe that he's only 28. Seems like he's been around for donkeys years! Think he'll probably start tomorrow, from what i've heard he never put a foot wrong against Birmingham.
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ericclacton added 10:48 - Sep 13 We need a goalscorer, I repeat we need a goalscorer.
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SouperJim added 11:39 - Sep 13 We've got goalscorers, what we need is service. What that has to do with a story about Gerken however...
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BlueVelvet added 12:30 - Sep 13 I agree ericclacton - you can never win a game by stopping the other team scoring, but it helps. Remember Pickles, one mistake and you get dropped back into the jar!
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theobald1985 added 12:34 - Sep 13 I think bluvelvet is correct 1 mistake seems to mean your dropped so I dont think either keeper will feel that comfatable at the moment. Still would have liked to see us stick with scott loach who I think ultimately is the better keeper
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