It is a question that many a Town fan — and apparently even manager Mick McCarthy — has wanted answering. Is Jonny Parr right or left-footed?

The Norwegian defender or midfielder looks so comfortable with either that it almost impossible to determine which is his stronger. So who better to ask than the player himself?

Parr said: “I pride myself in being able to kick with either foot. I have played right-back and left-back, right midfield and left midfield, and it is one of my strengths that I can use both feet.

“I think even the manager still wonders whether I am right or left-footed — I suppose that could be a really good thing or a really bad thing!

“To answer the question I am left-footed from when I was a kid and now I’m pretty even. Put it this way — if we reach the play-off final at Wembley, it goes to a penalty shoot-out and I am nominated to take one I will definitely hit it with my left!”

Blues boss Mick McCarthy has been delighted with Parr’s first season at Portman Road, the Norwegian having joined Town on a two-year deal in the summer following his release by Crystal Palace.

“Whether he’s played at left-back, right-back, left wing, right wing, he’s been excellent,” McCarthy said. “I think Jonny’s been very, very good.

“He can occupy either side which is particularly useful when you haven’t got such a big squad and if you get injuries.

“From scoring against Millwall when he came on, he’s shown that he’s very versatile and is quite happy playing [in midfield].”

Parr, controversially omitted from the Norwegian squad for the European Championship’s qualifier in Croatia earlier this week, has no problem with his utility player label, having recently played in wide midfield, largely on the left before switching to the right for the last couple of games.

Speaking prior to his latest positional move, he said: “Left midfield is okay and I’m used to playing there from when I was younger, which means I know the position well, even though I’ve been playing as a full-back in recent years.

“The gaffer picks the team that he thinks can do well and if that means me playing in midfield that’s fine.

“We all just want to do well and I’ll do my very best wherever I am asked to play. It’s fun to play a bit further forward and it’s been good working with Tyrone on the left.

“I think we have been working well together and it’s been solid. It’s good to have one position that is your main position but it’s no problem playing elsewhere in the team. I’m fine with whatever position the gaffer decides to play me in.”

He added: “Would I like to revert to playing in defence in the longer term? It’s difficult to say. I’ve played some good games in midfield and it’s not really that much different to playing at full-back. When we play 4-4-2 it’s not massively different so I’m happy to play in either position.

“Now that I’m playing a bit further forward I need to try to get some more goals. That’s definitely something I am trying to do.

“I would also like to thank the fans who have said I should be in the team. It’s nice and I appreciate it. I want to play every game and just try to do well when I can.”

Photo: Action Images

battyblue added 07:21 - Mar 19 Well done Jonny you have always been one of our best players in my eyes its a shame Mick couldn't see it until three weeks ago,then goes and say you have been excellent all season although you spent most of it on the bench.
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warktheline added 07:49 - Mar 19 More often than not a players gets abused for his versatility . That's what happened here, agree with batty blue. Personally I would play him at RB, doing so gives balance to back four. Always get your defence right then your half way to a decent team
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BlueMachines added 08:17 - Mar 19 "I've played some good games in midfield and it's not really that much different to playing at full-back." No, because in MM's teams midfielders are actually only there to defend remember!!!
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blueblood66 added 09:11 - Mar 19 Battyblue..the same Mick who signed him? Fuzzy logic.
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Cloddyseedbed added 09:13 - Mar 19 Well played Jonny Parr. You had an excellent 45 minutes on Tuesday night, Infact I'll go as far as saying you were one of the better ones. This changed the game to yet more hoofball. Yes we won, but only just and by a poorly hit strike on goal, but I'll take it. Bolton had loads of good chances to score and on another night would have scored 3 or 4. I feel really sad for a player like Parr. A very skillful player who plays the right way and can't get in the team. A team that has players struggling to play because they are out of position.

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itfc1981 added 09:29 - Mar 19 443 with Parr at RB only hope of getting in play-offs.
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oldegold added 09:37 - Mar 19 The Paul Madeley of Ipswich Town..clean-faced and eager...I must say.. Met him at the Open Day last July and he seems a regular guy..and very good player.
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Razor added 10:02 - Mar 19 Just too good to be left out----dont mind him in midfield as is strong and powerful----would love to see him linking up with Henshall but guess thats a non-starter!
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MaySixth added 10:04 - Mar 19 The Norwegian Mickey Stockwell
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Mark added 10:20 - Mar 19 I can't remember Parr having a bad game and consider him ever so unlucky not to have been a regular selection all season, ideally in his proper position as a full back. I could understand him feeling a bit fed up at times, but credit to him for coming in and doing well when called on.
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Lightningboy added 10:48 - Mar 19 Without a doubt Jonny should be our first choice at Right back..a travesty that our blinkered manager cannot see that..probably cost us an automatic place this season. Very poor from Mick.
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hazelton added 11:30 - Mar 19 MM is really beginning to be a hindrance in achieving top 6.
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SouperJim added 11:32 - Mar 19 Cost us automatic promotion? Bit of a leap there Lightningboy! For me the only 1 of our back 4 showing any consistency is Berra. Mings is a young pro still, so I can forgive the odd poor performance. Chambers is not playing in his preferred position. Smith is playing on the wrong side. You don't need to be a rocket surgeon to see that moving the consistently good Jonny Parr into the back line would allow us to reshuffle the defence. I guess it has to be Smith that drops out, although I also feel Mings could do with a rest as a heck of a lot has been asked from him in his first full professional season. Overall I feel our problems come back to the midfield though. Our turgid midfield has put so much added pressure on the forwards to create the goals every week and the defence to keep clean sheets. I can't fault the players as they give their all. I also think Mick has done his damnedest to get better midfielders in, however, the issue is that Mick demands that every player in his squad be a battling, hard-working player. That's fine up front and in defence, but you're simply not going to get midfield players at this level and with our budget who are both creative and battling at the same time. What we need is a blend and a balance, yet Mick refuses to do it.

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battyblue added 12:04 - Mar 19 Blueblood66 i didn't say he was not a excellent signing by Mick ...........but why keep him getting splinters up his arse when we have been crying out for a player with his ability all season,,along with one or two others.
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bluesince84 added 12:17 - Mar 19 Happy to play anywhere , mick agrees with this soooo much that anywhere usually means the bench
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Garv added 12:23 - Mar 19 I like Parr but to say he looks comfortable on either foot goes a bit far! Don't get me wrong, for the most part what he does with the ball is good, but I've never seen a player so UNcomfortable on the ball, particularly on his left in fact. For example when he goes to cross the ball while running alongside it he takes a long long time to set himself, in a similar way to how an amateur would if they were on their weaker foot. It's something I've always noticed. Not knocking him though, he's done well and has probably deserved more game time.

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BackTheBlues added 12:24 - Mar 19 Unlucky to be taken off on Tuesday night did feel for that lad, but you can't argue that the changes worked a treat on Tuesday! I suppose he needs someone to "not be available" at the back to get in and stay in! But infront of our back four may be a gem we're just unearthing...
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PJH added 12:43 - Mar 19 I think that Jonny Parr is our best Rightback AND our best Leftback and has done well in midfield. I would certainly have him in my starting team but not sure where.
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itfc1981 added 14:25 - Mar 19 Garv I have not seen that with Parr, I think Parris very comfortable on the ball. But Darren Bent does as you describe really sets himself to pass the ball, a tool to make up for a lack of natural ability in that area.
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blueboy1981 added 21:05 - Mar 19 Top man Jonny Parr - not been treated terribly well this season by MM, and has deserved to be in the team much more than he has been. Would never let anyone down - and as he says, prepared to play anywhere - and would always do the job well. One of the players our team should be built around - not abused.
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TimmyH added 21:39 - Mar 19 Far far better for himself and the club and the progression IT makes this season IF he plays RB or even LB and a lot of people CAN see this apart from one...who can that be?!?
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MathieandMarshall added 12:25 - Mar 20 Always find it a little frustrating how 'one footed' most professional footballers are. Surely when you train daily you should be able to have decent swing with the weaker foot? Look at Murphy against Brentford missing an open goal from two yards as desperately trying to use his left to put it in when the natural position required a right foot tap in. I actually quite like Parr as a midfielder and it works quite well playing ahead of Mings as they can drop in and cover for each other however agree with the quad we have he really should be playing right back.

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