New boy Giles Coke believes former club Sheffield Wednesday did him a favour by releasing him at the end of last season — because he has bettered himself by joining Town.

Midfielder Coke said: “I’m really happy to have signed here. The club got to the play-offs last season and we’re looking to do at least the same again. If you compare the two clubs last season I definitely feel I have improved myself.

“You could even say I should be grateful to Sheffield Wednesday for releasing me. You can look at it like that. If they had offered me a deal I might still be there, you just don’t know. It has ended up this way and I always believe everything happens for a reason.

“I don’t know how Wednesday are going to do this season but if you’re going on last season then I’m better off. Ipswich reached the play-offs and want to do it again, and hopefully I can be part of that.

“I had no idea whether I would be leaving Wednesday or not. It was kind of 50/50. There was always this talk of a takeover happening and when that happens you don’t really know how things will work out. The manager at the time, Stuart Gray, didn’t really know what was happening with him either.

“It was all up in the air but they decided to go in a different direction and if that hadn’t happened I wouldn’t be here so I’m really grateful.

“I really enjoyed my time there. I was there five years, had some ups and downs but I still have a lot of friends there and it was a big part of my career. There are no sour grapes at all.

“Wednesday are a huge club who really should be up there. For whatever reason they haven’t managed it but after the takeover there is money to bring in big names and big players. I’ve got no doubt that in a few years’ time they will get back to where they want to be.

“But here at Ipswich the manager knows better than most exactly what it takes to win promotion from the Championship because he’s done it with both Sunderland and Wolves. He’s experienced and he knows a player as well. I do believe we will have a good season.”

Coke said he was certain he would be exchanging phone calls with some of his ex-colleagues at Hillsborough in the build-up to Town’s first home league game of the new campaign.

He added: “There will probably be a few calls. I’m really looking forward to the game and hopefully we get the three points. The boys I have spoken to say things have changed. They have a foreign manager now and it’s a lot different to how it has been in the past.

“That’s the direction the club has chosen and the boys there are really enjoying it. I’d love to be involved but all I can do is do my talking on the pitch, give 100 per cent and if the manager picks me then I’m ready to go.”

The absence of injured duo Kevin Bru and Teddy Bishop increases Coke’s first team prospects and he said: “The gaffer knows that to get promoted you need a big squad and he’s signed some really good players.

“We’ve got a really good squad so that when players get injured there are good enough players ready to come in and start where the team has left off.”

Photo: Action Images

runningout added 11:20 - Aug 15 staying silent is sometimes a better option....
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SouperJim added 11:24 - Aug 15 McCarthy has built a top 6 team out of players other sides didn't want, so we have to trust his judgement on Coke. He looked much better against Stevenage than he did against Colchester in preseason, let's hope that trend continues.
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