Departed full-back Jonny Parr says Town wanted him to stay at Portman Road but that he was keen to return home to Norway and join Strømsgodset. The 27-year-old completed his switch this morning, signing a contract until the summer of 2019, for a fee understood to be in the region of £70,000.

Parr, whose wife is currently pregnant, confirmed that the move was down to a desire to go back home to Norway and to play regular first-team football, his opportunities having been limited at Portman Road.

"They were not happy to let me go in Ipswich, but I figured that it was fine for us to go home to Norway now,” Parr told the Strømsgodset official website. “And Godset was a sensible alternative. My ambitions and the club's go well together.”

He added: ”I am very excited to play left-back week in, week out. It's good to have one position to concentrate on. The way Strømsgodset is playing football is very nice, and I look forward to being a part of it."

Flo om Parr-signeringen: En gledens dag for Strømsgodset. #godset2016 https://t.co/pkyCTF5KaT pic.twitter.com/hIAXXo0X5q– Strømsgodset Fotball (@strmsgodset) January 13, 2016

The former Crystal Palace man says he enjoyed his five years in English football: "I'll take very much from my time in England. It was incredibly informative and nice. It's a lot tougher every day over there, another culture, both good and bad.

“I hope I can contribute with experience and professionalism, and by being a leading figure in the group. I will help the many good young players and gladly give them advice if they fancy it.”

Photo: Action Images

jeera added 00:04 - Jan 14 Not surprised the club wanted you to stay. Best wishes Jonny. Hope you do well and that your wife and child are Ok too.
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hoppy added 00:15 - Jan 14 Interesting comment tucked in there... "I am very excited to play left-back week in, week out. It's good to have one position to concentrate on." I would imagine he would've thought that was what he would be doing when Mings left in the summer. Good luck with your football, and with the new baby too. Hopefully we won't be ending up saying "Jonny, we're sorry, that you've gone on home.."

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Len_Brennan added 06:18 - Jan 14 Should have been given the chance to be first choice left back after Mings left. Knudsen is still young & new to English football so he will undoubtedly improve, but Jonny is only 27 & got promoted with Palace as their left full back so appeared to be a ready made solution. Getting labelled as a utility player is often a bigger curse than a benefit to a player. Jack of all trades, master of none in the mind of a manager. Good luck in Norway Jonny, you were well regarded by many supporters of Ipswich Town.

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bluefeast added 06:36 - Jan 14 We will never know the full reasons why MM did not fancy him , a quick ,competitive , creative player. He chipped in with important goals and assists too. Maybe he lacked that athleticism that MM likes , i.e. robust and rhino like physical attributes.
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DurhamTownFan added 07:00 - Jan 14 Maybe he just doesn't fit MMs idea of a full-back. Think about Chambers, Knudsen, the new polish lad whose name will autocorrect if I write it, and even foley coming in. They're all big, and you could argue could also play in the centre. Parr is more of a running man who likes the ball to feet and dribbles a bit. A good player but probably not how Mm wants his FBs to play.

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VulpineBlue added 07:18 - Jan 14 Best wishes to you and your family.
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iaintaylorx added 07:57 - Jan 14 Huge credit to him for not staying for the money and wanting to do his job - playing football. Huge loss to our club! I also can't help but think it's a slight dig at MM with "I am very excited to play left-back week in, week out. It's good to have one position to concentrate on." Best of luck JP and thank you for your services!
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ArnieM added 08:11 - Jan 14 Good Luck Jonny. Its our loss not yours.
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hampstead_blue added 08:35 - Jan 14 Of course the club wanted him to stay. He can cover a few positions. Never a first team regular though.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:53 - Jan 14 Good luck, Jonny. Sorry you didn't get more of a look-in. There are obviously a number of reasons why this is the time for him to return home (age, wife, time spent away, etc.), but am I reading too much into his statement when I wonder over "The way Strømsgodset is playing football is very nice"? Perhaps he prefers a less "direct" form of football ? Not like the "hoofball" tag we have been saddled with but like the one we begin to play when we are at our best. Anyway, if Jonny thinks that, he is too diplomatic to say so outright. Hope Strömgodset win the league.

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JustSpivvyChops added 09:26 - Jan 14 Miles better than Knudsen, impressed in virtually every game I saw him play, had everything including a goal or two and absolutely no idea why he wasn't our first choice left back (could have been first choice in one or two other positions too!!).......McCarthy has made a big fook up here, not his first and not his last no doubt, all managers make 'em, I just hope this one doesn't come back to bite us. Good luck with the baby, Strømsgodset have got themselves a bargain!!

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blues1 added 09:47 - Jan 14 While I liked parr and think he's a decent player he certainly didn't impress every game he played. Andcin fact he looked better at rb than at his supposedly best position of lb. He rarely got forwards from lb, unlike Knudsen who (a player who is improving as the season progresses), gets forward at every opportunity. But I'm guessing the main reason he didn't get more opportunity is the fact he never went more than 2 or 3 games without being injured. Was a very good squad player tho and a shame he's gone and I wish him well.

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Cheshire_Blue added 09:48 - Jan 14 Anyone impressed by Parr was clearly not at Hull.
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MVBlue added 10:22 - Jan 14 Good to hear the club still wanted him, he could do a job. So long Parr.
2

braveblue added 10:27 - Jan 14 First team football and playing 'nice' football. A real loss. Best full back at the club and we sign a player to replace him who cannot get a game elsewhere and has not played all season. Never mind, another £70k that won't be reinvested. Good job we are winning or would be depressing. Just worried what will happen when we get injuries and suspensions at the back.
5

iaintaylorx added 11:36 - Jan 14 Cheshire Blue, who did have a good game at Hull though?
2

itfc1981 added 11:51 - Jan 14 Parr and Mings playing together (all be it far to briefly) gave us our best spell in the league since 2004 in the first half of last season. 2nd in the league. Micks refusal to revert back to that winning team saw our form collapse in the 2nd half of the season. For me if we had played the attacking brand of full-back play all season we would have achieved automatic promotion. A major opportunity was missed.

7

Bluebell added 11:55 - Jan 14 I am really sorry to see him go but can understand why he wants to play regular football and be with his wife and family. Such a shame he couldn't play more often football for Town. I wish him good luck with his new team and hope everything goes well with his wife and the new addition to their family when it arrives.
5

Chicago_Blue added 12:04 - Jan 14 Yes he was poor at Hull - but was playing out of position!!! He's a left back for pete's sake.
3

Chicago_Blue added 12:07 - Jan 14 And if I remember rightly, also in the team that started that night was Coke and Toure - all in all it was a poor side I thought.
2

BackTheBlues added 12:29 - Jan 14 Was never a big fan of Parr - one of the few admittedly. He's a good footballer and good on the ball but a Left Back should be able to defend and that he certainly couldn't. I'm guessing he didn't work hard enough in training hence why he didn't push into the squad. I agree we still look a little weak at the back - but Tommy Smith and Berra are getting it right again - tommy is becoming very very good. Chambo is starting to make right back look like his whole career and Knudsen is going in the right direction. Only time will tell!

0

itsonlyme added 13:31 - Jan 14 He's way better than our current left back
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maninashed added 14:37 - Jan 14 I expect the £70000 was used to settle his contract.
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blues1 added 15:30 - Jan 14 Itsonlyme. Clearly just another of those people who criticise some1 for the sake of it. Or maybe uve not been for a while as Knudsen is improving as the season progresses. In fact he's been the most consistent player for the past few games. Yes, he's still adapting to the English game and when he does could well turn out to be as good as certainly mings. At the end of the day he's a full Danish international, so despite what many have been saying on here since he signed must be a good player. U dont play for ur country if ur crap

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blues1 added 15:32 - Jan 14 Maninashed. He was sold for £70,000 so we didn't have to pay his contract up. What a totally ridiculous post
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