Former Town goalkeeper Shane Supple admits that he would have liked to have been managed by current Blues boss Mick McCarthy. Supple, who retired from the game aged 22 in 2009 to return to Ireland, sees similarities between McCarthy and former Town boss Joe Royle.

"Mick is definitely a manager I would have liked and enjoyed to work under. I still speak to people over there. From what I've seen the atmosphere is very similar to when Joe Royle was manager.

"Joe and Mick are very similar, I think, Joe was a gentleman and knew how to speak to people and treat people and run a team.

"I can definitely see things as they are on the pitch picking up for Ipswich and obviously they have a huge shout at promotion again this year.

"The budget Mick has done it on as well as unbelievable when compared to others in the division, similar to Joe's time I think," Supple said.

The former Town academy product, who signed for Blues at the age of 15, admits that the mood at Portman Road is far better than it was while he was with the club.

"Even people that were there under Paul Jewell and Roy Keane say to me how different the atmosphere is now. Mick's a good man manager, a good guy.

"He has time for everyone over there it seems, whereas the managers that came before him didn't seem to have the man management skills to get the best out of the players, although they had a lot of money to spend at the time compared to Mick."

Supple admits that he still continues to get phone calls from League of Ireland clubs six years after his retirement from the game. He doesn't believe, however, that former Republic of Ireland boss McCarthy could have changed his mind about early retirement from the game.

"I don't think he would have changed my mind, because if I had stayed it would've always been in the back of my head about coming home and doing something different.

"Even if it was the wrong decision, it still had to be done. I needed to experience a different life, it's a bit of a bubble over there. It didn't seem like real life to me."

Supple also had high praise for Tommy Smith, who along with Luke Hyam is the only member of the current squad to have played alongside him.

"Tommy was a couple of years younger than me and I trained with him an awful lot. He was very raw when he came over [from New Zealand].

"He's a solid lad, a big lad. He wouldn't be a ball-playing defender I suppose, and to be honest I wouldn't have thought he'd be there this long.

"He's done remarkably well I think to still be there and fair play to him. He was very young when I was there obviously. He's matured since then on the pitch.

"It's always good to see Tommy, whenever I go over to the club he always comes over and has a chat with me. He wouldn't have been the one I thought would've been there that long.

"Luke Hyam was coming through as well so I know Lukey a little bit, and again he wouldn't have been a standout player back then.

"Some of the lads that were standouts at our age group and below haven't done a lot, obviously there was Dean Bowditch who was the big talk of the time.

"Connor Wickham obviously came through quickly but was probably sold a bit too early. Billy Clarke was younger than me and is at Bradford now, and apparently Jordan Rhodes is doing alright elsewhere!"

Photo: Action Images

Lathers added 14:45 - Jan 14 I think any young keeper would take early retirement having played behind from the likes of Georges Santos and Drissa Diallo. On a serious note it was a brave and very honest decision to make. Shame that he doesn't have another crack at it as he's only 29 now and could probably go for a good 10 years. He was very decent.
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Seasider added 15:03 - Jan 14 A bit small in stature though Lathers,if I recall correctly?
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NoCanariesAllowed added 15:16 - Jan 14 Remarkable to think that after Davis left, there was so much responsibility placed on shoulders as young as those of Price and Supple. Shame indeed that we had so many good youngsters back then who never had proper first team careers at Portman Road.
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Lathers added 18:14 - Jan 14 Yes Seasider he was a little on the slender side wasn't he, but as I remember he was very agile, a good shot stopper, decent on crosses but his kicking was a little suspect..... Or was that Price (who was nowhere near as good as Supple) but as nova arises allowed pointed out he was thrown in the deep end.
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Lathers added 18:15 - Jan 14 *nocanariesallowed
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JCBLUE added 20:22 - Jan 14 Perhaps he wants a job ......?!!
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Warkys_Tash added 23:24 - Jan 14 @Phil, can you remind us how many first team appearances Supple made? I think from reading his comments he was a bit homesick too. He must have felt financially secure to leave it all behind too. Worse players have had many years out of the game. It's a decision most football fans will never really get their head around!
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