Striker Daryl Murphy, who left the Blues for Newcastle over the weekend, has thanked fans for their support during his time at Portman Road. The 33-year-old striker, who signed a two-year deal at St James’ Park on Sunday after the clubs agreed at £3 million fee, is currently away with the Republic of Ireland squad ahead of their World Cup qualifier in Serbia on Monday.

“I would like to thank everyone at the club for making me feel so welcome from the very first day I arrived there,” the Waterford-born frontman told the club site.

“I especially want to thank the fans. They were fantastic to me and I’ve got so many great memories from my time at Ipswich. I didn’t get the chance to thank the supporters before I left so I’d like to take that opportunity now.

“I couldn’t have asked for more support from everyone in my time there. It was a wrench to leave, it’s a great club, Ipswich, but opportunities to join a club of a stature of Newcastle don’t come along very often, especially at this stage of my career.

“I want to wish everyone at Ipswich the best and I hope it’s Newcastle and Ipswich that go up this year.”

Murphy, whose first English club was the Magpies' great rivals Sunderland during Mick McCarthy’s time in charge at the Stadium of Light, initially joined the Blues for the first of three loan spells under Roy Keane's management in 2010 before signing permanently from Celtic in the summer of 2013.

In the 2014/15 campaign he topped the Championship scoring charts with 27 goals as the Blues reached the play-offs.

Overall, Murphy, who almost joined the Blues from his hometown club Waterford United in 2004/05 having been on trial before he signed for the Black Cats, scored 67 goals in 207 starts and 18 substitute appearances for Town.

Meanwhile, manager McCarthy says the huge amount of cash now available to Premier League clubs has had a knock-on effect at Championship level.

“Football has lost the plot with money," he said. "It’s the TV revenue going up. Players are now going for £10 million more than they were last year. The have not suddenly become £10 million better footballers.

“In the Premier League it’s now almost a ‘disgrace’ to sell a player for £10 million. It’s got to be £20 million.

“The agents are having a field day and the game has gone bonkers with some of the deals that have gone on.

“I think that has been reflected in the Championship now as well when you see some of the fees that have been paid.

“Villa have paid out big money for players, look at how many players have gone to Newcastle. I suppose that shows their great desire to get back to the Premier League where the riches are.”

Photo: TWTD

blueboy1981 added 21:50 - Sep 2 Thanks Murph' and Good Luck. Would have achieved more, had he, like so many, not been wasted in games being played completely out of position. That won't happen at Newcastle.
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 22:22 - Sep 2 Thanks for everything big fella. I like to think you look at TWTD and so get to read these comments from real fans. Everyone on here loves you because you always gave your all, and your all was worth having. Best of luck to you and your family starting a new life up North.
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UppaTowen added 23:11 - Sep 2 All the best, Murph! You are a top pro, have been a great servant for our club and deserve the opportunity at Newcastle. The performances and goals in the 2014-15 season especially will live long in the memory for many a Town fan! Hope you have a good end to your playing career and maybe see you back at PR some day!
4

FromIpswichToPhoenix added 04:01 - Sep 3 Thanks for your years of service! Don't worry, Evans is leaving us in good hands. He spent the money on another strike... oh wait....
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Swn98 added 06:41 - Sep 3 No blueboy it will not happen at Newcastle he will be Lucy to get 20 min a game.
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beornioblue added 07:38 - Sep 3 Good luck big man , top professional and top bloke hope you and your family are happy up north!! Can we change his song now to say "oh bialkowski I wanna know.. How you stopped that goal" haha just a thought
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BillBlue added 07:38 - Sep 3 Many thanks Murph. You were a real honest gent especially all those years when your talent was being poured down the drain until eventually you were allowed to show us what you could do. You most certainly earned that final pay-out and I hope your family are happy up there too. Well done Murph, thank you and if you score against us I hope you will be cheered (providing Sears has got a hat-trick that is)!!

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dangerous30 added 09:00 - Sep 3 Thanks big man and all the best to you and your family :-)
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:00 - Sep 3 Great servant to our club and many thanks for that. Understand that at 34 it might be time to take a step down, but NUFC is still a good club (owner excepted), so I wish him all the best. For those who think that this move will herald a sudden change in approach, I'd advise caution. I don't think things will become different overnight, but it might be that over time we move to a more fluid attacking approach and away from hoofball. Most of us would be pretty happy with that.

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blueboy1981 added 14:57 - Sep 3 Swn98 .......... so what, I doubt if that will bother him too much at this stage of his career - at least he will be made most / best possible use of for those '20 minutes' you predict he will get.
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blueboy1981 added 15:00 - Sep 3 ....... some of you will see no wrong in anything associated with Portman Road - others have a more straight to the point, say it as it really is opinion. I know which company I prefer to keep. Ever heard of the Ostrich and the Sand .... ???
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Swn98 added 16:49 - Sep 3 You asked one question so why 3 question marks?
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wisbech_blue added 18:19 - Sep 3 Murph u was a soldier on the putch for us and a great servant that always gave 100% hope all goes well for youand all the best
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Kirbmeister added 18:30 - Sep 3 blueboy1981...................................welcome back from your extended break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Elto added 19:57 - Sep 3 Indeed Kirbmeister. How we all miss him. I hear he's been busy recording a new series of Eggheads.
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Lukeybluey added 00:04 - Sep 4 Always held a soft spot for Newcastle. Great City, great club.....apart from the owner. He's a d**k.
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Michael11 added 10:06 - Sep 4 One of our best servants through a relatively dark part of our history as a club. Thank you for your service and hard work Murph. I don't think anyone at ITFC wishes you anything but good luck.
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tractorkent added 11:07 - Sep 4 Let's face it,Murphy was never going to have another season when he scored 27 goals,I think it is good business although we will miss his presence in both boxed.
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blueboy1981 added 11:56 - Sep 4 Elto .......... no finer expert on Eggheads than you I guess - I acknowledge your seniority. Mind you a few of your group run close ......... you, and they will know who they are.
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blueboy1981 added 11:58 - Sep 4 Kirbmeister ........... more false statements - just check postings more thoroughly before reaching for the keyboard.
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