Striker David McGoldrick is delighted to have returned to action after his latest injury setback and is looking forward to linking up with his old friend Leon Best in the Town attack.

McGoldrick suffered a freak ankle injury in the EFL Cup tie against Stevenage in August but made his comeback as a half-time sub in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Newcastle as a replacement for Best, a childhood friend from Nottingham and the Notts County and Southampton youth set-ups.

"Me and Leon go way back, I've known him since I was about eight years old," McGoldrick told Ipswich Player HD.

"Not only did we play football together, we would hang out too and I think he even stayed at mine for a sleepover on Millennium New Year's Eve!

"We haven't played alongside each other since our Southampton days, so it would be good if we could do that for Ipswich.”

The 28-year-old, who netted his first goal of the season from the penalty spot against Barnsley on the opening day, believes Best will get nearer to the top of his game the more he plays.

📺 | #itfc striker David McGoldrick talks us through his return to action and how he can't wait to link up with close friend, Leon Best ⚽ pic.twitter.com/aH1G1atjy0

— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) October 25, 2016

"Leon is a good player," he added. "He's strong, he's brings others into play and he can score goals as well.

“He has got everything, he just needs a run of games, which he is getting now after not having a pre-season.

"But we've got some good strikers at the club and competition for places is strong here. For now, I'm just concentrating on getting match fit and getting minutes under my belt. I got through 45 minutes at Newcastle fine and I'm looking forward to Saturday now.”

Speaking last month, Best said he was similarly looking forward to playing alongside his fellow Republic of Ireland international.

“I’ve grown up with him from the age of about eight or nine so I know everything about him,” he said.

“I can’t wait to play with him again. We’ve always kept in touch and we were in Dubai together in the summer.

“He’s from Nottingham, I’m from Nottingham and we always speak. He’s looking forward to us getting together out on the pitch again. We played for Nottinghamshire, the city boys, and at Notts County, of course.

“That was a long time ago but we were also together at Southampton, where we lived together in ‘The Lodge’ [Darwin Lodge where Saints’ youth players were housed].

"We have some great memories and he’s a great player. When he comes back we’ll be more fierce and powerful.”

Photos: Action Images/TWTD

Brownie added 09:01 - Oct 26 Where's the negative in the story? Player trying to get back from injury & says he would love to play with other player he has known for years. We know the players from all clubs give same script interviews- ' obviously so & so has been different class; fans have been brilliant; gaffer has been great' etc etc. Why people want to be negative on the back of that is beyond me. I don't think MM is right man for the job but let's try and be positive where we have th chance & Didz being fit & playing would definitely be a positive.

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tractorboybig added 09:34 - Oct 26 Should last two games for the season, no goals as well.
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markytitfc66 added 09:35 - Oct 26 MM did say at Newcastle "I Wasn't going to have them on the pitch at the same time " Make of that what you will
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Ardentitfc1978 added 09:36 - Oct 26 All the best David. I have seen you played, what shooting power you have on your right foot. Really looking forward to both the partnership and I do hope MM will give it a go this week. 3 points a must. COYB !!!
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steve_mcalls_teeth added 10:11 - Oct 26 I think it was just an error that had us at "2.75" and Rotherham at "2.40" - I hate decimal odds, hate them. But the real odds are 4/6 us 9/2 Rotherham - phew !
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dugoutdave added 10:15 - Oct 26 copy and paste and watch Jonathan Douglas trying out his new boots
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Razor added 10:52 - Oct 26 If 2 forwards we must have creative midfielders----could we possibly consider actually PLAYING Williams from the start, along with Dozzell? I am the eternal optimist, one has to be with this manager, if approached in the right way this game may just kick start our season.
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yorksblue added 11:59 - Oct 26 Oh for a Marshall/Mathie or Mariner/Whymark combo
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Carberry added 13:05 - Oct 26 I don't want to labour this but if we still had Daryl Murphy and had signed Dwight Gayle, who were close friends, this would be a good story. The Club PR machine is trying to lessen the aggravation surrounding the club, owner and manager by giving us this feel good stuff. This is what they do and how they work. Unfortunately one is an injury prone striker who we all know will score no more than 10 goals a season if we are lucky, the other is a journeyman pro who nobody wanted and whose goal record is 10 in the last 4 years. If you think that is something to get excited about then great but have another look at this story with both eyes open. COYB

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runningout added 13:39 - Oct 26 call me Mr Prtaface .. dont like this linking up with old mate sh*t. are the rest of them not worth linking up with
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BobbyBell added 14:10 - Oct 26 If these two pair up where does poor Freddie go? Out wide again. Would love to see Best and Sears up front with McGoldrick sitting behind them but that won't happen with MM. Those three supported by Lawrence, Ward & Bishop should hammer Rotherham but MM will probably decide we need to defend as Rotherham are really a good side and in a false position. If he plays both Douglas and Skuse against Rotherham then that'll be the end of my interest in this season.

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NoelTheDub added 16:59 - Oct 26 Agree with most but we must dream on to have 2 strikers 2 proper wingers a creative midfielder and maybe 1 holding midfielder in our team christmas cant come quick enough but I very much doubt if Mick is going to give us that as a present As our hospital waiting list is coming down what excuse will Mick have when everyone is fit you wont dislodge ony one from our recent starting 11 we are playing so well as Mick said.

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armchaircritic59 added 17:43 - Oct 26 Yes yorksblue. Not to mention Crawford/ Phillips (yep, i'm really that old!) or Mariner/Brazil. Around a guaranteed 60 goal as season from the first pair, should do it.
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Bluetone added 18:58 - Oct 26 Or even Jennings and (give it to) Garneys
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Brownie added 19:28 - Oct 26 Carberry I get your point re Murph and selling him without having a replacement was daft however good a deal it was financially. As for Gayle they paid £10m for him...slightly out of our league..
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Pilgrimblue added 20:11 - Oct 26 This isn't going to happen unless by accident due to injuries or opposition setting up 442. Most successful teams have players that develop good understanding like two strikers or midfield but so far MM is long way from achieving this.
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:23 - Oct 26 whoever plays this weekend,if McCarthy cant put an attacking formation into play against the bottom club ,and go at em ,then there is no hope at all, this game should be McCarthy's job on the line , I think he should go now anyway ,but he is still here, Saturday should be win or out ,no ifs no buts .
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warkthelint added 22:19 - Oct 26 don't make me laugh...McCarthy playing these 2 attackers together? More chance of Donald Trump shutting up for more than 10 seconds...
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Hegansheroes added 13:20 - Oct 27 Dugoutdave, thanks for the link.. That was nothing like super dougie, far too good
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Hegansheroes added 13:20 - Oct 27 Dugoutdave, thanks for the link.. That was nothing like super dougie, far too good
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