Town new boy Kayden Jackson admits the chance to be reunited with manager Paul Hurst was a major factor behind his £1.6 million transfer from Accrington Stanley last week.

The pair were together at Grimsby at the start of the 2016/17 season, prior to Hurst joining Shrewsbury in the October, during which time he was on loan from Barnsley.

He later moved to Accrington and helped them to secure promotion to League One via a League Two title-winning campaign last season.

But Town had to see off competition to land the 24-year-old striker, who explained: “Not for the first time in my career Peterborough were interested.

“It’s a very good club and a lot of strikers have come through there to do bigger things elsewhere, like Dwight Gayle for example.

“I was very close to joining them. I liked what the club had to say, from the chairman [Darragh MacAnthony] and Barry Fry, but I couldn’t turn down the chance to come here.

“It’s Championship football and I would have been mad to choose League One over the Championship. There’s a big difference and at the end of the day it’s life-changing to move here from where I was.

“This is definitely a great move and I’ve worked hard for it. Thankfully it has come about and I’m with a club with a massive stadium and a massive fanbase.

"I saw it at the weekend, how the fans were unbelievable throughout the whole game up at Rotherham, and I’m looking forward to getting settled in here.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with the gaffer and Doigy [assistant manager Chris Doig]. I’ve kept in contact with Doigy as well quite a bit so it’s something I’m definitely looking forward to. I enjoy the training and stuff, and hopefully over the season we will be successful.

“When I was at Grimsby it was my first taste of the Football League and I’m here on the back of a successful year with Accrington.

“Confidence is at a high and I’m just looking forward to showing what I can do here. I’ve not had the best of pre-seasons, so as the weeks go on I will get sharper.

“You can see the lads here and throughout the Championship have had a solid pre-season and they’re all fit and firing.

“I’m hoping to show a lot more in the coming weeks. I’m still 24 and I think I improve pretty quickly, which I showed last year when I went to Accrington and did so well there.

"There’s still a lot more to come from me and I’m looking forward to showing it in an Ipswich shirt.

“It was obviously very disappointing to come away with nothing to show for our efforts at Rotherham.

“When you don’t deserve to lose a game it’s a bit disappointing to concede in that manner so late on. It’s tough to take but it’s a lesson and I’m sure we will learn from it quickly.”

Jackson was grateful to be given his debut at the weekend, coming off the bench to replace Ellis Harrison in the 67th minute, and he added: “I think I’d only had about two hours training with the lads over the previous two days and it was nice to get out there and get a good reception from the fans. Hopefully there will be many more to come.

“When you come from little old Accrington to such a big occasion you are bound to have a few nerves.

“I’m looking forward to getting more minutes in the future and I’m desperate to get off the mark as soon as possible and desperate to help the team get three points, which is always the main thing at the end of the day.

“I showed that last year with unselfish play. I don’t mind a few assists and if my work rate helps the team that’s great.

“I’ll play wherever the gaffer wants to play me and whatever role I’m in I will give my all. Over the years I’ve played in a few different roles so I like to think I’m quite versatile.”

Photo: TWTD

pennblue added 14:46 - Aug 13 Welcome to the club Kayden, get your head down and work hard and I am sure you will be successful.
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