Woolfenden: Promotion Would Mean an Awful Lot
Thursday, 20th Jan 2022 06:00

Home-grown defender Luke Woolfenden is Ipswich through and through and the former season ticket holder knows better than most what it’s like to be part of the Portman Road faithful.

Top scorer Macauley Bonne, like Woolfenden born in the town, is cast from a similar mould. But his career took a different route after he was released from the academy at the age of 14 and since joining on a season-long loan from QPR he admits he has been living the dream.

The pair would like nothing more than to have promotion with Ipswich on their CV and Woolfenden admitted: “That’s the aim and it’s why I signed a new deal to stay at the club, because I wanted to get promoted with Ipswich and it’s still something that I very much want to achieve.

“I’ve said it a few times over the years; this club hasn’t had a lot to cheer about for a while, so to give the supporters something like promotion to the Championship would be great.

“Also, when you’re from the town yourself, as Macauley and I are, it would mean an awful lot to us because we are supporters as well. It will have that bit more meaning to us as local boys.

“Most of the boys get it when fans are disappointed with results but being born and raised in Ipswich we get it even more.

“There have been some disappointments this season but we don’t want the false dawns any more than the fans do. We want fans to be turning up at Portman Road knowing we are going to win or at least expecting us to win.

“To be fair a lot of fans probably went to Bolton last week hoping, rather than expecting, we would win because our results over the season might have made them think that winning three on the trot was too much to expect and that it could just be yet another false dawn.

“I want us to get to the stage where they are going away with a real swagger and expecting us to collect three points.”

Woolfenden is eager to progress as a player and added: “I am definitely at an age now where I should be kicking on. It happens quite a lot that players will break into the first team and for whatever reason they won’t fully realise the potential that they showed to get into the side in the first place.

“It has happened with quite a few players over the years but I don’t want it to be like that with me.

“The new manager has probably come in at the right time for me and I’m happy to be enjoying my football again, which is the main thing about being a player. You should be playing with a smile on your face because you’ll be a lot more effective if you are enjoying what you are doing.”

Asked if there had perhaps been a time in the not too distant past when he was unhappy at Town, he added: “When you’re not playing and when things don’t get communicated well, when you’re not too sure what’s going on and you don’t really know what you’re doing, obviously it’s difficult.

“With the new manager we have now everything is clear at the minute, everyone is on the same page and I’m enjoying being back in the team.”

Woolfenden has looked comfortable in the 3-5-2 formation favoured by McKenna and with which he continued after it was introduced by interim boss John McGreal for the 1-1 home draw with high-flying Sunderland last month before he handed over to the Northern Irishman.

“Playing in a three at the back gives me more licence to get forward and I believe it also suits my game more to step out when the time is right and bring the ball forward,” said Woolfenden.

“As a defender I’m happy to play in a three or a four and a lot of the teams in this league go man for man in the way they set up, which means that if you are playing three at the back the spare centre-back who is driving out can cause a lot of problems for the opposition because they don’t know when to release and when to press.

“In terms of our entire squad, the players we have, I think 3-5-2 suits us more than the 4-2-3-1 system, but regardless of how we line up, with the talent we have available, we are capable of utilising any formation.”

Former skipper Lee Evans has also seen his role change to that of a deep-lying midfielder and Woolfenden added: “If you watch the games back like we have it is obvious how important a player Lee is to the side.

“For example, in the Wycombe game, whether it was me, George [Edmundson] or JD [Janoi Donacien] that had broken forward, you could see Lee filling in straight away.

“He knows his job and gives us the confidence, as well as security, which we need to make forward runs. We know he’ll be there for us and won’t be sloppy, and if it does break down he’s going to be there covering us.”

Woolfenden also welcomed the news that most, if not all, supporters were waiting to hear — that on-loan Brighton goalkeeper Christian Walton is set to complete a permanent move to Portman Road after the Seagulls triggered the January call-back clause in his contract.

“We all know the importance of having a solid goalkeeper — it’s massive — and Christian joining us on a permanent basis is great news for everyone,” said Woolfenden. “It’s a big thing for any team to have a regular keeper and to know they’re not going to be chopping and changing.

“Having that continuity between now and the end of the season and beyond is going to benefit us massively.”

Finally, Woolfenden acknowledged how everyone at the club was delighted when youngster Tommy Hughes marked his return from a two-year injury absence with a hat-trick in yesterday’s U23 clash with QPR, which the Blues won 4-2.

He said: “Tommy’s had a lot of bad luck with injuries and he’s a really, really good player. Technically, he’s one of the very best at the club. Left foot, right foot, he’s unreal and we’re all hoping his injury nightmare has ended and that the hat-tricks will carry on.”

Photo: Matchday Images

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