Town have confirmed the signing of veteran centre-half Richard Keogh from Blackpool, the seventh addition of the summer.

Keogh, who is 36 on Thursday, comes into the squad as experienced cover on a one-year deal, a move which will allow the Blues to send fellow Irishman Corrie Ndaba out on loan. We understand Scottish Premiership Kilmarnock and League One sides Burton and Fleetwood have all shown interest.

Essex-born Keogh was at Playford Road as an academy player having joined the club aged eight and was a ballboy before being released and moving on to Stoke City’s youth set-up in 2003.

“It’s amazing to be back,” Keogh told iFollow Ipswich. “I started my football journey here and I have so many memories from my early days, so I can’t wait to get back out on the Portman Road pitch in front of the fans.”

Manager Kieran McKenna added: “Richard is a fantastic addition to the group. He is respected in the dressing room and has been through the highs and lows in football. He will be valuable to us over what is a long season.

“His experience at club and international level is great, and he can still contribute having played a good number of games with Blackpool last season. He is an intelligent player and reads the game very well.

“He had a little niggle not too long ago, but is fit now and will join up with the group immediately.”

Keogh, who will wear the number two shirt with Town, spent a spell with Icelandic side Vikingur on loan during his time with Stoke and having failed to break into the first team with the Potters moved on to Bristol City in 2005.

Loan stints with Wycombe, Huddersfield, Carlisle and Cheltenham followed before he joined the Cumbrians on a permanent basis in 2008.

Two years with Coventry followed from 2010 before a seven-year spell with Derby County, where he was skipper and played alongside Blues first-team coach Lee Grant, which ended acrimoniously when he was sacked in the wake of the car crash in which former Blues loanee Tom Lawrence was found guilty of drink-driving.

Keogh, who suffered a knee injury in the accident which sidelined him for 15 months, eventually won an employment tribunal which deemed that he had been unfairly dismissed and Derby were ordered to pay £2.3 million in compensation. He spoke about the incident and subsequent events in a lengthy interview with The Guardian last year.

TWTD revealed that Keogh, who was capped 26 times by the Republic of Ireland, scoring once, was interesting the Blues in the summer of 2020 after his Rams exit but he eventually joined the MK Dons.

After six months he moved on to Huddersfield and then last summer to Blackpool with whom he made 28 starts and three sub appearances in 2021/22. He has missed both the Seasiders' opening fixtures with a groin injury, suffered in a pre-season friendly against Everton.

We understand the move is a deal that the Blues have been working on for a while - it's believe two offers were turned down - with Keogh set to come in in purely a playing role with no involvement in coaching despite speculation along those lines.

Photo: ITFC

itfcasual added 16:37 - Aug 10 Nobody likes losing to Colchester. Not that bothered about this cup but losing to L2 opposition looks poor. However, highlights looked ok. Col keeper made some great saves to win the tie. I've got great faith in KMac but he needs to deliver. Timid cup exits tp lowly opposition won't do anything for anyone's mood.
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Linkboy13 added 17:18 - Aug 10 Some people on here seem to be doubting McKenna's judgement they'll be calling for his head next. Keogh played regularly for Blackpool last season in a standard quite a bit better than league one and if he got into the side could be very hard to dislodge if hundred percent fit of course. Im backing McKenna and his staff all the way if things don't look too rosy at Christmas i might have a change of opinion.

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Nomore4 added 17:56 - Aug 10 Donacian is our weak link in defence….maybe Keogh can push him to perform better and be more consistent
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DavoIPB added 18:22 - Aug 10 At last nomore4 somebody has realised. Almost all opposition commentators say donashun is our weakest defender. Think he will be the one who is replaced.
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Bergholtblue added 18:36 - Aug 10 Having seen last nights highlights, we don't need a new striker, just raise the crossbar by 3 feet!
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SickParrot added 18:52 - Aug 10 This signing makes good sense. He is a leader and he's comfortable on the ball. His experience should help our young centre backs when he plays but also in training.
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Skip73 added 18:56 - Aug 10 Blueboy, every signing is referred to as sh1te by you anbd you slag off everyonecwho disagrees with you.
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:57 - Aug 10 Tractorboybig, nobody expecting the likes of Mo Salah to be signed , but if we cant get better striker/s in we are fcuk'd, we will never go up, goals win games and we dont score enough, its been that way for too long now , our finishing has been shocking, .
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Pettabelieveit added 21:34 - Aug 10 Welcome Richard! Think some on here need to remember where we are! We've just signed one of the best centre halves the Championship has seen over the last how ever many years as an experienced head and the negativity is not unbelievable BUT not surprising unfortunately. We all know we need a 25+ goal striker, so I'm pretty sure Mr McKenna knows that also! As has been said, there is plenty of time left to get that done! A real charge a promotion needs everyone! Manager, players, staff and believe it or not, us FANS! COYB

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Gforce added 23:20 - Aug 10 Wooly......Good post mate 👌
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churchmans added 00:10 - Aug 11 Fkn bell ends on here comparing keyhole with Wark & Mowbray!! My god what idiotic supporters we have
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bobble added 00:42 - Aug 11 has he just taken a handful of magic mushrooms ?
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DMDC added 09:55 - Aug 11 Complete waste of money. Just what we didnt need. The defense isnt the problem. Its the attack that needs sorting. i.e some blo0dy goals !
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planetblue_2011 added 09:58 - Aug 11 Welcome aboard Richard good luck with ITFC👍⚽️
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Flamencaman added 11:50 - Aug 11 Two of our very valuable players Johnny Wark age 3rd time round Tony Mowbray, both players brilliant readers of the game
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blueboy1981 added 12:36 - Aug 11 Skip73 - Get your Facts Right OR - STFU !!! Some of you get mire idiotic by the Season with your totally fictitious comments.
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blueboy1981 added 12:38 - Aug 11 …. so as not to confuse !! - should read:- more - and not - mire !! Apologies !
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Pettabelieveit added 13:12 - Aug 11 This site gets more and more poisonous by the article!
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Dog added 13:15 - Aug 11 Blueboy - thought i would look at posts to get my facts right. i do think you need to calm down a little with people who disagree with you - your post history is really not pretty. On 26 June, Blueboy posts: "This has unfortunately become no place for sensible comment - much of it has degenerated into almost hatred and abuse of other Fans. Has it been taken over by Aliens, Kids, and Christ only knows what else. Whatever, it's certainly lost the great credibility it once had." Today he tells a fellow supporter to STFU, for questioning why all his posts are negative. At least we have signed the "brain and brawn" he was crying out for a month ago. I will agree with him that we need a striker - plenty of time for that though. Another 3 weeks to get that right. Do we have any scouts abroad looking for a striker??

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Skip73 added 14:09 - Aug 11 I see the toxic abuse is still rife on here by some who cannot take being disagreed with. One of the reasons i left this site. I suggest growing up and getting a life.
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oldelsworthyfan added 15:27 - Aug 11 I don't know what all the fuss is about. Central defender Siva is still playing for Chelsea (signed to play all this season IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE) and he's 37.
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oldelsworthyfan added 16:33 - Aug 11 Sorry typo, SILVA!
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suffolkblueeye added 07:29 - Aug 12 Please get a striker…
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