Former Blues youngster George Fowler is looking forward to returning to Portman Road with Maidstone for the FA Cup fourth round tie later this month.

Fowler, who was a Debenham High School pupil, came through the Town academy having joined the club as a schoolboy in the 2011/12 season and began his scholarship in the summer of 2014.

The centre-half, now 26, made one senior appearance for the Blues, in the Carabao Cup at Crystal Palace in August 2017.

He joined Aldershot on a permanent basis in January 2018 having been on loan with the Shots. The Chelmsford-born defender made the move from the Recreation Ground to Maidstone in 2021, again following a loan spell.

“For me, that’s where I was an academy player and I did a two-year pro there and my family are from that area as well,” Fowler told Kent Online. “I’m sure they’ll be supporting me. I hope so anyway.

“Even though the boys were hoping for a massive Premier League club, Ipswich are a team who are up the top of the Championship so it’s going to be a great occasion for us.

“It’s a massive club, with a massive history, and they’re back on the up now and after a few down years.

“I’m sure everyone will be really looking forward to getting down there. If we weren’t to get a Prem team, that would have been who I wanted.

“I’ve actually played at Portman Road quite a few times for the 23s and stuff like that. It’s been a long time since I’ve been down there and it’ll be good to play against the proper first team.

“I had a good time there. I only played one game for the first team in the Carabao Cup, but it was a great upbringing for me at an academy level.”

Fowler isn’t the only Stones player to have worn a Town shirt, fellow defender Reiss Greenidge having had a spell on trial in 2014/15, featuring for the U21s on a number of occasions, coincidentally with Fowler having been on the bench in one of those matches.

The date for the tie, the first competitive game between the clubs, is still to be confirmed with the match looking likely to be screened live on TV.

Photo: James Ager

MickMillsTash added 13:35 - Jan 11 It would be polite for the TV gods to tell us ASAP when this game is going to kick off.
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Nesspointrunner added 14:35 - Jan 11 I have a long way to come so if they move it to a late evening I cant make it. We need to know before the tickets go on sale.
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terry_butchers_twin added 18:13 - Jan 11 Sat 27th. 12:30. BBC1 according to FA website
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