Ipswich Town: Janoi Donacien's long wait to reach his century in Blue

The Ipswich Town defender reached his century in a blue shirt at Bracknell on Monday night, four years and three months after signing from Accrington Stanley in July of 2018. 

It’s been an unusual journey to this point, filled with ups and downs as well as plenty of moments where an Ipswich exit looked inevitable. 

Janoi Donacien made his 100th Ipswich Town appearance at Bracknell (Image: Pagepix)

His story is one we know well. Initially signed on loan due to work permit issues, he was barely used by Paul Lambert and twice loaned out, firstly back to Accrington and then to Fleetwood.  

The latter of those temporary spells perhaps helped him dodge the bullets which flew as ‘Demolition Man’ Paul Cook tore the Town squad to pieces in the summer of 2021. 

He was given a chance to prove himself and did just that, coming into Cook’s side to help calm a season which began with Ipswich leaking goals and eventually reached his 50th Ipswich appearance, at Sunderland last November. 

It had been a long time coming. 

Ipswich signed Janoi Donacien from Accrington in 2018 (Image: Archant)

“You have to be strong,” Donacien has said of the tough times. “There are a lot of people who do doubt you and you hear everything, so you have to keep it in your head that you are the person you know you are. I feel like I’ve always worked hard, on and off the pitch.  

“At times it’s been really tough. I’ve been out on loan twice and all of your concentration then needs to go onto the club you’re at. Then you’re thinking about going back to Ipswich and proving myself again. 

“It does get tough when you think about things. I’m not the type to overthink, I’m positive and don’t like to dwell on things because life is really short.” 

Donacien took 1,560 days to reach his Ipswich Town century (Image: Ross Halls)

It took Donacien 1,209 days to reach his half century and just 353 to play his next 50 games, highlighting just how important a player Donacien has become for Ipswich Town over the last year. 

That’s a notion also enhanced by the fact he has started each and every one of Kieran McKenna’s 41 league games in charge of Ipswich Town. He’s the only player to do that. 

Donacien, who turned 29 recently, was vital in making McKenna’s back three, wing-back, system work during the first few months of his time in charge of Town, with his ability to operate as both a centre-back and a hybrid full-back making him the ideal partner for Wes Burns on the right flank. 

It was an area of real strength for Ipswich which opposition sides really struggled to cope with, with Burns attracting attention and Donacien running from deep, either receiving the ball or acting as a decoy which made space for his team-mate to work. 

Kieran McKenna, pictured with Janoi Donacien (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

Donacien’s role in Burns’ stunning debut Town season should not be overlooked, with the improvements the defender made in the attacking side of his game a key factor. 

His impact has perhaps not been as noticeable this season, with Town switching to a back four and Donacien’s ability to get forward a little more limited, but he remains a highly dependable member of the side, an excellent one-v-one defender and a useful weapon when he’s able to get forward and attack. 

“He’s very important for us,” McKenna said of Donacien recently. 

“He’s a really good character who we love having in the building. He’s really popular, has a good energy and is a positive guy who is also very tough with it. Physically he puts himself out there every week, plays with knocks and niggles and makes himself available for the team. 

Janoi Donacien celebrates with Freddie Ladapo (Image: Steve Waller)

“As a footballer he brings some really good attributes to that position and has a little bit of a hybrid role where he brings the qualities of a full-back – an attacking one at times – and also brings the solidity and the presence of a central defender. 

“He brings a really good skillset and has really found his role well for us. 

“I think he can keep improving to be honest. He’s not at his full capacity and has certainly improved during this calendar year. He still has good scope for improvement. 

“If he continues to show a good attitude I’m sure he can do that.” 

Janoi Donacien celebrates with Kane Vincent-Young at Bracknelll (Image: Pagepix)

It’s hard to imagine anything other than a ‘good attitude’ coming from Donacien, but he will certainly need to keep his standards high to keep his place in the side. 

There have been games where he hasn’t met them of late and, with Kane Vincent-Young waiting in the wings, there is competition for a starting spot. No place is guaranteed. 

He’s a player McKenna has come to rely on, though, and it’s hard to see him making way any time soon. 

He’s once again heading towards the final six months of his contract, with his most-recent one signed a year ago and also including the option to extend for a further 12 months. An extended stay is surely in the offing, whether it’s fresh terms or an option taken. 

Donacien arrived at Ipswich Town looking to make a mark in the Championship, with the defender hoping his next 100 appearances for the club includes plenty of action in the second-tier.