Ipswich Town: George Hirst hopes to fire Blues into the Championship

The 23-year-old, a player the Blues have trailed since the summer, was at Portman Road on Saturday to complete his move and watched Town’s 4-1 FA Cup victory over Rotherham from the directors box. 

In his first interview since signing for the Blues, Hirst, who is on a season-long loan from Leicester, said he is looking forward to helping get Town promoted to the Championship.

"You have only got to look where Ipswich are in the League and how well they have done this season so far," Hirst said.

"I'm here to try and keep that going and give that a little bit more of a push and fire us to the top of the table. That end of the table is where you want to be, is where you want to be fighting for things and fighting to get promoted."

George Hirst, has joined Town on a season-long loan from Leicester (Image: ITFC)

Hirst has been on loan at Blackburn during the first half of this season but cut his stay at Ewood Park short due to a lack of gametime, with Leicester now loaning him to Portman Road until the end of the campaign. He was at Portsmouth last season

"I was at Portsmouth last year and coming here now, both teams who shouldn't be in this division to be honest," he said.

"I'm coming here to try and make sure we do get out of this league.

"You have 25, 26,000 fans here each week, that adds pressure but I think for me that's what you want to play for. I hope I can repay their faith every week by getting a few goals.

"For me pressure is all part of it, a great part of it without it it's not the same. And as long as fans keep turning up, we'll always keep doing our best."

Hirst already knows some of the Town squad and he's looking forward to catching up with them.

George Hirst, scoring at Portsmouth last season (Image: PA)

"I know a few of the boys already," he said. "I played with Marcus Harness at Portsmouth, Freddie Ladapo at Rotherham, Kyle Edwards with England groups, I'm not going into a changing room with all new faces, which is nice.

"It’s going to be great when I get out on the Portman Road pitch and hopefully I can be part of a team that the supporters can be proud of as I know they always turn up in their numbers.

"I hope they chant my name when doing well, when not too happy tell me the same thing as well. But that's all part of it and I love all that side of it as well.

"Hopefully as a team we can do them proud this season."

Hirst will wear the number 27 shirt for Town.