A host of former Ipswich Town players moved clubs during the January window. Andy Warren takes a look.
Will Norris – Burnley to Peterborough – loan
Goalkeeper Norris was with Ipswich during their first season in League One, trading places with Tomas Holy throughout a campaign which ended with him moving from Wolves to Burnley.
The Clarets loaned him to Peterborough earlier this month, where he’s played twice already. Posh have won both matches with him between the sticks.
Oli Hawkins – Mansfield to Gillingham – undisclosed
The big striker represented the Blues in 2020/21, in a season played almost exclusively behind-closed-doors, and managed one goal before being allowed to move on for a nominal fee.
He has played a fair bit at centre-back for Mansfield but joined big-spending Gillingham as a striker. He hasn’t scored in three games.
Macauley Bonne – Charlton Athletic – free agent
The Town-supporting striker was the darling of Portman Road during the first half of last season but fell away in the second, before returning to QPR at the end of his loan in the summer.
It was clear he wasn’t in Rangers’ plans, with his contract terminated at the beginning of the transfer window, allowing him to join Charlton. He’s played twice for his new club without scoring, having signed a deal until the end of the season.
Martyn Waghorn – Coventry City to Huddersfield Town – loan
The striker was a hit during his one season at Ipswich, scoring 16 goals in Mick McCarthy’s final season before Paul Hurst sold him to Derby for a fee of around £5million.
He moved to Coventry on a free in 2021 but the Sky Blues loaned him to Huddersfield earlier this month, with Waghorn playing once from the bench so far.
Barry Cotter – Shamrock Rovers to Barnsley – undisclosed
Cotter showed a fair deal of promise during his career at Town, which started with a bang when he starred on his debut, on the night which proved to be McCarthy’s final game in charge.
But he never kicked on from there, returning to Ireland in 2021 before returning to England with Barnsley. He’s yet to make his debut.
Chris Wood – Newcastle United to Nottingham Forest – loan
The New Zealander was one of a raft of players brought in on loan at the end of the 2014/15 season, as Ipswich pushed for promotion.
Since then he’s become a Premier League player, joining Newcastle for a fee of £25m a year ago, before joining Nottingham Forest temporarily earlier this month.
Caolan Lavery – Scunthorpe United to Doncaster – undisclosed
Lavery came through the Ipswich youth system but departed for Sheffield Wednesday without playing a senior game or signing a professional contract.
Since then he’s played for the Owls, Southend, Plymouth, Chesterfield, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Rotherham, Bury, Walsall, Bradford and Scunthorpe. Doncaster are club 12 for the 30-year-old.
Shane McLoughlin – Morecambe to Salford City – free
McLoughlin made two senior appearances for Town and certainly showed he could handle playing for the Blues, but didn’t quite force his way into the senior picture before leaving in 2019.
He’s made a good career for himself in English football since then, though, firstly with AFC Wimbledon, then with Morecambe and now has the chance to push on in League Two with an ambitious Salford side.
Tom Eastman – Colchester United to Harrogate Town – loan
Tom Eastman playing for anyone other than Colchester? Surely not.
Well, after 464 appearances, that’s what’s happening. The U’s seem very keen to stress this is only a loan move, so the former Town academy player may have more to give to the Essex club.
Bersant Celina – Dijon to Stoke City – loan
Celina = sage when it comes to Ipswich Town. At least it did in the summer, anyway, when the Blues trailed him, only for the Kosovo international to join Kasimpasa in Turkey instead.
It didn’t really work out there, though, and he’s been recalled by parent club Dijon and moved to Stoke in the Championship instead. He really does belong in English football I think.
James Bree – Luton Town to Southampton - £750,000
Bree was part of the Ipswich side relegated from the Championship in 2019, having joined on loan from Aston Villa. He gave a decent account of himself.
Since then he has been part of Nathan Jones’ efforts at Luton, with the Welshman taking the defender with him to the Premier League earlier in the month.
Grant Ward – Bristol Rovers - free
Ward’s had a tough time over the last few years, suffering a really Achilles knee injury which ultimately led to him leaving Blackpool for a second time recently.
His release happened soon after McCarthy took over but he wasn’t without a club for long, hooking up with Ipswich Town’s Valentine’s Day opponents.
Jack Marriott – Peterborough United to Fleetwood Town - ‘substantial’ undisclosed fee
The man whose weight was once criticised by McCarthy has scored goals since leaving Portman Road in 2015.
He returned to Peterborough in 2021 but expressed a desire to leave this month, which ultimately saw him join Fleetwood for a fee described as ‘substantial’ by the Highbury club. It’s said to be £250,000.
Joe Garner – Fleetwood Town to Carlisle United
Garner, a Blue during the 2017/18 season, is back at Carlisle United for a fourth spell, having joined from Fleetwood.
He’s played twice since his return and is yet to score.
Connor Wickham – free agent
Wickham’s move to Forest Green at the start of the season was designed to get him playing football regularly again after years of injury.
It seemed to work, with 20 appearances yielding eight goals before he departed at the end of his contract. He, surprisingly, has yet to sign elsewhere.
Louie Barry – Aston Villa to Salford City – loan
For the second season in a row, the Aston Villa youngster has seen a loan move terminated mid-season in order for him to move down a level.
Last season it was from Ipswich to Swindon Town. This time it’s from MK Dons to enable a move to Salford.
Josh Emmanuel - Hull City to Grimsby Town - undisclosed
Another late one saw Emmanuel link up with former Ipswich manager Paul Hurst.
Emmanuel was doing really well with Hull but suffered an undisclosed illness, which means he's not played a senior game since late 2021. It's good to see him back again.
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