Several ex-Ipswich Town players have been released by Premier League and Football League clubs. STUART WATSON looks at 23 of them.
MACAULEY BONNE
At Town: 2021/22 (on loan from QPR)
Town career: 32 starts (14 sub apps) - 12 goals
Having made clear his desire to return to his beloved Blues last summer, Bonne eventually saw a deadline day move to Charlton collapse at the death.
The 27-year-old eventually joined the Addicks on a short-term deal in January, after QPR had terminated his contract, and scored two goals in 16 appearances (half of which came from the bench).
Where will he go next? My money’s on a return to Leyton Orient following their promotion to League One.
LUKE CHAMBERS
At Town: 2012-21
Town career: 395 starts (1 sub app) - 18 goals
It was a surprise to see Town’s former long-serving skipper released by Colchester given the vital role he played in them beating the drop in League Two.
The 37-year-old is now on 791 senior appearances, putting him seventh in English football’s all-time leading appearance-makers list.
"I absolutely want to keep playing next season and get as far up that top ten list as possible,” he told the Colchester Gazette. “I think I'll be of value for someone.”
COLE SKUSE
At Town: 2013-21
Town career: 268 starts (10 sub apps) - 2 goals
Midfielder made 75 appearances for Colchester over the last two seasons.
He has since taken on longer hours in a coaching role at St Joseph’s College School in Ipswich and been named manager of Suffolk non-league side Bury Town.
GWION EDWARDS
At Town: 2018-21
Town career: 82 starts (27 sub apps) - 14 goals
Welsh winger turned down a new deal at Ipswich in 2021 to join rivals Wigan.
Has largely been used an impact substitute over the last two seasons as the Latics won the League One title then finished bottom of the Championship.
Spent the second half of the season just gone on loan at Scottish Premier League side Ross County.
Has been linked to League One clubs Charlton and Bristol Rovers.
FREDDIE SEARS
At Town: 2015-21
Town career: 151 starts (66 sub apps) - 34 goals
Forward scored 21 goals in his second spell at Colchester United, but increasingly found himself on the fringes in the second half of last season.
Speaking to the Colchester Gazette last month, he said: “I’m 33 now and have come a long way since the 18 year old who scored on his debut at West Ham.
“I still love football, so we’ll see what happens next.”
JOSH HARROP
At Town: 2021 (on loan from Preston)
Town career: 3 starts (12 sub apps)
Former Manchester United youngster arrived at Ipswich with so much promise but delivered so little.
He started three games for Fleetwood during a loan spell before eventually seeing his contract prematurely terminated by Preston in September last year.
The 27-year-old subsequently signed a short-term deal at Northampton, but injury niggles limited him to just two sub appearances for the League Two club.
ALAN JUDGE
At Town: 2019-21
Town career: 75 starts (16 sub apps) - 8 goals
Former Republic of Ireland international suffered a season-ending triple rupture in his left knee playing in a defeat at Sutton last December.
Colchester said, upon releasing the 34-year-old attacker, that they will help him get fit again.
The former Blackburn, Notts County and Brentford man, who is no stranger to coming back from long-term injuries, is determined not to hang up his boots just yet.
“I’ve had people saying: would I not just retire? No, I want to give it a go,” he said in March.
“I think my career deserves better than to finish with Sutton away.”
LUKE MATHESON
At Town: 2021 (on loan from Wolves)
Town career: 2 starts
After bursting on the scene at Rochdale with a goal against Manchester United aged just 16, Matheson was snapped up by Wolves for £1m.
He leaves Molineux three-and-a-half years later having not made a single senior appearance for the club.
The 20-year-old right-back had loan spells with Hamilton (Scottish Championship) and Scunthorpe (League Two) in 2021/22 and played U21s football in the campaign just gone.
ADAM PRZYBEK
At Town: 2018-21
Town career: 1 start
Former Wales youth keeper was the penalty shootout hero when Town beat Peterborough in the EFL Trophy back in December 2019 – but that proved to be his only senior appearance for the club.
After a season of being second/third-choice keeper at Wycombe, he joined Walsall. There he played once, again in the Trophy, before leaving by mutual consent in February.
Signed a short-term deal at Stevenage, played twice, and has since been released.
WILL NORRIS
At Town: 2019/20 (on loan from Wolves)
Town career: 20 starts
Off the back of a hit-and-miss season at Portman Road, goalkeeper Norris signed a three-year contract at Burnley.
The 29-year-old departs at the end of that deal having made just three appearances for the Clarets.
Spent the second half of the season just gone on loan at Peterborough.
ANTHONY GEORGIOU
At Town: 2019/20 (on loan from Tottenham)
Town career: 3 starts (10 sub apps)
Winger went back to his homeland of Cyprus to play for AEL Limassol in 2021 and then returned a year later to sign for Leyton Orient.
The 26-year-old made two appearances for the O’s in the early stages of last season – a 2-0 loss at Forest Green in the EFL Cup and 5-0 loss at Oxford in the Papa John’s Trophy – and was subsequently allowed to join National League side Yeovil on loan (where he made just two appearances).
CALLUM ELDER
At Town: 2019 (on loan from Leicester)
Town career: 4 starts (1 sub app)
Australian left-back has been released by Hull after making 137 starts appearances for them over the last four seasons.
Tigers had coach Liam Rosenior said: “I’d like to thank Callum for his unbelievable service to me during my time here and to the club before then, especially the promotion from League One.
“He’s been a key part of the squad with his leadership and personality in the dressing room. He works at 100% every day and has always showed a great mentality at the training ground.
“It was a very difficult decision to allow him to leave the club, but I’ve got no worries he’s going to have very good Championship clubs interested in him.”
JOSH EMMANUEL
At Town: 2015-19
Town career: 24 starts (5 sub apps)
Released by boyhood club Ipswich following Championship relegation in 2019, Emmanuel went on to play for Bolton and Hull, playing a key role in the latter’s promotion back to the Championship.
The 25-year-old was reunited with former Blues boss Paul Hurst at Grimsby in January this year and featured in the FA Cup giant-killing of Southampton.
GrimsbyLive reports that Emmanuel has been let go at the end of his short-term deal as the ‘the likelihood is he will have offers higher up the pyramid’.
JORDAN GRAHAM
At Town: 2013/14 (on loan from Aston Villa) and 2018 (on loan from Wolves)
Town career: 3 starts (2 sub apps)
Winger resurrected his career with an impressive season at League One club Gillingham in 2020/21.
A move to Birmingham City followed but, after making 30 Championship starts over the last two seasons, the 28-year-old finds himself a free agent.
There’s been a suggestion that the Midlands club may yet still offer him new terms.
MARTYN WAGHORN
At Town: 2017/18
Town career: 39 starts (7 sub apps) - 16 goals
Put in a transfer request at Ipswich, soon after Paul Hurst’s appointment, to force a £5m move to Derby in 2018.
After scoring 30 goals in three seasons for the Rams, he joined Coventry on a free transfer in 2021.
Made more appearances as a sub than a starter in year one at the East Midlands club. The 33-year-old then spent the second half of the season just gone on loan at Huddersfield.
“He’s surprised me,” said Neil Warnock, who used Waghorn sparingly during his side’s successful fight to beat the drop.
“Some of these young lads should look at him. He’s been an exemplary professional since I’ve been here and it’s just a pleasure to work with him really.”
TOMMY SMITH
At Town: 2007-2018
Town career: 251 starts (17 sub apps) - 23 goals
After a long stint at his boyhood club, the centre-back had a two-year spell playing for Colorado Rapids in the MLS.
He’s spent the last three seasons at Colchester and often worn the captain’s armband for the Essex club.
The 33-year-old recently picked up his 50th international cap for New Zealand.
TOUMANI DIAGOURAGA
At Town: 2017 (on loan from Leeds)
Town career: 10 starts (2 sub apps)
Journeyman midfielder, best known for his time at Brentford during the 2010s, has played for Plymouth, Fleetwood, Swindon, Morecambe and Rochdale over recent years.
The 35-year-old has just been let go by the latter after a disastrous campaign in which the Greater Manchester club finished bottom of the Football League.
CONOR GRANT
At Town: 2016 (on loan from Everton)
Town career: 4 starts (3 sub apps)
Left-sided midfielder has been let go by Plymouth after making 137 appearances for the club.
Due to injuries, the 28-year-old was restricted to a single league start in the Pilgrims’ recent League One title-winning campaign.
“(Releasing) Conor Grant has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make as a manager,” said Steven Schumacher.
“The ability that Conor has is undoubted, but the standout best qualities he possesses are his personality and professionalism.
“He has been a pleasure to work with and for five years he has represented this football club with total class.”
RYAN TUNNICLIFFE
At Town: 2013/14 (on loan from Man Utd)
Town career: 24 starts (5 sub apps)
Following his season at Ipswich, all-action midfielder Tunnicliffe went on to play for Fulham, Wigan, Blackburn, Millwall, Luton and Portsmouth.
The 30-year-old started 23 league games for Pompey in the season just gone, returning to favour when John Mousinho replaced Danny Cowley in the dugout.
Speaking at the end of April, Mousinho said: “The word that everybody uses is the ‘rejuvenation’ of his career.
“Whether it’s here or somewhere else, I think Ryan Tunnicliffe has shown there’s plenty left in the tank.”
RICHARD STEARMAN
At Town: 2013 (on loan from Wolves)
Town career: 15 starts
Former Leicester, Wolves, Fulham, Sheffield United and Huddersfield defender is one of Derby’s many experienced free agent pick-ups of the last two years.
He started 10 league games in their Championship relegation campaign and six on the way to a recent sixth-place finish in League One.
The 35-year-old helped the Rams’ analysis team during the second half of the campaign, with manager Paul Warne dubbing him ‘Coach Stearman’.
JACK COLBACK
At Town: 2009-11 (on loan from Sunderland).
Town career: 46 starts (8 sub appearances) - five goals.
Former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder has spent the last five seasons at Nottingham Forest.
He played an integral part in them securing Championship promotion in 2021/22, scoring some important goals from a wing-back role, but found game-time limited in the Premier League campaign just gone.
Forest head coach Steve Cooper said of the 33-year-old: “Jack has been more than a player to me. He's a real man."
DAVID STOCKDALE
At Town: 2011 (on loan from Fulham)
Town career: 18 starts
After playing a key role in Wycombe winning promotion to the Championship in 2021/22, the experienced keeper was snapped up by Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer.
He made 27 appearances for the Owls, but found himself behind Cameron Dawson in the pecking order for much of the second half of the season.
Since being released, the 37-year-old has returned to his boyhood club of York City to combine playing with a head of recruitment role.
TOM EASTMAN
At Town: 2009-11
Town career: 12 starts (1 sub app)
Let go by boyhood club Ipswich after a handful of senior appearances, Eastman went on to become a loyal servant down the road at Colchester.
The 31-year-old leaves having racked up 464 games for the U’s over a 12-year period. Spending the second half of last season on loan at League Two rivals Harrogate was a strange way to bring the curtain down on his time at the club.
“The term ‘club legend’ is sometimes overused in football but I certainly see Tom in that light for the service he has given to the club,” said Colchester’s sporting director Dmitri Halajko.
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