Ipswich Town: Conor Chaplin on PFA award and the art of goalscoring

The 26-year-old bagged a career-best 29 times across all competitions last season – sharing the League One Golden Boot with Peterborough’s Jonson Clarke-Harris – and he’s already struck twice in the opening five games of the new Championship season. 

Such impressive numbers from a deep-lying forward position have brought a clutch of awards, the latest being the PFA League One Players’ Player of the Year. 

Traditionally, members of the players’ union pick just one colleague at the very top of the English game. However, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the award, new competition-specific gongs were introduced this year and Chaplin beat Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday), Aaron Collins (Bristol Rovers), Clarke-Harris, David McGoldrick (Derby) and Bali Mumba (Plymouth) in the third-tier vote. 

Conor Chaplin scored 29 goals across all competitions last season. (Image: © Copyright Ray Lawrence)“This one means a lot because it’s recognition from people you’re competing against week-in, week-out in,” said Chaplin.

“And to be the first to get this new award makes it special too.” 

The only Ipswich player to have ever been named PFA Player of the Year was John Wark back in 1980/81. The Scot scored 36 goals across all competitions that season as Sir Bobby Robson’s men won the UEFA Cup, made the FA Cup semi-finals and just lost out to Aston Villa in the First Division title race. 

“I see Warky on matchdays because he’s the one who does the man-of-the-match interviews in the boxes afterwards,” said Chaplin. 

“I think he scored nearly 40 from midfield one season didn’t he? He gave me a few jibes about that last year as my total went up. Listen, he’s an absolute legend in the game and his goals obviously came at the very top level. 

“The history of this football club is incredible and, as we keep saying, we’re all motivated to make new memories.” 

Ipswich Town legend John Wark once scored 36 goals in a season from midfield. (Image: Pagepix Ltd)Talking about Wark’s feats brings us on to a conversation about the art of goalscoring from a deep role and whether what he did last season can translate to the Championship.  

“Finishing is finishing,” said Chaplin. “I think the higher you go the better your conversion rate has to be because you’re not going to get as many chances in a game. There are more athletic defenders and more athletic goalkeepers making things harder for you. 

“I think there’s definitely a knack to being in the right place at the right time. I’ve watched many players over the years who have been good at that – Kevin Phillips and Jermain Defoe spring to mind. It’s a cliché, but the ball always seems to drop for me and I don’t think that’s luck. It’s about habits and the know-how you develop over years of playing the game. 

“There are a lot of cute things that go into it. I can tell by the way a defender is set the probability of them going one side or the other. I feel if you freeze-framed several moments in games and made me bet which way players were going to go I’d have a good overall accuracy. That’s important because you only get that split-second to judge a situation.  

Conor Chaplin celebrates his late winner at QPR. (Image: Ross Halls)“The biggest thing that the best goalscorers have though, in my opinion, is their mindset. They just have that desire to make the box and be on the end of the ball." 

Chaplin’s late winner at QPR was a prime example of just that. After his first shot was blocked, the front man sprang to his feet and smashed home at the second attempt to send a packed away end at Loftus Road into raptures. 

“Getting that first goal of the season always brings a big sigh of relief," he explains. "It’s always a big moment for me in every season because there’s a sense of anxiety behind it. 

“It was a bit of a strange one. I got the shot off, fell on the floor and didn’t really have my bearings. All I knew is the ball hadn’t been properly cleared. All I was thinking of at that moment was getting a visual on the ball. 

Conor Chaplin (left) has two Championship goals to his name already this season. (Image: PA Images)“Thankfully I saw it quickly and was able to react fast. It was an amazing feeling when it hit the back of the net right in front of that away end. I had a load of family and friends in there. My dad and brother are at every game and my mum, sister and few cousins were there that day too.” 

Ipswich have, of course, reached the first international break of the season in good shape. 

Kieran McKenna’s men are second in the early Championship table after winning four of their opening five league games. Two victories in the Carabao Cup have set up a third round home tie with Premier League club Wolves too.

Portman Road is now regularly a 29,000 sell-out and there will be thousands in the away ends at both Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton over the coming days.

“The size and strength of our support is incredible - we definitely feel it," said Chaplin.

“This sort of connection between the team and fans doesn’t happen an awful lot in football, so we want to make the most of this moment. We’ve got to ride this momentum for as long as possible because we know it won’t last forever. We need to keep this feelgood factor and protect it as much as possible. 

“I’m hungry to keep scoring goals. The target I’ve set for myself is a stretch, but I’d rather push myself than simply go for something deemed realistic. That’s how I’ve always been.” 

Conor Chaplin marks scoring at Cheltenham back in April with a baby-themed goal celebration. (Image: Pagepix Ltd)It’s not just on the field that things are exciting for Chaplin right now either. He’s set to become a father for the first time in just a few weeks. 

“We don’t know what we’re having yet,” says the front man with a beaming smile.  

“There’s a lot of dads in the dressing room and they’ve all been telling me how much my life is going to change! 

“We can’t wait! Personally and professionally this is a really exciting time in my life and I’m just trying to soak it all in.”