From Proving Ground to Premier League: David McGoldrick’s Heartfelt Journey with Ipswich Town

The skilful frontman, now 37 and banging in the goals for hometown club Notts County in League Two, spent more than five years at Portman Road between January 2013 and July 2018, scoring 45 goals in 159 games. He was a part of the side which reached the play-offs against the odds under pragmatic boss Mick McCarthy in 2014/15, but departed after new chief Paul Hurst arrived in the summer of 2018, with the Blues slowly sliding towards oblivion. While McGoldrick went on to shine and score goals in the Premier League with Sheffield United, Town dropped out of the Championship and were mired in League One for four seasons, before their recent rapid resurgence under Kieran McKenna, Mark Ashton and the new American owners. David McGoldrick spent five years at Town                                                                     Image: PAGEPIX LTDSpeaking previously about his departure, McGoldrick admitted:  "It was a kick up the a***. I wasn’t a golden player at a team like Ipswich any more. I had to go and prove myself. "I believe I had lost my way a bit. I don’t think you realise it until you’re in that sort of situation. I maybe got a bit too comfortable at Ipswich. "I loved my time there, but we were mid-table every week and there was no big expectations to go out there and win every game." And now, speaking exclusively to the EADT through Sky Bet, McGoldrick said he's happy to see the Blues back in the big time. “It had to take one step back to go two forward," he said, when asked if Town always felt like a sleeping giant to him.  "I played them for Sheffield United when they were getting relegated from the Championship. What they're doing now is brilliant. "To see them in the Premier League, to see the stadium at full capacity, playing good teams – I'm really happy for them to be back there." McGoldrick and the Blues made the play-offs under Mick McCarthy                        Image: PAGEPIX LTDMcGoldrick's departure from the Blues wasn't without controversy. His contract had run down, with McCarthy suggesting the pair 'might leave hand-in-hand out the golden gates'. Incoming boss Hurst later claimed he hadn't had the option to keep the striker, saying he wasn't even on the budget sheet despite being the highest paid player at the club. Looking back now, McGoldrick reflected: “I loved my time at Ipswich. I got injured more than I wanted to towards the back end of my season, but I loved playing for the club. "It is a big club, and I love seeing them doing well in the Premier League. A great fan base, the training ground and stadium – it feels like a family club. “The characters that were there – Luke Chambers, the captain, my captain for the whole time. "He's a big character with the likes of Tyrone Mings, he was a character. Aaron Creswell, Daryl Murphy – we had quite a few characters there to be fair!” McGoldrick had plenty of praise for ex-Town boss Mick McCarthy, right                        Image: Sky BetAnd McGoldrick also reserved special praise for McCarthy, who famously exited the club with a thump of the desk after a midweek win against Barnsley in April 2018. "He turned me into a man," McGoldrick said. "When I went there, I was 23, 24, I was still young in mind. "Straight away he didn't take no nonsense and that was good for me. I had moved far away from Nottingham, and he took me under his wing – he was great. "I can't speak highly enough of Mick, I had him for five and a half years. They were brilliant towards me – Mick and Terry Connor.”   McGoldrick also revealed he still has a soft spot for the Blues and hopes they can stay in the top tier under 'great manager' McKenna. McGoldrick is still banging in the goals at Notts County - he has seven so far this season (Image: Notts County FC) “I keep an eye on their scores," he explained. "The Premier League is a different world – you don't get any easy wins. "It was great to see them get a result against Tottenham, they deserve it. The games that they've played, they've been close (to getting results). “They've got a good striker in (Liam) Delap, they've still got some great players that came up from the Championship and bought well. "Hopefully, now they can push on. That monkey is off their back to get that first win, and they've got a great manager. "He knows what he's doing so hopefully they can stay up this year.”