‘It’s happened totally out of the blue’ – Downes completes loan move to Luton

Monty Patterson, pictured at Crystal Palace. Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

Downes broke into the Ipswich first team at the start of the campaign after impressing during pre-season, making 12 appearances at a time when the Blues were without a number of senior midfielders due to injury.

The all-action teenager’s impressive performances earned him a call-up to the England Under-19 squad.

He has not played since a 1-0 victory at Derby on November 28 though, with a calf injury and then exhaustion – which required blood tests – keeping him out.

The fit-again 19-year-old joins a free-scoring Luton side currently leading League Two by eight points.

Flynn Downes in action during the Ipswich Town v Birmingham City game on the opening day. Picture: STEVE WALLER www.stephenwaller.com (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

He said: “I can’t wait to get started. It’s happened totally out of the blue. I was called into the gaffer’s office and he literally just said: ‘Do you want to go out on loan to Luton?’ I just said ‘Yes, get me there, I just want to be playing football!’

“That is the main reason I’ve come, because I want to play football. Every youngster wants to be improving, and that’s my aim – to come here, improve and help the team.”

Hatters boss Nathan Jones said: “Flynn is a young Championship player who Ipswich have big hopes for. We don’t take many loans, but we knew about him and once we were made aware he’d become available, we felt it was worth the chance to take him.

“He’s a real energetic, combative midfield player. We know what type of character and what type of worker he is, because he’s one that Mick McCarthy likes – and if Mick McCarthy likes him we know we are getting a real top midfield player.

“We are delighted that Mick was very complimentary about our environment and how we play. He was instrumental in allowing Flynn to come out and get more experience with us.”