Teddy Bishop is keen to earn a new contract at Ipswich Town over the coming weeks.
The 22-year-old’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, the Blues having taken a 12 month extension option in his deal last summer.
Following two years of repeated injury frustration, the twinkle-toed midfielder has made two starts and three substitute appearances for his boyhood club in 2018/19.
“Last year was worrying because I hadn’t played a lot of football and the hamstring injury (suffered on Boxing Day) meant I was out for the rest of the season so it was almost as though I didn’t warrant a new contract,” he told the club programme.
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“At the same time it felt a bit unfair because it wasn’t my fault. I left it with my agent. That’s his job. He was really good. It went on into the summer but he said that if Ipswich didn’t want me there were other clubs out there.
“The difference this season, hopefully, is that I’m fit and I have a chance to show what I can do over the rest of the season.
“The target is to help the club stay up but personally I want to win a new contract as well because I want to stay here. I’ve been here since age seven, 15 years or so. It’s my club.”
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Bishop started the New Year’s Day defeat to Millwall, stepped off the bench during the FA Cup exit at Accrington Stanley and was an unused substitute for Saturday’s 1-0 home win against Rotherham.
“It’s great to be back,” he said. “I have not missed any sessions and I have done a lot of work in the gym with the physios as well so it’s all coming together now and I feel good.
“People expect you to come back straightaway like you were before, but it’s not going to happen. It takes time to get back to full level.
“I played 30 games the first season I broke through (as Town finished sixth). That was a good year for me and hopefully I can get back to that form. Hopefully I’m back to stay now.”
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Reflecting on his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Bishop added: “There were times when I thought ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’. I felt I was one big injury away from calling it a day. Friends, family and my agent all helped me keep going through the bad days.
“Having missed so much football I feel like I have got to make up for lost time now.”
TEDDY BISHOP CAREER STATS
2014/15: 25 starts (11 sub apps)
2015/16: 2 (2)
2016/17: 7 (13)
2017/18: 1 (3)
2018/19: 2 (3)
TOWN CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Skuse, Judge*, Chalobah**, Downes, Huws, Nolan, Bishop*, Dozzell, Adeyemi*, Nydam, El Mizouni
* Out of contract in summer
** Loan expires in summer
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