'I like creating chances and getting forward' - Humphreys wants bigger role

Humphreys, 18, signed a new three-year deal at Portman Road this week after a stunning season which saw him make his senior debut for the Blues and enjoy success as part of the U18 and U23 sides.

The young midfielder made four senior appearances during his breakthrough campaign, beginning with his debut against Newport in the Carabao Cup in August and culminating with an impressive cameo against Charlton on the final day of the season.

Will Cameron Humphreys secure himself a place in Kieran McKenna's first team plans this pre-season? (Image: Steve Waller)

“I’m delighted, I’m really happy to sign a new deal with the club,” he told the club website. “It’s the only club I’ve played for, so I'm happy to stay here. I’ve enjoyed my time so far and I hope that continues.

“I’ve had a really good time through the academy, been successful with teams more recently with the U18s and the U23s.

“I’ve really enjoyed being in and around the building, working with all the different coaches, they’ve really helped me.

“But I’m just getting started, I want to keep learning, keep getting better and hopefully that’s what I can do over the next year or two.”

He added: "I've had a lot of good messages from family and friends and spoken about it a lot with them, which I've really enjoyed.

"But it's only the beginning, and I've got so much more I want to do at Ipswich Town, which is why I've stayed, and I want to keep developing and keep getting better."

Humphreys won Town's academy player of the season gong after a campaign which saw him turn out for three different club sides, and said for him it's a case of the more games, the better.

"I've enjoyed it," he explained. "I want to play as much football as possible - from the age of seven or eight at Ipswich, that's all I've wanted to do, play football.

"So having the opportunity to win trophies with the 18s and 23s has been really good, but also getting that exposure of being in the first team environment, travelling with them a few times and getting on where I can, I've really enjoyed it."

Both of Humphreys' senior league appearances came off the bench, and both were against Charlton - in very different circumstances.

His first taste of league football came at The Valley in December, a miserable night which served as one of Town's lowest points of the season.

With Paul Cook just sacked, there were ugly scenes after the game as since-departed defender Toto Nsiala remonstrated with unhappy fans following a limp 2-0 defeat.

But in the reverse, on the last day of the season, more than 26,000 fans packed into Portman Road to watch Town turn on the style and torch the Addicks 4-0.

Cameron Humphreys has been with the Ipswich Town first-team this summer (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

"Funnily enough they were both against Charlton," Humphreys said of his league bows. "Different circumstances but I was really pleased to come on in both, and especially happy on the last day of the season to play in front of a good crowd at Portman Road.

"It almost felt like a celebration. Even though we weren't where we want to be in the league, it was still good to have that kind of celebration feel, and everyone feeling that we're in the right place to go again next season."

The latter game saw him play as an attacking midfielder and lay on an assist for James Norwood, in what was the controversial striker's final appearance for the club.

Humphreys said: "I didn't think I'd been having my best game when I came on, but Norwood made a really good run and finished really well from a tight angle. I was delighted to get an assist.

"That's what I feel I bring to the table and want to do more of. I like creating chances, I like getting forward, I've got a lot of energy.

"Playing those forward passes and seeing forward runs is something that I do well."

Now the challenge for the youngster is impressing boss Kieran McKenna and earning more time on the pitch next season, a campaign which has to see Town push for promotion.

"I've been lucky enough to train with him quite a bit and get a feel for him and his coaching staff and how he is around the training ground, how the sessions are," he said of Town's boss.

"I've really enjoyed them. The intensity is really good, the quality is high - we've got a good squad, a competitive squad and I've been really happy to be a part of it."

Of next season, he added: "I'm still young so I want to get better as much as I can, keep improving my game personally. And I want to play as much football as I can, because that will help me develop.

"Like I said, it will be a competitive squad and it's not going to be easy to play, but I want to get as much game time as possible and keep developing."