Blues midfielder Cole Skuse will celebrate with relish, should he get on the scoresheet at former club Bristol City tomorrow.

The 30-year-old makes his first return to Ashton Gate as a player, having missed the Blues’ 2-1 defeat to the Robins in February.

Having graduated through the youth system at City, Skuse went on to make over 300 appearances for the Robins, but scored just nine goals.

Goals have been even harder to come by for the Skuse at Portman Road, the playmaker having netted just once in 145 appearances.

“I served my time at Bristol City and they have always been my team, but I am very much an Ipswich Town player and if I score, especially with my goalscoring record, I would relish every moment,” Skuse said.

On the prospect of returning to City, the midfielder added: “As much as you can say it’s just another game, it isn’t, because I have a huge attachment to (Bristol City).

“A lot of players say, ‘once you cross the line you forget about things’ and I am sure I will, unless I crash into a big tackle and pick up a yellow card and their fans get on the back of me. I will treat it as just another game

He added: “I got a very good reception (at Bristol City) last season. I didn’t play but I went on the pitch at half-time to draw their raffle.

“If I score, or upset their fans in any way it will be a little bit different I am sure, the reception will change. It will be an emotional game, not just for me, but for my family as well.

One former City player who won’t be returning with Ipswich tomorrow is Brett Pitman, the striker having returned to training this week after an ankle injury.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy said: “He has trained fully this week, he has trained really well, but he’s just had 10 weeks out and I’m the last person to think anyone could come back and compete at the level we are playing after that amount of time out. It would be wrong, and even if we were struggling I don’t think I would ask him to do it.

“He’ll train over the weekend, he’ll play on Monday (under-23s) and if he gets through that we will be looking at him for Cardiff (next Saturday) and beyond.”