IPSWICH Town striker David Healy today indicated that he'd like to play his football with the Blues long-term.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town striker David Healy today indicated that he'd like to play his football with the Blues long-term.

The 30-year-old record breaking Northern Ireland marksman scored his first goal for Town in Tuesday's 1-1 Championship draw at Scunthorpe United.

Along with front running partner Daryl Murphy he is currently on loan at Portman Road until the end of the season.

But he made it plain he would like it to be longer.

“The thought of playing regular full time for Ipswich excites me,” said Healy.

“I want to play and I want to play for a good football club. Ipswich Town fits the bill.

“It's down to me to get goals and to work as hard as I can.

“I want to prove to the manager I'm worth a longer stay.

“He been great to me and I want to repay him.

“There are plenty of players who can create goals here and this is an opportunity for me to put the chances away.”

Healy, who is set to play for Northern Ireland in a friendly in Armenia next week, had not scored for over a year before he netted at Glanford Park.

He went on: “When I was training with Sunderland this season I knew deep down that I wasn't going to play.

“It's easy to let your standards drop in those circumstances although I shouldn't have let it happen.

“I let myself down a little bit, but I'd been out in the cold for so long.

“The manager brought Daryl and myself to Ipswich to score goals - and it took Daryl 23 seconds or so.

“It has taken me four games but I was basically blowing away the cobwebs in my first two games and then my Peterborough contribution was not one of my better games.

“I missed out at Sheffield Wednesday and that wasn't perhaps my type of game with plenty of huffing and puffing.

“The manager said that our substitutes could make an impact at Scunthorpe and although my goal did not prove to be a winner it was worth a deserved point.”

Healy has no doubt that Ipswich will move up the table in the remaining weeks of the season, and that he has joined a club equipped to advance.

“You only have to look at the manager and players to see what Ipswich are capable of,” added Healy.

“I'm convinced they won't be in trouble by the end of the season.

Healy was brought in to 'poach' goals, and he did just that at Glanford Park with a neat tap-in.

He looked back and added: “Jon Walters did what Jon does - a bit of harrying and hassling and the ball dropped for me and I was able to put it away.

“Once a goalscorer, always a goalscorer.

“Fans and players like 30-yard specials arrowing into the net, but managers like the 'ugly' goals - they all count the same.”