Matthew Pennington may only have played one game for Ipswich Town but he has already seen enough to be sure the Blues will soon get their season up and running.
The Everton loanee went straight into the starting line-up for the 1-1 draw with rivals Norwich prior to the start of the international break, but couldn’t help Ipswich secure their first victory under new boss Paul Hurst.
But the 23-year-old believes the mood is good in a group which he says has quickly gelled, despite him being one of a dozen new players to following Hurst through the door at Portman Road this summer.
“I’m confident and I’ve seen enough on the training pitch to see that and I’m sure results are just around the corner,” he said.
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“Clean sheets help you win games so if I can help with that it would be great.
“There’s competition here and it’s very healthy for teams and performances so if I get a start, or play, then I’ll give me all and hopefully show to the manager I deserve to be in there.
“The mood’s good here, training’s good but tough with double sessions and a lot of running so hopefully we’ll be a really fit team and get results.
“I can see the lads are fit and I can see how as well because the training’s been really tough. It looks good.
“If I didn’t know differently I wouldn’t have thought I was coming into a group with 12 new signings. It is a real group, a real team and that’s good.”
Pennington knew all about the Blues prior to his arrival after talking to former Ipswich loanees Callum Connolly and Conor Grant, who he played with at Goodison Park, while he also has a good relationship with former Town boss Joe Royle from their time together on Merseyside.
“I didn’t speak to Joe about Ipswich actually but I was speaking to him over the summer,” Pennington said of Royle, who worked in youth development at Everton prior to his departure in December.
“He’s been really good, really helpful with me over the summer and has been a big part of my loans in the past.
“He’s a top guy.
“I spoke to both (Connolly and Grant) and asked about where I should live, things like that, and they speak very highly of the place.
“They told me it was a family club where everyone’s friendly and I feel as though I’ve felt that since I’ve come.”
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