Ipswich Town new boy Danny Rowe is glad he didn’t quit football for good

The tricky Mancunian winger made his professional debut for Stockport County, at Leeds United in League One, not long after his 16th birthday and was tipped for big things.

Stockport spiralled down the divisions due to financial difficulties though and Rowe has played in the top-tier of non-league for the last six years before earning a whirlwind £100k switch from Macclesfield Town last Friday.

“A couple of years ago I took a break from the game and took a course to become a personal trainer,” he revealed. “At that time I thought I might walk away from football. I wasn’t very happy playing at that level, but thankfully I got it together and now here I am.

“There was a lot of things going on off the field at that time, it was a tough period which I don’t really want to get into, but I soon realised I wanted to back out there and thankfully Macclesfield took me back.

“I always had ambitions to get back at a higher level and always knew I was good enough. Players develop at different stages and I think I’m ready to progress now.

“It is good to see people coming from non-league. You look at what Jamie Vardy has done and people are maybe realising it’s not as big a jump as they thought. I’ve got ambitions to go to the top.”

The younger brother of former Peterborough and current Doncaster winger Tommy Rowe, Danny said: “He’s always told me I should have done better than he’s done and that there is nothing I can’t do. He’s been in the Championship most of his career and been to Wembley three times and won, so hopefully I can take it on now.”

Rowe, who revealed he had eight or nine other clubs chasing his signature, will not be part of the Town squad for tonight’s visit of Derby County due to a slight hip injury.

He added: “The manager has told me to work hard and I’ll get my chance.”