Ellis Harrison is determined to prove he has the quality to make it in the Championship following his first Ipswich Town goal.
The Welshman, who moved to Portman Road from Bristol Rovers for £750,000 in the summer, made his first start in three months in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United and fired the Blues into the lead on 38 minutes before Billy Sharp’s second-half equaliser.
The 24-year-old, who had been sidelined for 10 weeks by an ankle ligament injury suffered in training, was pleased to have opened his account but knows he still has plenty more to learn at second tier level.
“It’s very tough,” Harrison said of the Championship.
“I’ve played in the National League, League One and League Two and they are tough in different ways, but the Championship is unbelievably hard.
“It’s quicker, people are stronger and more clever. No disrespect to those leagues but I’ve had to come in and adapt to that. Hopefully I can set my mark in the next few games.
“The players who have come from the lower leagues can all do it in the Championship. It’s only us that can show you at the end of the season that we’ve come here to play and help the team.
“I don’t want to jump the gun after one goal because I have to keep working hard and keeping learning to become a good Championship player.
“Ipswich have had some great strikers and hopefully I can become one of them.”
Harrison’s strike came after the Blues won the ball back high up the pitch, with the Welshman firing home from just inside the box with the aid of a slight deflection.
“It’s a relief because I’ve been out for 10 weeks and am looking to prove myself under a new manager to get in the team,” he continued.
“Hopefully I’ve done that today to get more starts and to keep improving.
“As long as we get the three points, I’m not too bothered if I score to be honest.
“It was a great point which we deserved and maybe even three.
“We’ve gone two games unbeaten and hopefully we can carry that on.
“We’re always confident and the gaffer tells us to go out there with no fear which, as you can see from the sidelines, is how we played.
“Before we were, not scared, but didn’t have freedom.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here