Danny Rowe is out to make his mark at Ipswich Town as the winger continues his battle for full fitness following ankle surgery.
The winger, signed from Macclesfield for £100,000 in January 2017, suffered the injury during a loan spell at Lincoln earlier this year and only returned to the Blues first team as a late substitute at Hull earlier this month.
He’s made just nine appearances in Ipswich blue, including only two Championship starts, and while he is still a way from full fitness he now wants to prove he has what it takes to make it in the second tier.
“It’s never been that easy for me wherever I’ve been but the circumstances since I’ve arrived here with injuries and not being in the team have been frustrating,” he said, in an interview in the club’s matchday programme.
“You go out on loan and when you come back you have to hope that the situation has changed and that you’ll get an opportunity - hopefully it’s that time for me now.
“The aim is to get in the team but at the same time I want to add something to the team. We need get points on the board and that means everyone needs to show what they can offer, including me.
“I now feel like I need to try and make my mark in the Championship. I’m in a similar situation to come of the new lads as well because they‘re looking to show that they deserve to play at this level too. This difference is that when I arrived here most of the guys in the squad were already Championship players, now we have a mix and I would consider myself one of the guys looking to prove myself in the Championship.”
Rowe admits he is still some way from full fitness but was pleased to return to the field at the KCOM Stadium, having previously scored a hat-trick in Town’s Under 23s as part of his road back into action.
“Having been out for four months or so it was nice to get back on the pitch, despite not getting the result (2-0 defeat) we wanted,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say I’m back to full fitness as such but once I get that match sharpness back I think I’ll be there or thereabouts.
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“The U23 games aren’t to the level of fitness required in the Championship but they’ve certainly helped.
“Chipping in with goals and assists is great but the main thing for me was improving my fitness so it’s good that the matches helped me do that.”
Next up for Paul Hurst’s Ipswich Town is Saturday’s Championship trip to face Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.
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