SIGNING on loan for Ipswich Town has been one of the best moves of Jimmy Bullard’s career.

SIGNING on loan for Ipswich Town has been one of the best moves of Jimmy Bullard’s career.

And the 32-year-old midfield gem has not ruled out the possibility of prolonging his stay at Portman Road, from Hull City, beyond this summer.

Bubbly Bullard, to be fair, has not even thought about where he will be playing his football after this season.

But he feels at home at Ipswich, especially under his old boss Paul Jewell, and he insists that money will not be the only factor that determines his long-term future.

Bullard has enjoyed some lucrative moves during a distinguished career, including a �2.5m transfer to Fulham in 2006, and then a �5m switch to Hull at the start of 2009.

But this latest loan move to Portman Road was an equally big step – it was actually the first loan deal of his career – so he means business at Town.

“I haven’t thought about what I might do after the summer,” admitted Bullard yesterday, ahead of tomorrow’s home match against Portsmouth.

“I got asked this question the other day, and I said “no.” I’m at Ipswich at the moment, and I’m obviously fully dedicated to Ipswich.

“Come the end of the season, ask me again and I should be able to give you a more positive answer.

“But I hope that finance is not a big stumbling block. Finance is not everything that I am about. Football is my main prerogative.

“I’m enjoying my time here, but at the same time I have a lot of respect for Hull.

“I’ve got two-and-a-half years left on my contract, and I respect that contract,” added Bullard.

Even though he has been playing professional football for more than a decade, Bullard’s current situation feels “a bit strange.”

He finds himself wanting both Town and his parent club Hull to succeed.

“It’s a bit difficult for me at the moment, because I had never been on loan before, even though I’m now 32” continued Bullard.

“I feel for both clubs, I want Hull to do well, as I do Ipswich obviously.

“It is strange, and I didn’t know what to expect when I first came here.

“I arrived with an open mind. It was a chance for me to play football.

“I spoke to Adam Pearson, who was then the chairman of Hull City, and I think it was best for both parties that I went out and played some football, and financially as well to get the books straight I felt.

“It was perfect, and it’s been really good for me.”

Bullard’s family though, and especially his Dad, have no split loyalties - they are all newly-converted Town fans.

“My family, from the East End, are all Ipswich fans now,” revealed Bullard.

“It was a long way for them to go to Hull every other weekend, but it’s now just an hour-and-a-half down the A12 for my Dad, and he loves it.

“He’s smothered in blue! He loves Ipswich,” added Bullard, who was a key member of Jewell’s Wigan squad that clinched promotion to the Premier League in 2005.