DAVID Norris today looked back on his infamous goal celebration at Blackpool last season and said it was a significant learning curve.The 29-year-old Blues midfielder goes back to Blackpool for a crucial Championship clash on Saturday confirming he would love nothing more than to put the ball into the back of the net again.

Elvin King

DAVID Norris today looked back on his infamous goal celebration at Blackpool last season and said it was a significant learning curve.

The 29-year-old Blues midfielder goes back to Blackpool for a crucial Championship clash on Saturday confirming he would love nothing more than to put the ball into the back of the net again.

“But this time I'll do an old fashioned celebration and make my way back to the half-way line.”

Norris became headline news when he cuffed his hands after scoring - a move linked with his friend and former Plymouth Argyle team mate Luke McCormick, who was in jail after a road accident when the keeper was over the alcohol limit. Arron Peak, 10, and his brother Ben, eight both died.

“It was a learning curve for me,” said softly spoken Stamford-born Norris, who has been an ever present in manager Roy Keane's league starting line-ups since recovering from a bad knee injury in December.

Norris admits that his gesture was indelicate, and he went to Manchester to apologise to the Peak family.

They appreciated this and having spoken to the player became aware that there was no malice in the player's ill advised method of celebration.

On reflection, Norris received far more criticism than a plain lack of thinking deserved.

He has come through it though, and his return to Blackpool for Ipswich's 2-1 FA Cup win in January went off without any incident.

Norris was fined by the Blues for his actions, and at the time he said: “I can see now how my actions may have been misinterpreted and for that and any distress that this has caused the Peak family I am truly sorry. I would never act so insensitively after such a tragedy.”

Norris thinks it will be a 'tasty' game this weekend with Ipswich needing a result to avoid a possible drop back into the relegation danger zone.

“Ian Holloway was sent to the stand and they had two players also sent off in the cup game,” added Norris. “Their manager was raging so it could be tasty this time.”

Despite a five hour journey, around 700 Town fans are expected to make the trip to the north west and Norris revealed the desire in the Town camp to reward supporters.

“We're just had four away games on the trot and at times it felt as though we were the home team.

“We could be getting a lot more stick than we are considering our league position.

“We are more than a good enough team and shouldn't be where we are.”