New Ipswich Town signing Richard Keogh has come home - and he wants to end his career by helping to drive the Blues to success.
Veteran defender Keogh, who turns 36 tomorrow, has signed a one-year deal for an undisclosed fee from Championship side Blackpool and brings vast experience to Suffolk, having played more than 450 games at Championship level.
But his move to Suffolk is a move full circle for him - born in Essex, he was part of Town's youth set-up and served as a Portman Road ball boy before moving on to an impressive and lengthy career at a high level of the game with the likes of Stoke, Bristol City, Derby County, Coventry and the Republic of Ireland.
Of his return, he explained: "It's amazing to come back. To have started my football journey at eight years old, to be at the club. I had a great upbringing on football and they taught me how to play the game.
"So obviously it's been a few years, but I'm finally back here and it's an amazing feeling.
"Just driving in so many great memories were coming back to me. I can't wait to get out at Portman Road and represent Ipswich out on the pitch.
"It's exciting and it still feels the same a little bit as when I was a young kid.
"Obviously the club's moved forwards a lot, and it great to see it moving in a really good direction."
He added: "For me, on a personal level, starting my career here and to potentially finish it here is something that's quite rare in football.
"It's a fantastic ending for me, and obviously being closer to my family in Essex - who I've been away from for a long time - to have the opportunity to do that.
"My grandad was a big part of my playing football and he sadly passed away last year - so for him to know that I would come back here and play, he always loved Ipswich so much, it's nice that I could finally come back.
"It all happened quite quickly. I had some great conversations with everyone at the club, and I feel like the way the club's moving forward, and the style of play will suit my game.
"Even if I'm not on the pitch, the role for me is to help develop the great young centre backs who are here and just try and drive the standards and the group - and that's what I'm looking forward to doing."
Like many of Town's summer signings, boss Kieran McKenna has also proved a big part of the pull to Suffolk.
Keogh said: Firstly, he's a fantastic guy. First and foremost, that's a really key ingredient for any manager or coach.
"I know Kieran a little bit, but having met him and spoke to him now, he's a highly intelligent guy and a fantastic coach. I love how his team plays and I love how he sees football.
"We were just chatting about football for ages to be honest, it was a brilliant conversation.
"I'm really excited to work for him. Even though I'm at the latter end of my career I still feel like I can improve - I'm always willing to learn - and I feel like he can help my game a lot.
"I feel like it's going to be a nice fit. Me coming with my experience and my attributes, but also trying to learn and improve as well."
Keogh joins a club riding the crest of a wave following last year's takeover, with fans packing into grounds both home and away as they hope to see the Blues achieve something they've not done for almost a quarter of a century - win promotion.
"On a personal level, I want to help the team in any way I can, whether that means on or off the pitch," he stressed.
"I think that's one of my big strengths, driving the group and helping any way I can, but also on the pitch I want to perform to a high level.
"I think everyone knows the aims of the football club. It's been a decent start - hopefully we can get a result at the weekend and that would be a really good start.
"So it's about performing and trying to get this club to the top end of the league - if you ask anyone at the football club, that's the aim.
"It's not going to be easy, this is a really tough league and there's some really good teams in there, and we all know how the schedules can affect that.
"But I think if we've got the right mentality, which I believe this group has, with the manager and the coaching staff, I think anything's possible."
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