RICHARD Stearman says he jumped at the chance to be reunited with ‘father figure’ Mick McCarthy at Ipswich Town.

The 25-year-old defender was brought to Wolves by McCarthy in 2008 and made more than 100 appearances under his management.

And now the pair are working together again after Stearman completed a loan move to Portman Road until the end of the season.

“He was obviously a massive draw for me coming to Ipswich,” said Stearman.

“It was a sad day when he left Wolves (sacked last February).

“I think if you asked most of the players he brought in they would say the same.

“He’d obviously brought a lot of those players in at a young age and become a father figure to many of us as he created his own team.”

He continued: “You certainly know where you stand with the gaffer. If you’re playing well you know about it, if you’re not then you certainly know about it! I like that in a manager.

“His record speaks for itself. His man-management is very good, his coaching is very good – he’s got the complete package really. He’s been around the Championship a long time, he’s been in the Premiership, he’s been an international manager. He brings great experience to whatever club he’s at.

“He’s a fighter, a winner and he knows how to win games in this division.

“I think you’ve seen since he’s arrived here that he’s been able to pick up a lot of points and hopefully that can continue.

“Terry (Connor, Town assistant manager) had spent a good many years at Wolves too and helped me become the player I am. He’s very influential on the inside of things and it’s good to link up with him again too.”

Brought in as a replacement for Bradley Orr following his return to parent club Blackburn Rovers, it’s likely that Stearman will start at right-back when Middlesbrough visit Portman Road tomorrow.

“Centre-back is probably my first position, but I’ve played out on the right a lot throughout my career and it’s nothing alien to me,” said Stearman.

“I’m just looking forward to getting a few games under my belt, to be honest.

“I’ve always been hopeful that I’d get to play a bit more at Wolves over the last couple of months, but it hasn’t really happened.

“As soon as the window opened, Mick expressed an interest which was rebuffed by Wolves. I thought that was it.

“But when I finished training on Monday I was told I was needed at Portman Road, so here I am.”

With Dean Saunders looking to mould his own squad at Molineux, Stearman’s future at his boyhood club is uncertain.

With his deal running until the summer of 2014, he said: “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind six months for me really.

“Wolves are at the wrong end of the table (just one point above 21st-placed Town), I think they’ve suffered a bit of a hangover from the Premier League relegation and a new manager (Stale Solbakken) has come and gone.

“Fingers crossed they can turn it around and climb the table a bit, as of course I hope Ipswich do as well.

“I don’t know what my future holds long-term. I’ve got a year left on my contract at Wolves.

“First and foremost I’m concentrating on doing well for Ipswich over the next three months and we’ll see where we go from there.”