New Ipswich Town signing Simon Dawkins will wear the No.49 shirt following his arrival at Portman Road.

East Anglian Daily Times: Simon Dawkins on the ball during Town U23s beat Bristol City 4-2 at Playford Road Picture: ROSS HALLSSimon Dawkins on the ball during Town U23s beat Bristol City 4-2 at Playford Road Picture: ROSS HALLS (Image: Archant)

The wide-man agreed a deal until the end of the season with the Blues yesterday and will go straight into the squad for this weekend’s clash with Rotherham.

He has again opted to wear the No.49 shirt, just as he did at former club San Jose, doing so in tribute to his late mother Lorna, who lost her battle with breast cancer in May 2015.

“It’s for my mother,” Dawkins said during his time with the Earthquakes.

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“Me and my family sat down after she died and they suggested having her age as my number for the rest of my career and I thought that was a good way of honouring her.

“She was the reason I am playing football at the moment. I went through a time when I was injured for two-and-a-half years before I went to San Jose and her encouragement and support was fantastic.

“People were telling me to look for something else to do because they said it wouldn’t get better, but she was encouraging me to keep going and remember it was my dream to play.

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“I owe everything to her.”

Dawkins is the second new arrival at Portman Road this week, following the capture of Collin Quaner on Tuesday.

The club hold an option to extend his deal by a further 12 months.