Wright: I Wasted Much of Career on Bench

Prior to returning to Portman Road in 2008 after leaving Town in the Summer of 2001, Wright was unable to gain regular first team Football at Premier League sides Arsenal, Everton and West Ham, and spent the majority of his seven years away from the club on the subs bench.

Speaking to the EADT of his regret, the former England International stopper said: "I have missed too much. Coming back to Ipswich has given me back the drug that I was missing.

"You are always happy when your team wins, but when you are one of the substitutes the buzz is not the same. You need to play."

Wright also sees parallels to the clubs last side which won promotion in 2000, and the current crop of players at the club: "It took time to achieve the success we did under George. And that compares to now.

"We had a couple of near misses in terms of the play-offs but, overall, it was a building process and things don't happen overnight.

"The hardest thing about our club at the moment is that we've got a great backer and everyone wants instant success.

"I crave that as much as anyone but we've got to stay patient and keep trying to get as many good results as we possibly can."