During his three years at Swindon, former Chelsea trainee Sam Parkin earned the reputation as one of the most feared strikers in the lower leagues and the 24-year-old will now get the chance to show what he can do at a higher level following his £750,000 move to Ipswich. In his three years at the County Ground, Parkin became only the third player in Swindon's long history to score over 20 goals in three successive seasons and he is now looking forward to helping the Tractor Boys regain their place in the top flight. Givemefootball's Mark Shail is the man armed with the questions.
Q:YOU MUST BE DELIGHTED WITH YOUR RECENT MOVE TO IPSWICH?
A:Most definitely, when the season ended I was hoping there would be some interest in me and thankfully that was the way it turned out. There were enquiries from other clubs, but as soon as Ipswich made an approach there were no doubts in my mind where I wanted to go. I travelled to Ipswich to meet Joe Royle and as soon as I saw the ground and the training facilities it only underlined my determination to sign.
Q:YOU ARE NOW 24, DID YOU FEEL THE TIME WAS RIGHT FOR A NEW CHALLENGE?
A:Yes, I felt I have been ready for this for some time because I was becoming a bit stale at Swindon. I felt I needed a fresh challenge and I'm delighted to be going to a top Championship club like Ipswich.
Q:HOW HAVE THE SWINDON PLAYERS AND STAFF REACTED TO YOU LEAVING THE CLUB?
A:Everyone has been very much behind me. I spoke to Andy King at length and told him what I wanted to do and his reaction was first class. In fact, the reaction from the players and the staff alike has been so supportive and I am leaving the club on very good terms.
Q:ARE YOU EXPECTING A MUCH TOUGHER STANDARD OF FOOTBALL IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
A:It will certainly be a step up for me because there are better players in the Championship, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. The three years experience I have gained at Swindon will stand me in good stead and I go into next season in a very positive frame of mind.
Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MAIN TARGET FOR IPSWICH NEXT TERM?
A:Having gone so close last year I suppose it has to be automatic promotion, but it's not going to be easy because there will be a long list of clubs with the same aim. I haven't met the rest of the players yet so it may take a bit of time for me to adjust, but my aim is to play some kind of role in Ipswich having a successful season next year.
Q:IS YOUR ULTIMATE AMBITION TO EVENTUALLY PLAY AGAINST YOUR FORMER CLUB CHELSEA IN THE TOP FLIGHT?
A:That would be nice, but there's a long way to go before I can start thinking about that - my first priority is to establish myself in the first team at Ipswich. It was tough being told that I was surplus to requirements at Chelsea but I went to Swindon to learn my trade and make a name for myself – and I feel I have done that.
