Ex-Luton midfielder Joe Morrell: No regrets over turning down Ipswich for Portsmouth

The Wales international joined Pompey in August following a dramatic tug of war with Paul Cook’s club.

Blues boss Danny Cowley had conceded defeat after Ipswich’s late intervention appeared to have scuppered an agreement with Luton over Morrell’s transfer.

Able to offer greater financial incentives, the Tractor Boys barged to the front of the queue for the midfielder.

However, in a surprise twist, Morrell snubbed a Portman Road switch in favour of signing for Pompey for an undisclosed fee.

And ahead of facing them tomorrow night (7.45pm), he insists it remains the right choice.

He told The News: ‘Last year I played 11 games for a club, for me that was the purpose of coming here, to get as many games as I can.

‘You wake up Sunday morning with kicks and bruises and that’s the feeling I probably missed last year.

‘I have seen people say that I didn’t go to Ipswich because I wanted to play regularly, but that wasn’t the case.

‘I just felt Pompey was the best move for me professionally as a footballer, coming to a manager I am comfortable with, a manager who clearly had a massive desire to bring me here, and that meant a lot to me over the summer.

‘I felt it was the right decision for me and haven’t looked back since to be honest. Not once have I come to Pompey and thought it was the wrong decision.

‘I believed it was the best thing for me professionally, regardless of other factors. And I don’t regret it one bit.’

Ipswich are presently 15th in League One following a disappointing start to the campaign.

The promotion favourites lie three places and one point behind Cowley’s men ahead of tomorrow night’s Fratton Park encounter (7.45pm).

And Morrell, who has featured nine times so far for the Blues, is enjoying laying down roots for a long south-coast stay.

He added: ‘I’m in the process of buying a house in Whiteley, which is not far.

‘My girlfriend is moving down, she is local to here, I won’t say where, but she’s happy to be back down south as well!

‘I have an apartment in Gunwharf, but still have a house in St Albans, so I’m just flicking between there and St Albans, where my girlfriend and little dog are.

‘Things like that off the pitch are important, so once I am a little more settled you might see that on the pitch as well.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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