In short
Conor Chaplin’s exclusive farewell interview on Kings of Anglia, reflecting on his five-year Ipswich Town spell (ending after the news broke Friday), the club’s promotion/rebuild, tactical culture under Kieran McKenna, and his Premier League season before discussing what’s next for Ipswich and for him.
Guest backgrounds
Conor Chaplin is a former Ipswich Town forward/attacking player. He joined Ipswich on July 27, 2021 from Barnsley (dropping from the Championship to League One) and later played in Ipswich’s Premier League season; he also mentions a knee injury (MCL) and a loan to Portsmouth on deadline day.
Key claims
Ipswich’s success came from daily standards/culture (“reaction to highs and lows”), intense training competitiveness, and McKenna’s tactical micro-adjustments. Chaplin credits January signings and midfield quality for a late-season surge, and emphasizes unselfish team runs enabling his cutback goals.
Notable examples
First Ipswich goal vs Sheffield Wednesday (McCauley assist). League One promotion run (13 wins in last 15; goals vs Derby, Peterborough, Barnsley; 6-0 Exeter). Championship pivotal moments including Bristol Rovers away. Premier League highlights: opening day vs Liverpool, goal vs Bournemouth, Sunderland header as captain, and the Sarmiento goal vs Southampton.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOConor's Emotional Farewell
0:45 to 3:18
Conor Chaplin reflects on leaving Ipswich and the emotional farewell from fans.
“And yeah, that's something that I've probably never done before.”
First Impressions of Ipswich
3:18 to 5:57
Chaplin discusses his initial thoughts and feelings about joining Ipswich Town.
“Five years at this football club and we rewind to the day you arrived, July 27th, 2021.”
Challenges of a New Team
5:57 to 7:30
Discussion on the difficulties faced during the initial months with many new signings.
“Yeah, briefly reflect on that sort of tricky start, 19 signings and it took a little while for you guys to gel, didn't it?”
Transitioning Managers
7:30 to 9:30
Chaplin reflects on the transition from Paul Cook to Kieran McKenna as manager.
“What's going through your mind when Paul Cook goes as manager?”
Promotional Success and Team Chemistry
9:30 to 12:00
Chaplin shares insights on the successful promotion season and teamwork.
“So he kept the same team for a couple of games.”
Signature Playing Style
12:00 to 14:01
Discussion on Chaplin's trademark goal-scoring style and training practices.
“And then I think January, from January onwards, was probably one of the most enjoyable spells of football I've probably ever had in terms of the three or four months that followed that.”
Team Dynamics and Unselfishness
14:01 to 17:08
Learn about the importance of teamwork and selflessness in achieving success.
“How much work goes into that on the training pitch?”
Setting Standards and Club Culture
17:09 to 19:29
Discover how setting high standards contributes to team culture and performance.
“You've been described as sort of a standard setter, a culture setter.”
Daily Training and Competitive Spirit
19:30 to 22:44
Understand the role of training intensity and competitiveness in team success.
“It was all about the people that you shared a journey with and those people were top, top people.”
Adapting to Championship Challenges
22:45 to 28:00
Explore how the team adapted to the challenges of playing in the Championship.
Show all 19 chapters
Tactical Adjustments During Matches
28:00 to 28:52
Learn how tactical tweaks during games can significantly impact performance.
Conversations with Kieran McKenna
28:52 to 31:09
Discover the depth of discussions between Conor and his manager about football tactics.
“Can that really change the course of games?”
Pivotal Goals and Responsibilities
31:09 to 33:52
Explore Conor's key moments and responsibilities as a captain during matches.
“Now, we'd always talk about every morning we'd come in and there was a game, we'd always talk about the game that was on the night before.”
The Sarmiento Goal and Celebrations
33:52 to 36:24
Relive the excitement of the Sarmiento goal and its significance for the team.
“And I told Fridge before the free kick, just block as many people as you can.”
Reflecting on Premier League Experiences
36:24 to 42:00
Reflect on the challenges and highlights of Conor's Premier League season.
“went off to Christchurch Park and you soaked it all in.”
Reflecting on Premier League Memories
42:00 to 44:54
Conor Chaplin shares his pride and relief after scoring in the Premier League and discusses his relationship with teammate Wes Burns.
“I lived the dream and scored a goal in the Premier League and will have that for the rest of my life so yeah extreme amount of pride relief as well that I could score.”
The Future of Ipswich Town
44:54 to 46:31
Chaplin discusses the prospects for Ipswich Town's next season and his uncertain future after leaving the club.
“It brings us to this point, Connor, with a new chapter for you and the next chapter for Ipswich Town.”
Emotional Attachment to Ipswich
46:31 to 49:04
Conor reflects on the deep emotional ties he has with Ipswich Town and how it has shaped his life and family.
“I'm obviously sad to leave Ipswich and the air and the town and all the relationships there, but nothing lasts forever.”
Gratitude and Legacy
49:04 to 50:18
A conversation about Conor's impact at Ipswich Town and expressions of gratitude for his contributions to the club.
“because my boys will definitely be Ipswich fans.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:08Stuart Watson:Hello everyone, Stuart Watson here at the Kings of Anglia podcast and I'm delighted to say today we can bring you a very special interview. Those watching on video will see that I'm joined by Conor Chaplin. An emotional few days for you Conor Chaplin. Your time at Ipswich Town has come to an end. How are you feeling, my friend?
0:32Conor Chaplin:Yeah, I feel good. I feel good, yeah. It was probably from Friday morning when the news broke. Yeah, probably very, very grateful. It was an emotional day, Friday, definitely,
0:49Stuart Watson:in terms of messages,
0:52Conor Chaplin:social media and everything that goes around that in terms of leaving the club after a while and a successful spell as well so yeah it was really nostalgic as well probably Friday was a nice word in terms of actually having time to look back I don't really celebrate many things I'll be honest in terms of it's always the next thing the next thing but yeah me and my fiancé did have a bottle of champagne that night and actually talked about our last five years and looked back at it. And yeah, that's something that I've probably never done before. So I feel like it was justified this time.
1:32Stuart Watson:Yeah, I imagine football is so day to day. And as you say, next game, next game, you never get to stop and reflect. And we'll try and do a bit of that today, actually. We'll get stuck into some nostalgia. But you mentioned it. I mean, there was plenty of sort of emotion in your farewell message to supporters. some really touching tributes from colleagues and fans as well. What did that mean to you, reading and hearing all those nice words?
2:00Conor Chaplin:Oh, it's, no, it was incredible. Probably, I mean, you touched on there, probably the ones from my teammates are the ones that probably always mean the most in terms of they're the lads that you spend every single day with. They're the lads that you go into battle with, you clash with. you have all the memories with, promotion celebrations with, tough times, good times. I think they're the ones that you really look back on. And probably those comments and those ones from the lads, from a special, special group of lads. Yeah, they were really special. And then wider than that, I think probably understanding and actually realising the impact that you can have in the community.
2:49Conor Chaplin:and I think quite a few people reached out in terms of their own, I've not been able to reply to everyone, but in their own situations and my own interactions with certain people where really it does have a big impact on people's lives and that was special reading as well. So yeah, it was, like I said, an emotional Friday, definitely into Saturday and Sunday in terms of reading the comments and the things that were said.
3:18Stuart Watson:Let's go back through it then. Five years at this football club and we rewind to the day you arrived, July 27th, 2021. You were signed on the same day as the Fridge, George Edmondson. I think you guys were nine and 10 out of 19 summer signings, reunited with your former manager, Paul Cook. You dropped down a league from Barnsley, which you admitted at the time maybe seemed a bit silly on the outside, but the ambition of the club was sold to you. What are your memories of that day that move at the time. What did you know of Ipswich Town as a football club back then?
3:54Conor Chaplin:Well, probably firstly, what did I know? Not an awful lot. I'd been to Portman Road once to play and then once or twice to watch Webby, to watch Adam Webster in terms of stay at his for the weekend and watch the game. So probably not an awful lot in terms of the club. definitely there was a little bit of of naivety in terms of the stature of the club and I know it obviously wasn't the most successful period before I arrived but really probably what led in the years after that was very naive in terms of the stature of the club and the history of the club which I soon was keen to learn about very quickly and then Yeah, it was probably a little bit of a scary summer, that summer for me.
4:49Conor Chaplin:I had championship offers that were there. But yeah, in the end, I chose to go to Ipswich. Like I said before, from the outside, looking in was probably a little bit of a silly move, dropping to finishing the playoff the season before, with Barnsley. so to drop to a club and league one that hadn't had loads of success over the very recent past was probably risky. Probably the best thing to say was risky in terms of a career move, definitely. But I really felt deep down, I had a really good feeling that the club was a club with ambition. It matched a lot of my own ambitions in terms of where I wanted to be as a player.
5:37Conor Chaplin:as a professional. And yeah, I like to say it's worked out and it was a good decision in the end, but at the time obviously you never know how it's going to go and then you think probably the first two, three, four months you're thinking, oh no, what's happened, what have I done here? But after that it was, yeah, maybe since the boss came in, it changed everything really.
5:58Stuart Watson:Yeah, briefly reflect on that sort of tricky start, 19 signings and it took a little while for you guys to gel, didn't it? One of the first things that jumps off the page is your first goal for Ipswich Town. Do you remember it?
6:13Conor Chaplin:Yeah, Sheffield Wednesday one, yeah. McCauley one. Yeah. Tough to forget that one. No, it was a tough start, a really tough start. A lot of players signed, obviously, a big transition for the football club. There was a certain culture at the football club before we came in, in terms of professionalism, dedication to training every day, to gym work, to everyday professional life, really, that I wasn't comfortable with. There was a lot of butting heads in terms of the first four or five months where things didn't align. And as well, there was a lot of players at one time, which is never easy. Never.
6:54Conor Chaplin:You can beat, and I think we probably were, some of the best players at League One level. But you go into a club all at once, all trying to find houses at the same time, all trying to settle at the same time. And then to actually have the relationships on the pitch as well, it takes time. So it was never going to be, probably looking back, it was never going to be playing Salem for the first season. Yeah, it was a tough time, I think, for the club as well, because there was a lot of excitement around the game changer. Ownership coming in and then the investment in the playing squad. It probably didn't come to fruition until a lot later on down the line.
7:30Stuart Watson:Yeah. Yeah. What's going through your mind when Paul Cook goes as manager? Because he's the man who's brought you to the football club. He's someone you'd worked with before. Did you know much about Kieran McKenna when he'd been appointed? Someone who'd obviously not been a manager himself up until that point. Again, is there uncertainty in your mind as a footballer at that stage?
7:49Conor Chaplin:Yeah, of course. I don't think that any of us would be lying if we said we knew much about the boss at that time. Yeah, it was a hard period, definitely. It was one that probably, I mean, Paul Cook had done an incredible job in terms of recruitment that summer. So, so good at recruiting players for certain levels. And I think that maybe to take the next step was probably a coach to really hone down on the training pitch. I mean, I was confident that we had the players, the best players at the level. we just needed to find a way and spend time on the training pitch to help that team become a proper oil machine and yeah, like I said I didn't know much about the boss when that happened and then probably as soon as he came in the training with his coaching staff as well was something that probably straight away I realised I hadn't really experienced before
8:53Stuart Watson:I always remember the 4-0 win at Gillingham Conor early on where I thought if this manager can get this out of this group of players this quickly then something special could be brewing here how quickly did you realise Kieran McKenna was a special manager?
9:10Conor Chaplin:Yeah well he didn't start me the first couple of games so I wasn't sitting there but no he was brilliant with me in that moment actually because when Paul Cook left left. I think we sort of went a bit more simple. We went with James Norwood and McCauley Bon up front. Probably the Sunderland game at home was the one that Norse scored. So he kept the same team for a couple of games. But he was brilliant. I think he could realise in terms of the trainer I was and the player that I was, he knew that I was going to play. Eventually, he just needed to take a couple of games just to let the lads that had been playing and doing pretty well, to be fair, carry on.
9:55Conor Chaplin:And he was always chatting to me through that period, which was as soon as he came in. So that's probably where our, in terms of trust and relationship started, was probably straight away, to be honest.
10:06Stuart Watson:Special season number one, then the League One promotion, 29 goals, all competitions for you. League One Golden Boot winner, PFA Players Player of the Year, seven braces and a single hat trick. And then just that crazy tear up at the end of the season after the January transfer window. I think you guys won 13 of the last 15 games. Just looking at it, you scored in the big wins at Derby, Peterborough and Barnsley. Sealed the 6-0 win against Exeter to finish it off. Memories of that season.
10:43Conor Chaplin:Yeah, that's probably... Comparing it to the Championship season is tough. It was different. I feel like our team, the manager we had, the players we had, we were a level apart from what we were playing against, definitely. I think we felt that, we knew that. I think a big thing about that season was obviously the back end of the season, like you talked about, was incredible, incredible to play in. You're going into games knowing that if you run more than the opposition, you're going to win the game. I feel like we knew that a lot of the time. We had to come across and overcome certain obstacles during the way in terms of low blocks.
11:28Conor Chaplin:Teams seemed to take their chances against us in terms of they maybe had a one-set piece or a screamer from 20, 30 yards. We learned a lot, an awful lot in those moments, which helped us at the back end of the season, definitely. And just tactically, there was a lot of things that the boss changed and the boss realised as well, probably, with his first job and coming into League One as well, which is not easy, especially when you want to play football. Teams are happy to just sit behind the ball and wait for a set piece. But, yeah, we learnt a lot. And then I think January, from January onwards, was probably one of the most enjoyable spells of football I've probably ever had in terms of the three or four months that followed that.
12:14Conor Chaplin:With the signings that we made, Hurstie, Brodie, Clarkie, Mass were huge for us in that January and probably took us to another level, really. I think there's a lot of the lads get applauded, but Mass was where Mass got in the team. With Morsi in the middle, So it was probably two essential midfielders that have know-how but also a cut above the rest in terms of quality on the ball and presence, which was just huge for us.
12:43Stuart Watson:Did you just feel invincible going out on the pitch as a player, as a team at that period of time?
12:50Conor Chaplin:I think that last four months, yeah. Like I said, I think we knew really, with all due respect as well, because we had incredible players for the level. we knew really if we worked harder and we ran more than the opposition, then we were going to win nine times out of ten. So I think that was a big thing for us. We never really spoke about patterns or how we were going to try and win the game as such. In terms of the lads, it was just the non-stop messages were run more, win more tackles, win more duels, win more second balls and win the game. And then everything that came after that was probably pretty natural to a team that was fully in their rhythm.
13:35Conor Chaplin:I think we were just seeing training ground patterns come out on a match day. Every single move, we were seeing patterns come out. We were in our flow, definitely.
13:47Stuart Watson:When you talk about patterns off the training pitch, your trademark goal throughout your time at Ipswich is the cutback, normally from Leaf down the left, sometimes from Wes down the right. The amount of times you would find yourself in space, heart of the box, precision finish. How much work goes into that on the training pitch? How much repetition and practice?
14:11Conor Chaplin:Yeah, a lot, a lot. The finish probably especially both sides because as soon as it went down both sides, really, whether it was Leif Brodie or Wes, JD, Clarkie, whoever it was, I know that in their head and the team was looking for that space to pull the ball back to. Yeah, I definitely missed a few for sure, but I probably had that much practice on the training pitch and then in game as well, which it just became a bit of a routine finish in the end. And it was, yeah, it was a pattern that we worked on a lot. And there's a lot of things that, an awful lot of things that probably people from the terraces don't see in the uncoached eye, don't see in moves like that, which is probably your hursty and people like that.
15:09Conor Chaplin:Such unselfish people, especially for a number nine, to be happy with me scoring the majority of the goals and then making pretty much sacrificial runs. It says a lot about the humility of the group and to why we were so successful, I think. the selflessness of the group the willing to do whatever it was for the team was special that's not that normal at all yeah, Herstie was unbelievable and the boss was brilliant to be fair because he'd give Herstie a lot of food sometimes in terms of meetings and that he'd make sure that he says the flash across the goal would be on today just to make Hurstie keep going and going and going because it must be tough when you're running every time and he knows why he's doing it.
15:58Conor Chaplin:But he used to say to me, I got with Hurstie incredibly well, so I was very lucky we had that relationship. But he just used to say to me, mate, I'll run every time. As long as you're there, I'll run every time. Don't worry about it. Luckily, he got his fair share of goals as well, but would never have been able to score that amount of goals from that situation without him, without Brodie as well, making unselfish runs in terms of in the box, not crowding the area where I was. Mark as well, I think there's a lot of lads that, yeah, massively unselfish people. But I think as a team, we knew that that was pretty much nearly a bang on goal if we got it right.
16:41Conor Chaplin:So we just kept doing it and kept doing it. And yeah, I think it's easy to say why the players have never picked up, but it's hard for teams when they're dragged all over the place the way we were playing at the time, with the speed we were doing it, with the athleticism, with Leaf and Wes, how quickly they got to the ball and cut it back to actually realise and pick up was tough.
17:01Stuart Watson:You've mentioned you've name checked a few of your teammates in there already. The phrase band of brothers has been used plenty of times to sort of talk about that group. You've been described as sort of a standard setter, a culture setter. you've already talked about how that maybe maybe started to change in in the first few months of your time at the club um how important is that to you and what does that look like day to day that sort of behind the scenes when you talk about sort of standards and and club culture and all those sort of things and how important is it um how important to me it's probably
17:43Conor Chaplin:probably the most important in terms of the culture you live by every day and the standards that you set every day. Just because I think you can't control, in football, you can't control the high moments or low moments. You can't control when they're going to come. But what you can control is your reaction to them every day. You can control how you are when it's good, how you are when it's not so good. And I think that can't change if you want to be successful in a team during a season. I don't think those standards and those cultures can change or fluctuate through form especially when I have a club like Ipswich as well with a big following fans vocal on social media if it's not going so well probably scenarios where I can speak about when probably in both promotion seasons really I mean a lot of people think about the Bristol Rovers game away in League One as being a pivotal point and it probably was definitely But when there's moments like that and then similar time in the season, the championship season, the January, February time when we started a little bit, we didn't lose a lot of games.
18:49Conor Chaplin:We were drawing quite a few games. If you can block that out and be really consistent with what you expect from your teammates, what you expect from the staff and then holding those standards down and living by them every single day. I think it just stops the fluctuation in what you're doing in form, in training. It keeps you in control a lot more. So if you have that and Mark and the boss were incredible at that in terms of setting out what that was and how that looked. And then we had an incredible group of senior players that lived that every day and held people to account. And it got to a point where in the end you didn't really have to do much.
19:30Conor Chaplin:The group led itself. and we had that for probably two years I'd say which was I've never felt anything like it in terms of the way you feel for the staff the way you feel for the players that you're playing with yeah it was different to anything I've ever experienced, it was special it's just a real desperation need to help people around you and yeah that came from everyone I can't say it any more any more clear than that. It was a special group of people. And I think reflecting on it as well, if you'd have had that same season with a different set of lads, a different set of staff, if you've had that two years, I still don't think it would have been a special without the personalities and the humans that we had inside the building.
20:22Conor Chaplin:I genuinely believe that. It was all about the people that you shared a journey with and those people were top, top people.
20:29Stuart Watson:well i mean we see evidence of it during 90 minutes of a weekend and we can see how much you know maybe players that don't get as much game time really buy into it as substitutes or being ready when called upon and you know we see that side of things but can you maybe shine a light on behind the scenes kind of how how that plays out you talked earlier about maybe butting heads at times in the early days what what are you like behind the scenes are you someone that demands a lot from people um is it sometimes just being quite calm and keeping people on a level which you've already touched upon sort of give me a flavor of of what that sort of culture looks like you know at play for the road day to day yeah i mean well you have to ask other people in terms of what they think but um no i think probably for myself yeah i understand i'm a
21:22Conor Chaplin:really demanding teammate in terms of training level. I'm big on training in terms of the level that I want to be at every day. And I expect that of the teammates around me as well. I think we really had a good... I don't think in that period teams out trained us or out worked us or had a better mentality to training or better mentality to set pieces. I really do believe that. and that came from a few Skip was unbelievable every single day and I think probably lads did look at me and Skip in terms of the way we trained every day and realised that if I'm 4 % off it today then they're going to tell me in front of everyone which I don't want so I'm at it and then just the competitiveness as well I think every single day and I'm not I'm not saying this because it sounds like a good thing to say I'm saying it because we lived it the competitiveness was crazy was absolutely crazy in terms of wanting to win every day, small side of games being on a winning pitcher in training at the end of training it was a lot and a lot of times it spilled over definitely there was a lot of times where it was some bad tackles some scraps in training but that was what was so special about the group is it never ever went into the dressing room everything was, everyone realised that we were animals when we were training when we were on the pitch and as soon as we went to the dressing room there was a handshake and a cuddle and then everyone would have a laugh about it afterwards but yeah, probably I don't know, probably an example I could say is on a Thursday we'd have a set piece day like probably more of a down day so we'd train Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I have a down day on Thursday but it was a set-piece day where our mentality for set-pieces had to be locked in but before that, pretty much every Thursday we'd do a head tennis tournament in the Dome and yeah, there was lads doing all sorts, grazers on their knees from the Astro bicycle kicks on the Astro just to win yeah, it was amazing it was a special, special group and then we had that competitiveness and then the ability of the group to just switch like that into set-piece mode and have to be dialled in there.
23:56Conor Chaplin:It's not physical load, but it's mental load in terms of knowing what we're coming up against the weekend and switching straight into understanding what it takes and how important it is to dial into things like that and to really, as a group, upheld standards on that. there was no one doing keeping ups on the side of the pitch which you see everywhere there was none of that at all everyone was super dialed in and you were expected to be as well from staff and players
24:31Stuart Watson:and then momentum carries into the championship externally whenever we spoke to any of you guys, the manager it was we're not putting any limits on what we can do but we're not we're not setting anything we're just it's just it's a an improvement mindset a development mindset and we'll see where it takes us in the back of your mind did you think that you could do something special going into that year given how well you'd finished the previous season or to take me back to that summer what were you thinking going into the championship yeah to be honest probably i know you said the
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25:08Conor Chaplin:external messages but that was very much internal as well yeah it generally was the internal messages and that and that came from from the boss um and it filtered down down through the group um there was definitely no ceiling to what we could achieve um but there was also there was never and i'm talking into right into january february march there was never talk of promotion in terms of the the bosses' meetings or much speak around that in terms of the P word. There wasn't much of that at all. And that helped as well. That helped deal with the emotional rollercoaster of a season like that. But that's one of the bosses' massive strengths is keeping everyone right where they need to be at any given time.
25:56Conor Chaplin:Reading the room incredibly well every single post-match. straight after the game in the change room on a Saturday, on a Monday. Again, reading the room incredibly well. Really realising exactly what the lads needed at that point in time. And he always, always, always hit the nail on the head with the atmosphere in the room, with the lads needed a confidence boost in terms of the meeting. If we need a little bit of a rocket, it was, yeah, he got absolutely everything nailed on. all the time, but that's the skill in itself. In terms of post-season and pre-season, we had a really good pre-season.
26:39Conor Chaplin:Obviously, we had the Cup win in pre-season as well over Leipzig and teams like that. We thought, we play some good stuff. We're a good side playing against top players. That just carried, like you say, the momentum was amazing. we always did feel a little bit of
27:03Conor Chaplin:I don't think offence but we always found a little bit of naivety from other people's managers or players when they spoke about our momentum because it sort of overrided the fact that we were a really good team we played some really good stuff in terms of coming up against teams we could blow teams away and that's in the championship stepping up with probably 11 starters that started in League One the season before. So we did feel that as well. And we were sort of, long may that continue if they want to keep talking like that and just put it down to momentum and then crack on. But yeah, there was probably two split seasons in the championship season, I think.
27:45Conor Chaplin:Probably got to November until teams really started to respect and think, oh, they're a really good team. so we were probably having really good games with teams until that time where teams were just coming at us and having a football match and at times we always came out on top, majority of the time and then probably just before Christmas time end of November, December time teams started to set up differently against us in terms of back fours, back fives trying to really stifle what we were doing but we were just so well tuned that if we come up against a back four we know we're doing this, we know we're doing these movements, we know we're trying to get in these spaces we know we're pressing here and we know we're pressing there and if we come up in a back five we knew the solutions like that or if we didn't know the solutions and we started the game pretty tough then I'd sit down after ten minutes and the boss would let us know exactly the solutions after ten minutes of the game yeah and it was
28:52Stuart Watson:it's amazing how many little injuries you got midway through the first half I don't know what I was
28:57Conor Chaplin:I don't think a lot of commentators watch our games but I think a lot of times when I watch them back a lot of people were worried that I was going to have to come off and I was like no man just do this every time just trying to figure out the tactical bits in the game
29:11Stuart Watson:those little chats midway through the first half how much can you get from the manager in terms of tactically okay they've set up slightly different to what we're expecting. This is how we tweak it. Can that really change the course of games?
29:26Conor Chaplin:Yeah, 100%. That happened loads of times for us. I'm trying to think of examples. I think we had... I can't remember what team it was. Either QPR at Birmingham, because Andre Dezel was playing at home. I think it might have been a night game as well. That's one example where we couldn't get the ball off them. Our press was wrong. They set up differently to how we fought. The first 10, 15 minutes, we couldn't get a ball off them. They were popping it around us and we couldn't get anywhere near them. But it's tactical, little tactical bits that the boss gives you. It's literally just maybe five or ten yards in the starting position for Wes, say, to threaten the left centre half or in possession.
30:13Conor Chaplin:it's me dropping out to the touchline to receive a bit lower off of Clarkie or Axel. Yeah, there was little tweaks where the spare man was. He'd identify where the spare man was and where we were going to get out and build up straight away. And then as soon as we found that out, we all had clarity in our heads and we'd find the spare man because we know how to do that with the patterns that we trained every single day.
30:37Stuart Watson:I always hear you're a football obsessive, Connor. somebody who studies the game loves the game certainly we hear that about Kieran McKenna as well what are the two of you like when you get together in a room and you're talking football does it get pretty in depth do you love discussing the game and the nuances of it and everything
30:59Conor Chaplin:yeah it does but when someone like me talking to someone like him I just listen there's nothing that I can say that he doesn't know I'm just learning from him. Now, we'd always talk about every morning we'd come in and there was a game, we'd always talk about the game that was on the night before. If he wasn't watching our games from previous or games that he had to watch for the teams we had coming up, then if he did watch the game on the telly, we'd chat about it. Chat about the tactical side of it. Both each other's opinions. But no, when you're speaking to someone like him, it's just listen.
31:39Conor Chaplin:just listen and see what he thinks about the game and think, oh yeah, I didn't see that or I didn't realise that he'd make a really good point in terms of some of the things that he sees. And obviously, he's a genius like that in terms of the way that he sees tactical pitches and things like that. So yeah, it's just a lot of listening to what he had to say, really.
32:01Stuart Watson:13-goal joint top goal scorer with Brodie that season, winners versus QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland that was a header wasn't it Swansea Blackburn on Good Friday that felt like quite a pivotal moment favourite moment favourite goal in that season
32:23I'd probably
32:24Conor Chaplin:two that I think about but the Sunderland one was a big goal felt it at the time Skip wasn't playing either so I was captain that night and that was a really proud moment. I think that might have been one of the first times I was. I felt a lot of responsibility in terms of the goals and the output in terms of goals and assists. But that night, it was really pivotal and it was a goal that probably goes down a little bit to the genius of Leafs' left foot. A lot of people talk about the header, but the quality and the delivery. and people think that it wasn't necessarily aimed for me. But if people watch the goal back and...
33:11Conor Chaplin:I mean, I could say it now. It happened a lot of the time. I think Fridge was playing that night and Fridge blocked two of their players to stop them coming to the second line because it wasn't... Trust me, if Leafs hit in the second line for a free kick, he's meant to. He's not done it by accident. So he's hit the second line. He's not put it on top of their line defending the free kick. And I was stood there, didn't move.
33:35Stuart Watson:And I don't, and it's, yeah, someone like Leif and the relationship I had with Leif, I don't have to, we haven't got to speak about that.
33:41Conor Chaplin:It's more of a, more of a, if he's looking in my eyes and I can see his eyes, then we're just sort of, sort of gesturing to each other. Yeah, I'm standing right here, mate. Just put it on my head. And he did. And I told Fridge before the free kick, just block as many people as you can. And no one could get out to me because Fridge's done the matter. I think he had two or three lads that he was just pushing into the goal. No one could jump to me and Leaf just put it on my head. Yeah, it was an easy header. But yeah, the quality of delivery from Leaf. And that's where the little details that maybe the untrained eye doesn't see with Fridge is pretty much as good an assist, blocking three players, leaving it to me.
34:22Conor Chaplin:So that probably speaks as well as, yeah, the humility of the group. You have a big centre-half like Fridge, things are I want to come over the top of someone and score and I'm saying to him five seconds before the three gig's taken you're not heading it just block these three for me the smallest amount of pitch and he trusts that and he does it straight away so it's a big testament to the group and shows exactly why we were so successful
34:49Stuart Watson:Out the way let the big man get on the end of this one I like it We have to talk about the Sarmiento goal Southampton and you darting across the pitch in your coat have just been substituted a few minutes before have you ever run that fast in your life that feels like a real iconic moment I think looking back at it you were one of the first people on the scene for the for the bundle
35:13Conor Chaplin:weren't you that was an incredible moment oh yes crazy um crazy uh yeah that was one of those I think such a big game um and we knew it was a pivotal game going into it obviously the game started well. Leaf scored a great goal and it was a really good footy match. I think for anyone watching it was a really good footy match. Two really good teams at a time. Two really good teams at a level. Yeah, and it was such a big moment in our season right towards the business end of the season as well where I think maybe if we'd have won that one they couldn't have caught us or it was a big goal anyway. But yeah, it was probably one of those out-of-body experiences that one.
35:55I think it just helped that it was Southampton as well,
35:59Conor Chaplin:which I don't particularly like. So it was one of them that was, yeah, amazing as soon as the goal went in. You know, just it's one of those ones that you can't really control yourself. You just sort of go with it. Yeah.
36:14Stuart Watson:Yeah, incredible moment in an incredible season. The celebrations at the end of it were quite something. I remember speaking to you at Playford Road, I think before the Open Top Bus, went off to Christchurch Park and you soaked it all in. I think you knew that was a moment in time then, but immediately your thoughts turned to the Premier League. I could see a bit of steeliness in you, that you were ready for the Premier League. How do you reflect on that season in the top flight for you? Because you started that amazing opening day against Liverpool where the noise and the colour and the vibrancy was amazing.
36:54Stuart Watson:You get yourself back in the team around wintertime. That big penalty shout against Leicester, still don't know how you didn't get that. You get your goal against Bournemouth to join that sort of exclusive club of players that have scored in all of the top four divisions. And then you have the knee injury setback that kind of robs you of the chance to play at the likes of Anfield, Old Trafford. That Premier League season, how now with a bit of time behind it, how do you reflect on it, Connor?
37:23Conor Chaplin:yeah I probably haven't done
37:27Stuart Watson:massively to be honest it's reflecting it but
37:31Conor Chaplin:yeah it was one that I probably knew going into the season that right I'm going to have to be number one the fittest I've ever been I'm going to be up against it here in terms of playing as much as I want to play I knew we were signing Amari and I knew the boss saw him playing more as a number 10 rather than a right winger. And I thought we were probably going to sign another one to play in that position as well. So I knew that I had to really give it everything I had. I came back in probably the best physical condition that I've ever been for that season. And I knew as well, I knew with the boss seeing Amari playing now, I knew that I'd get chances to play because number one, Amari is young.
38:19Conor Chaplin:He had a few little knocks at the time, so I knew that he wasn't going to play 38 games or whatever it is. So I knew that I'd get chances. I also knew that the boss would look at me to help Mars a lot as well, which I felt was a big responsibility of mine because he's a really good kid, really good player. I think you're seeing that now with Forrest in the way he's performing. but also yeah I felt like I'd get chances but I knew that I wasn't going to be a guaranteed starter where it was different to the three years previous which I was happy with that it was the Premier League it was the top level I would never take that for granted so yeah there was there's a lot of pride that comes from it definitely I really do believe that probably around the time that I scored my goal and we play
39:18Conor Chaplin:I can't remember exactly in the order, but I think we played Leicester, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest. And there was one more. There was probably a four-game period where at Premier League level, I felt like a good player. I felt like I was influencing games. I felt like I was one of the most dangerous players on the pitch. And that's probably the best I felt football-wise in that four-game period. I really felt like I was affecting games. My physical output was really good for the level, so I knew that I was physically able to do it. I was never going to necessarily run away from people with speed or pace, but I've never really relied on that.
40:01Conor Chaplin:It was more about high-speed running and defensive attributes. I felt like I was a really good player at the level for that four-game period. and then really shortly after I'd done my knee on it was so innocuous as well in training, blocking a cross just opened up my MCL and yeah I had probably never felt completely comfortable with it for the rest of the season after that and that was New Year's Day I'd done that so yeah really struggled with coming back from it anyone that's ever had an MCL injury would know that I've never really had injuries touch wood and your knee is probably one that is the worst to have of all really and yeah I struggled with how it felt coming back, could never really kick the ball properly in my right foot for the rest of the season after that but yeah I came back and I started a few games after that but yeah in my head I knew if I was five ten percent off it at that level then it was never going to be easy for me.
41:12Conor Chaplin:I needed to be at my very maximum. I probably felt like I only really had that for maybe a four or five game stretch. But yeah, the injury obviously looking back was a big disappointment because I really think I would have played a lot more because I think Amari got injured in the December, January time or February time whilst I was injured. So that was another big thing as well. I would have had a lot more games there. but yeah one of pride for sure but one of a little bit of yeah a little bit gutted in terms of the injury and never really had any injuries before and then I get probably a three month injury three and a half month injury in the middle of probably the biggest season that I've ever had but yeah I don't know but I also lived I lived the dream and scored a goal in the Premier League and will have that for the rest of my life so yeah extreme amount of pride relief as well that I could score.
42:11Conor Chaplin:If I went through the season and didn't score, I'd have been absolutely devastated. So, yeah, just thankfully that I did.
42:19Stuart Watson:I've had that conversation with a certain Wes Burns recently, who says that's one of his bugbears, that he hasn't joined that Premier League goalscorer club. And that's going to be a big part of his decision this summer. I mean, I can't not speak to you, Connor, without talking about Wes. A bit of a bromance between you two. What's your relationship Chip like?
42:40Conor Chaplin:Yeah, he's just a beautiful person. Inside and out, I just think he's great. Just such a good character for any dressing room. Very serious guy when it comes to training and the way he applicates himself, but also has such a good balance for squad dynamic, can talk to absolutely anyone socially within the squad. so so good in terms of going and each little bit of the squad can can chat and um make everyone laugh and um yeah and off the pitch he was he was amazing for the group really amazing um a lot of people gravitate towards him in terms of the way he is um bubbly funny and um yeah just an amazing amazing person and then on the pitch and i've said it to wes as well i've said it to us i felt like it was important for him to know.
43:36Conor Chaplin:I've said it to him a lot. I genuinely don't think that I'd have had the career I've had in the last three or four years if it wasn't for him. I think he's made me look a lot better player than what I maybe could have ever looked before.
43:57Conor Chaplin:The telepathy that we had on the pitch in terms of the way each other played, what we wanted from each other. I've never experienced with anyone else ever. Yeah, he's probably the most understanding I've ever had with any teammates. Leaf is very close in terms of Leaf giving me the ball, but I was obviously a lot closer to where I was a lot more of the time actually talking in game as well because we were so close on the pitch. But yeah, My passes to him, I don't think that 95 % of people would run when I'm not even looking at him. I'm looking the other way. I've not told him, I've not looked at him once, but I'm putting it in the space that he wants to go in.
44:39His understanding of me and my understanding of him was probably the best I've ever had for any teammate ever.
44:48Conor Chaplin:I think we could probably both say that we made each other a lot better players than we ever had been before.
44:54Stuart Watson:yeah I won't dwell too much on the season just gone because I think that the circumstances of you going to Portsmouth on loan on deadline day have been sort of fairly well explained you've you've spoken quite openly about how this season's been for you a little parting gift for Ipswich with your goal at Middlesbrough I'm sure you got a few text messages uh that night from from people here. It brings us to this point, Connor, with a new chapter for you and the next chapter for Ipswich Town. Two questions. Can Ipswich stay up next season? And what next for you, my friend?
45:32Conor Chaplin:Yeah, absolutely they can. I think we're in a much better spot than we were a couple of years ago when we got promoted. So I think we absolutely can, especially with the group and the management staff that is there. I've got every faith. Recruitment is obviously going to be a big thing, same as every season, none more so than when you go to the Premier League. But yeah, without a doubt, I think you've seen it this season with Leeds, with Sunderland, the way that it can go. So yeah, without a doubt. And secondly, yeah, I'm not too sure yet. It's still early days. It's only recently been publicised.
46:16Conor Chaplin:There's a few things, but I'm not going to take anything or definitely go with anything without waiting a little bit and seeing what's there. No, I'm excited for another chapter, definitely. I'm obviously sad to leave Ipswich and the air and the town and all the relationships there, but nothing lasts forever. I feel very blessed and grateful that I've had five years of incredible memories and relationships. But yes, it's one that needs to be excited for the next one. And whatever the next one is, go all in on that and see where it takes me.
46:57Stuart Watson:Yeah, Suffolk's got a huge place in your heart forevermore, hasn't it? Ipswich Town, you've talked about, you know, your boys are going to grow up Ipswich fans. When they're older and stuff like that, I bet you didn't think that this club was going to maybe have this lasting impact on you. What does Ipswich Town mean to you, Connor?
47:23Conor Chaplin:Good question.
47:30Conor Chaplin:It's an emotional place for me for probably the rest of my life in terms of so many big events in my life have happened there. The best events of my life professionally have happened there by far. So I have the attachment in that aspect as well. Everything that goes around, all the memories with the promotions, the bus parades, everything like that. All the Isaacs after getting promoted, the championship season the first time, everything like that. and then personally as well our two sons were born there in the hospital we got engaged in Suffolk we had a family house in Suffolk that we absolutely loved and it was somewhere that I never really I never ever missed home I never missed being at home because we generally felt like Suffolk and Ipswich was home if we had two days off we would never come back down south we'd always stay in Ipswich because we wanted to be there we loved the house, we loved our boys being where they were born and I'm just really really probably looking back and I'm really really glad that the boys were born there because I had such an amazing time professionally there and it just cements we'll always have a tie and a reason to be in Ipswich for the rest of my life because my boys will definitely be Ipswich fans.
49:06Conor Chaplin:They've not really got a choice. They don't know yet, but they've not really got a choice. They were born there, so they will support Ipswich and hopefully we can have some more good memories for them growing up fans as well.
49:23Stuart Watson:I've taken a lot of your time, Connor. I just want to finish by saying, I guess personally, thank you and on behalf of all the Ipswich Town fans, You played a big key role in a bit of a rebirth period for this football club. There was a bleak few years leading up to the takeover and, you know, the group that you guys became and the connection that you, you know, you refostered with the community has left a bit of a legacy. And it's made my job a lot more fun over the last few years. And you've put smiles on faces. So, yeah, I guess as an extension from all the supporters, really, thank you for everything and all the very best for the next chapter for you and the family.
50:11Conor Chaplin:Thank you, Drew. That's very kind, mate. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.
50:14Stuart Watson:Thanks for your time, mate. Crack on with the rest of your day and all the best. Cheers, Connor. Cheers, Drew. Thanks, mate.
50:22Conor Chaplin:Take care.
50:36Thank you.
50:59Thank you.
51:30Thank you.
51:59Thank you.
From the publisher
Stuart Watson sat down with Conor Chaplin in the wake of the announcement of his departure from Ipswich Town.
The duo discuss how he's feeling, look back over some his favourite moments and what could be next for the modern day club legend.
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