Ben Pringle is looking forward to the next chapter of what has been a rollercoaster career since he left the famous football breeding ground of the renowned Wallsend Boys Club.

Dozens of professionals started out with the North Tyneside outfit formed over 100 years ago, among them former Newcastle and England strikers Peter Beardsley and Alan Shearer, as well as current Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Indeed, it was from Wallsend that former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce joined the professional game, and in his current capacity as manager of Championship leaders Hull he will be doing his best to ensure that Pringle does not mark his home debut for ninth-placed Town with a much-needed win.

But while the aforementioned quartet made it right to the very top Pringle has had an up and down time of it.

He started out by joining West Bromwich Albion but after his release by the Baggies he had spells with North East non-league clubs Newcastle Blue Star and Morpeth Town before moving to the East Midlands to join Ilkeston Town.

His performances there attracted the attention of neighbours Derby County and in 2009 he joined the Rams on a one-year deal, later extending his contract on two separate occasions to take him through to the end of the 2011/12 campaign, although he actually left in the summer of 2011 and joined Rotherham (in whose colours he is pictured above) on a free transfer.

Four years on, having helped the Millers to climb from League Two to the Championship and with his contract at an end, he moved to Fulham on a two-year deal before setting off on his travels once again to join injury-hit Town on a one-month loan deal.

Pringle laughed: “I’ve been pretty much all over, but coming up with Rotherham from League Two you want to try and stay at the highest level possible. To get a loan move from Fulham, down in the middle of the Championship, to Ipswich up the top is really good.

“I’ll never forget about those [non-league] times. You can almost laugh about it now but they were pretty tough.

“It helps to keep your feet on the ground and makes you appreciate the training ground and everything else which comes with a club like this.

“That’s what it should be about for the lads coming through. They get the U21 games and things like that but they never really get the experience of a proper game.

“If you sign for Ilkeston Town in the Unibond Premier League you soon find out what kind of player you are. I think it needs to be addressed differently but that’s just my opinion.”

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 15:21 - Feb 23 A Geordie journeyman.If nothing else sounds as though he appreciates what he has,a typical Mick McCarthy type of player who could do well for us. Hope and expect to see something of him this evening.
0

Ipswich Town Polls