Town striker David McGoldrick is not the least bit concerned by his recent lack of goals, having failed to net in any of his last nine games, or the fact that his tally for the season so far is just three.

Asked if the stats worried him, McGoldrick responded: “Not one bit — I’m 29, I’ve got three kids and a moaning missus! I’m thankful for being out there and playing football because I know a lot of people would love to be in my position.

“I would have like to have added a few more goals, but the main thing is I’ve been getting chances. I’m playing well and helping the boys.

“It’s been enjoyable football and we’re working hard for each other. We’re not working in areas where you don’t have to work. We’ve all got smiles on our faces and long may that continue.

“I think my current form is a lot to do with the way the team is playing and the formation we’re playing. Tom Lawrence has been on fire and takes a lot of pressure off me to be the person that has to go out there and do everything as the main man.

“And Freddie [Sears] came in at the weekend and looked back to his old self — positive and a threat.”

As he prepares to head for Carrow Road and the clash with arch-rivals Norwich on Sunday the experienced frontman insists he isn’t in any way perturbed by his lack of goals, adding: “It might be a good story, with all the injuries I’ve had, coming back and scoring against the rivals. That would be nice, but I’d take a team win over any personal glory.

“I’m not even taking my place for granted. Pits [Brett Pitman] has got more goals than me and he’s not come on in the last four games.

“Big Kieffer Moore has come in from non-league — he’s a handful and looks a good player — and Freddie has got his confidence back.

“Tom is still suspended but if it wasn’t for him I don’t know where we’d be this season. It’s a toss-up who will play and it’s not guaranteed to be me.

“Everyone is fighting for their places and that’s good. No one is taking their place for granted.”

McGoldrick cast his mind back to last month’s embarrassing FA Cup third round replay defeat at Lincoln and said: “Back then we only had 13 or 14 senior players. Now if it’s 11 v 11 on the training pitch it has to be roll-on, roll-off subs.

“Lincoln might win the FA Cup now! That was a tough time. You have those spells in a season when things don’t go well but fair play to Lincoln.

“We want to go out and give a good account of ourselves on television now, though, because we didn’t against them.

“The formation we’re playing, with the wing-backs, suits us. The players in midfield have helped — Ems [Emyr Huws] is really attacking, Toums [Toumani Diagouraga] does too, as does Skusey [Cole Skuse] to be fair, and other players.

"Wardy [Grant Ward] has had a new lease of life in there. Freddie likes to run in behind and I like to drop deep and feed him.”

Right now, of course, the game at Norwich is uppermost in the players’ minds and McGoldrick added: “I’ve had a few people say ‘As long as you score against Norwich and beat them, I don’t care what happens after that’. I know it’s massive and what it means to the town.

“I remember seeing Danny Haynes ahead of one of the derby games and everyone was clapping him. I said ‘Did he score 200 goals here?’ and someone told me ‘No, he scored a few against Norwich’. That made me realise how much it means — score a few goals against Norwich and you can end up with the keys to the town!”

Photo: TWTD

Dissboyitfc added 07:01 - Feb 24 Score the winner and you wont need keys, everywhere will be open for you!
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midastouch added 08:06 - Feb 24 1 winning goal at Norwich would be worth 20 elsewhere! ;-)
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Warkys_Tash added 12:34 - Feb 24 So glad MacG is back to full fitness and sharpness. We have been without him against Norwich for so many of the Derbies. They really fear him, like when he made his cameo against them in the play-offs - Norwich fans were telling me that he was one of the best players on the pitch - and that was 15minutes coming back from injury. Surely, their luck has got to run out soon? Let it be Sunday. COYB!!!

2

dawoolah added 13:05 - Feb 24 He may not be scoring many but his creativity and defence slitting passing has been outstanding recently. The fact he has stated he'd "take a team win over any personal glory" speaks volumes.
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JewellintheTown added 13:51 - Feb 24 I can tell many on this forum love McGoldrick, and on his day so do I and quite rightly so. However, I do feel he's always far too casual about the role he plays and his comments in this article seem to back this up, yet he still seems to be the golden boy "when he's fit" and "on his day" and "good when he's back". Problem is, it's his job to score and for whatever reason, he isnt. Pitman and many others are way ahead of him in what they give to the team. No room in ITFC for hangers on, we need everyone to do their very well paid job and that included DMcG. I'd be sacked if I didnt do what I was paid to do or did it poorly, why shouldnt he?

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WeWereZombies added 11:11 - Feb 26 JewellintheTown - Are you McGoldrick's moaning missus?
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Mariner1974 added 22:33 - Feb 26 JewellintheTown - you must be clueless...why do you think the team is playing well again? Didzy is the player that makes Ipswich tick. Without him we are bereft of ideas. Our most creative player bar none
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