Town have confirmed the signing of former QPR midfielder Dominic Ball, as revealed by TWTD earlier this afternoon.

The 26-year-old will join the club on a two-year deal when his Loftus Road contract is up at the end of the month.

“This is a club with a real ambition and I am delighted to be here,” Ball told iFollow Ipswich.

“I have worked with the manager before when I was a youngster at Spurs. I’m looking forward to working with him again and learning more about his concepts and ideas.

“I want to get out there on the pitch in front of the fans because it’s a great stadium and a huge club.

“The first thing the fans should expect from me is hard work. I will give it my all here and I want nothing more than to help the club get promoted.”

Manager Kieran McKenna added: “We’re delighted to have Dom on board. He has a good level of experience and he also has a fantastic character. He has been highly regarded at every club he has been at, and he lives his life to a high level of professionalism.

“Dom is also a very mature player who understands the game well. He can break play up and distribute the ball well. He is also versatile and brings a lot of attributes to the squad.”

Ball left Loftus Road at the end of the season having spent three years with the West Londoners and will join the Blues on a free transfer. Primarily a defensive midfielder Ball can also operate at centre-half or at right-back.

The Welwyn Garden City-born schemer was a youth player with Watford before moving on to Tottenham’s academy, where Blues boss McKenna was a coach.

Ball, who is 6ft 2in tall, spent time on loan at Cambridge United and Rangers - where he won the Scottish Championship title and Scottish Cup during 2015/16 - before leaving White Hart Lane for Rotherham for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2016.

Capped by Northern Ireland at U15, U16, U17, U19 and U21 levels and England at U19 and U20, Ball had stints on loan at Peterborough and Aberdeen while with the Millers.

Last season Ball made 15 starts and eight sub appearances for the Superhoops, scoring once.

In total, he made 74 starts and 25 sub appearances while at Loftus Road, scoring three times.

Ball, who has a degree from the Open University in Business Studies, recently published a book, From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams, relating his experiences and those of five fellow young players as they sought to make a career in football.

Proceeds from the book are being donated to Sarcoma UK, a charity supporting research into the bone cancer which claimed the life of one of the youngsters, Spencer McCall, who died aged 26.

TWTD's sister QPR site LoftForWords was disappointed to see him move on with their lengthy tribute concluding: “I’m disappointed he’s been released and would have kept him on for another year as an excellent bench option on a budget.

“His attitude and commitment to the club and the cause has been exemplary, absolutely first class, since the moment he got here.

“Being a professional footballer at this level, representing a club like QPR, really matters and mattered to him.”

Ball becomes Town's second signing of the summer following the addition of striker Freddie Ladapo on Monday.

The acquisition of Ball would suggest loanee Tyreeq Bakinson won't be returning on a permanent basis.

Photo: ITFC

Brazils_Hair added 19:00 - Jun 1 Welcome to ITFC best of luck to you. Can't wait for the season to start!
5

boroughblue added 19:04 - Jun 1 Welcome Dom, sounds like a very solid and committed player, excited about this one! Well done Ashton and KMc...
13

runaround added 19:20 - Jun 1 Nice to have you here Dom
1

Monkey_Blue added 19:23 - Jun 1 We seem to be adopting a far more considered approach to signings than Cook's scatter gun trolley dash spree. Everything about McKenna suggests he does a lot of research and also has a set idea on what the team needs. Cook managed to screw chesterfields season up… once again suggesting Richardson was the reason for his success
13

Steelmonkey added 19:25 - Jun 1 Welcome aboard the revving tractor and can't wait to see you in action for us and help it up to full speed.
1

Bazza8564 added 19:31 - Jun 1 Great to have you here fella, KM knows you and it's a big season so i hope it works out.
2

blues1 added 19:35 - Jun 1 Monkeyblue. Agreexwith most you say there. Not oso sure that Richardson was the only reason cook had success in the past mind you. Just think he's lost the plot somewhere along the road. Fans said the same about Lambert and culverhouse, yet Culverhouse has struggled on his own too. Dont know if u heard cooks interview after they lost to Solihull the other day, but he definitely not the manager I thought he was. As u say, definitely a much more considered approach this time. Also think it might be significant that we appear to be going for taller players, as we've always looked to be smaller than most teams in league1. Hopefully that will help defensively as well as at attacking set pieces.

4

Saxonblue74 added 19:40 - Jun 1 I know nothing about this guy, but all accounts are of a hard working and committed pro. Seems KmK is adding some steel to the squad! Monkey, PC has long since left....Time to move on!
2

Lordy11 added 19:42 - Jun 1 Hopefully not a replacement for Morsy. Probably means Bakinson is not signing if Sam stays.
0

Mark added 19:46 - Jun 1 I am pleased we are signing the players we want early, identifying targets and getting them in the door. Good work! Tall, strong players too which is what is needed in League One. Hopefully both will help our set pieces improve at both ends of the pitch.
3

Linkboy13 added 19:49 - Jun 1 A tremendous physical presence in the midfield just hope this is not dampened by Morsy moving on which is being rumoured. Would be nice if he made some sort of statement to the contrary. To replace Morsy would need a major signing which would prove difficult.
2

Monkey_Blue added 19:52 - Jun 1 It's also obvious we are leaving Adidas from the pictures of our two new signings. No branding on the ITFC Gear they are wearing
0

chepstowblue added 19:56 - Jun 1 I'm sure that I was the only person on here who was disappointed when we appointed Cook. Now it seems that I'm the only one carrying any sympathy for him !! Anyway, I know absolutely nothing about this guy...but then he's probably never heard of me either, which doesn't mean that I'm not a fantastic cabbie. I'll be a little sad if we don't get Bakinson who by the end of the season was excellent. I honestly hope we don't do too much more business and start next season with a load of strangers. Banking on us keeping what we have....another 2 or 3 should do it. Good luck to this guy.

0

RegencyBlue added 19:59 - Jun 1 Getting our business done early with minimum fuss. Like it!
3

gmanrom added 20:46 - Jun 1 This was from my QPR supporting mate. Very very good, I can't believe they didn't extend his contract !! Great cdm
3

billys_boots added 20:51 - Jun 1 Monkey_Blue Re Adidas, I was under the impression a few months ago that Town had been unable to make contact with Adidas(!) and Adidas have had well publicised supply chain issues in the last year or so. Don't know if there's more to it than that though.
0

billys_boots added 20:51 - Jun 1 Monkey_Blue Re Adidas, I was under the impression a few months ago that Town had been unable to make contact with Adidas(!) and Adidas have had well publicised supply chain issues in the last year or so. Don't know if there's more to it than that though.
0

Help added 21:15 - Jun 1 No fees paid so far this season. happy with freebies
1

renoble added 21:19 - Jun 1 When we secure promotion to the premier league in 2025, he won't be in the starting lineup against Everton. That said, he will be precisely the reason that we are in the premier league at all. It's gonna be a wonderful season, I can feel it
1

Help added 21:28 - Jun 1 RE Adidas I have looked at the town shop and all of the training gear is only the club badge, no manufacturer marking at all.
0

algarvefan added 21:36 - Jun 1 Welcome to Ipswich Dominic, hope you have a great and successful time at the club. Like the look of him a no nonsense defensive midfielder alongside Morsy. I don't think it matters who we sign as long as they improve and strengthen the positions we are short in.
2

inghamspur added 21:46 - Jun 1 Bye bye Lee Evans then
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Saxonblue74 added 21:58 - Jun 1 Qpr fans forum loftforwords tells us all we need to know with many fans questioning why they've signed Dozzell for £1m to let Ball move on. Without exception their fans are scratching their heads as to why he wasn't offered a new contract. That's good enough for me!
2

have_a_word_with_him added 22:15 - Jun 1 Unbelievable bit of business, clearly very well liked by QPR fans, top notch character and total commitment, I continue to be amazed at the work of Ashton and McKenna. Absolutely brilliant stuff.
4

ThaiBlue added 22:24 - Jun 1 Well done Town doing there buisness nice and early and very quietly good all round.good luck to dom hope you do well.
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