Needham’s Morphew set to train with Ipswich Town squad

Needham Market starlet Kieran Morphew is set to get another chance to impress Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy after being asked back to train with the first-team squad following his under-21s trial game this week.

The 22-year-old will be looking to mastermind his fairytale rise from the Ryman Isthmian League straight up five rungs of the football ladder by earning himself a deal at Portman Road in much the same way current Needham team-mate Ian Miller did while captain of Bury Town.

Morphew, who can play right-back, central midfield or central defence, caught the eye in front of the former Republic of Ireland boss at the Blues’ Playford Road training complex on Monday as Ipswich Town Under-21s defeated QPR 1-0 in a Professional Development League Two South Division fixture.

The player who came through Needham Market’s Academy under the tutelage of former Ipswich midfielder Kevin Horlock at Bloomfields, partnered under-21s captain Joe Robinson, from Haverhill, in the centre of a defence which secured a first clean sheet since August 17.

Ipswich Town’s press manager, Steve Pearce, said: “Keiran’s coming back to train with the first-team at the start of next week.”

With relegation-threatened Needham Market facing a key home game with Grays Athletic next Tuesday, it has been decided he will not be risked in Town’s under-21s’ game at Brentford on Monday (1pm) and will instead train in front of McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor.

Morphew previously spent time with the Blues back in 2013 when he played a game for the Under-21s, coincidentally away against West Londoners QPR, when he featured at right-back.

He was named player’s Needham Market’s Player of The Year last season as the club won promotion to the Ryman Premier Division and has become a key component of Mark Morsley’s squad, who are trained by Ipswich Town coach Steve Foley.

Morphew has scored six goals in 102 games for the Ryman Premier Division side.

Miller, the captain who led Cambridge United back to the Football League in the same season as lifting the FA Trophy, signed for Ipswich under Jim Magilton after impressing against the Tractor Boys in a pre-season friendly against Bury Town at Ram Meadow back in 2006, signing for a nominal fee.

If Morphew were to be handed a deal at Ipswich, Needham would also be due a fee.

McCarthy has history of plucking players from non-League with Michael Kightly signed for his Wolverhampton Wanderers side from as a 20-year-old from Grays Ahtletic, while he brought Tyrone Mings from Chippenham Town at Ipswich for a bargain £10,000 before the club sold him last summer to Premier League newboys AFC Bournemouth in an £8 million deal.