Barry Cotter has returned to Ipswich Town after his loan at Chelmsford City came to an end.

The Irish right-back, who made his senior debut for the Blues in Mick McCarthy’s final game in charge in April 2018, played seven games for the Essex non-leaguers but will now head back to Suffolk.

The loan had always been due to end this month.

The 22-year-old, signed from Limerick in 2018, has played a total of four games for Ipswich, including scoring the winning penalty at Peterborough in the EFL Trophy last season and is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

Despite showing his ability on a number of occasions, both in the first-team and Under 23s, he’s never been able to force his way into Paul Lambert’s senior plans.

He’s likely to leave the club when his contract expires this summer having previously come close to a permanent move to tomorrow’s opponents, Swindon, in January 2019 and having a trial with Leyton Orient earlier this year.