Ipswich Town boss Paul Cook has insisted Teddy Bishop needed a fresh start after 18 years at Portman Road.

The midfielder was one of a large number of Ipswich players told they were free to move on this summer, with the 25-year-old subsequently joining today’s opponents, Lincoln City.

Bishop has said he knew he would likely be moving on within a few weeks of Cook’s arrival, with the midfielder describing the way news of his departure was delivered as ‘expected but brutal’.

But Cook felt he needed to move away from the club he had been with since he was a boy in order to ignite his career.

“Teddy’s a lovely guy,” Cook said. “He’d been at Ipswich a period of time. We all felt a fresh start would do Teddy the world of good.

INTERVIEW: Bishop on his 'brutal, almost disrespectful' Ipswich exit, not fitting into Cook's system and why he's 'absolutely loving' life at Lincoln

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“I’m sure Teddy is enjoying his football. I’m sure he enjoyed the (5-1) win at Cambridge last week being a Cambridge lad. We wish him well in the future, but today is about Ipswich Town.

“Good luck to Teddy. Good luck to every single footballer who has left this football club. But the biggest thing for me is the players who are here now.”

Bishop is likely to return to the Imps’ starting line-up this afternoon, having recovered from illness.