IPSWICH loan signing James Scowcroft checked in at Portman Road today and admitted: “It's great to be back.”There were plenty of familiar faces in the Town squad to welcome the 29-year-old, who was sold to Leicester for £3million in 2001.

IPSWICH loan signing James Scowcroft checked in at Portman Road today and admitted: “It's great to be back.”

There were plenty of familiar faces in the Town squad to welcome the 29-year-old, who was sold to Leicester for £3million in 2001.

First to greet Scowcroft was captain Jim Magilton who joked: “I've still got a bump on my nose that Scowie gave me on Saturday.

“But we are just as pleased to see him as he is to be back. I'm sure he will do a great job for us.”

Scowcroft could not have realised at the weekend, after turning out for Leicester in their 2-1 defeat, that he would be back so quickly.

He added: “I had arranged to spend the weekend down here in Suffolk then I got a phone call yesterday and I seemed to spend the rest of the day in the car.

“I drove back to Leicester and they had to open the ground specially to let me get my boots, then I was back on the road down here again.

“But it is genuinely exciting for me. Apart from Jim, there's Fabian Wilnis and Richard Naylor still in the squad I left four years ago.”

While manager Joe Royle has only signed Scowcroft on loan for the remainder of the season, both he and the player are keen to make the move permanent when his Leicester contract expires in the summer.

Scowcroft added: “I don't have any regrets about joining Leicester. I've enjoyed my time there but you are never surprised by what happens in football.

“My career has now brought me back here and it's a big challenge. I want to help the club achieve their goal in getting promoted.

“And if things work out as we all hope they will I would like to stay beyond that, but it needs to be one step at a time.”

Scowcroft comes in after Ipswich were rocked by an injury to 15-goal top scorer Shefki Kuqi, who will be missing for at least a month as a result of a deep gash in his left thigh suffered just before half-time in Saturday's game.

“Losing Shefki is obviously a big blow to the team but there are 14 games left and we need to keep things in our own hands,” said Scowcroft.

“It is down to the manager where I play. I'll just do what I'm told but in the last two years I've played in various positions and I won't deny it would be nice to go back up front again.”