From League One Portsmouth to the Premier League: Ex-Fratton favourites complete Ipswich fairy-tale journey
Ipswich’s stunning journey has continued, securing successive promotions to return to the top flight after a 22-year exile.
Chaplin and Hirst both began Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Huddersfield, which confirmed their Premier League status, though Harness was not named in the 20-man squad.
Nonetheless, the trio has thrived for the Tractor Boys since leaving Fratton Park, and after finishing second in League One last season, they will be promoted to the top tier the following season.
Chaplin, of course, left Pompey in August 2018 after becoming dissatisfied with his lack of regular starts under Kenny Jackett, instead functioning as a replacement.
The Blues were unwilling to let their home-grown star leave, but the striker admitted that he pushed for a loan move to Coventry, which became permanent in January 2019.
Chaplin scored 25 goals with the Blues, but notably, 86 of his 122 appearances came from the bench.
He later played for Barnsley before Paul Cook signed him for Ipswich in July 2021 for an undisclosed price.
Since then, he has 53 goals in 146 appearances for Ipswich, finishing this season as the club’s joint-top scorer with Nathan Broadhead with 13.Chaplin started 42 of Ipswich’s 46 Championship games this season, and at the age of 27, he’s heading to the Premier League.
In the case of Harness, Danny Cowley exercised the 12-month option on the winger’s contract in the summer of 2022, only to sell him to Ipswich weeks later for about £650,000.
With the former Burton man keen on the move, and Pompey generating the finances to bankroll the purchase of Colby Bishop from Accrington, the switch worked for both parties.
Harness had developed into a goal-scoring wide man at Fratton Park following his July 2019 arrival, totalling 31 goals in 134 appearances over three seasons.
During their Championship promotion, the 28-year-old made just seven league starts, although totalled four goals in 39 outings.
Finally, Hirst finished as Pompey top-scorer in 2021-22 during a season-long loan from Leicester City, albeit having started slowly,
It wasn’t until November 2021 until he truly found his feet, dislodging rival John Marquis to blossom with regular first-team football, scoring 15 times.
Conor Chaplin and Carl Baker celebrate Pompey’s League Two promotion at Notts County in April 2017. Picture: Joe Pepler.Cowley wanted to bring Hirst back to Fratton Park for the next season, but he chose to join Championship team Blackburn on loan.
Following an unsatisfactory spell at Ewood Park, he moved on loan to Ipswich in January 2023, impressing enough during the club’s promotion from League One to earn a permanent contract last summer.
Hirst had seven goals in 26 Championship appearances this season, despite spending four months injured before returning for the last three games of their promotion.Popular performer
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Now the three are poised to officially become Premier League players after quite a journey since south-coast days.
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