Ipswich striker Conor Chaplin shares delight over baby's arrival

Conor Chaplin applauds fans after Ipswich's match against Fleetwood Town in May

Ipswich Town striker Conor Chaplin has spoken of his delight at his baby's birth as his club sets its sights on an automatic promotion place.

Chaplin, 26, and his girlfriend welcomed their son, whose name has not been publicly announced, on 9 October, during the international break.

The birth has capped an incredible time, personally and professionally, for the prolific scorer.

"I love it - it's been amazing," said Chaplin about becoming a father.

"It's exciting and he's getting some good sleep in as well.

"He's been as good as gold so far."

Conor Chaplin and his girlfriend announced the birth of their baby boy with a photo on Instagram

Chaplin, who arrived from South Yorkshire side Barnsley in 2021 on an initial three-year deal before extending his contract this summer, has scored 22 goals for the Championship team since January.

The forward said his baby's arrival during the international break was perfectly timed - although Friday's cancellation of the game away to Rotherham due to the weather has further extended Ipswich's absence from the field.

"It couldn't have been any better - I didn't miss any games," said Chaplin.

"He was all healthy and everything was good, so it was all perfect."

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The fan favourite said his son's smooth arrival and the fact he has settled in so well at home meant he was able to return to training two days after the birth.

He added that Blues boss Kieran McKenna had been supportive of the milestone changes in his life.

"The manager was amazing, and all the staff, and sort of said 'come back in when you want to'," said Chaplin.

"I just made sure I got in as late as possible and got home as soon as possible for the first few days."

The Worthing-born footballer, who has recently been awarded the PFA's Players' Player of 2023 trophy, said while his emotional ties with the town were already strong, his baby's birth had further cemented this and his family had every intention of remaining in Ipswich.

Chaplin gives his shirt to the Ipswich Town mascot after the Championship match against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road in August

The newly-promoted Tractor Boys are second in the Championship table and determined to keep building on their success.

"We're all in a really confident and good rhythm at the moment and long may that continue," said Chaplin.

"We're nearly a quarter of a way through the season and it's been a really good start.

"I didn't expect us to win 9 out of 11 games, but I did think we'd be a really good team in this division."

• Listen to the full interview on Match Night on BBC Radio Suffolk at 19:00 BST on Wednesday