Chaplin, Burgess and the long way round

While Ipswich Town's latest single goal defeat in the Premier League was as cruel as it was depressing, one highlight was the contribution by Town players whose careers were forged in the Football League.

There was no better example than marauding centre-back Cameron Burgess providing an assist for penalty box menace Conor Chaplin to open the scoring against Bournemouth on Sunday.

That goal means Chaplin is now one of only a few players to have scored goals in each of the top four tiers of the English football pyramid. The Worthing-born attacking midfielder is finally getting the chance to showcase his ability on the biggest stage, having previously scored 94 league goals in 341 EFL appearances.

Chaplin broke through at League Two level with Portsmouth in 2014-15 - back when Pompey were reeling from their rapid drop down the divisions. He would go on to make over 100 appearances at League One and Two level on the south coast, before a brief spell at Coventry (then in League One) and Barnsley in the Championship. A drop back down to the third tier with Town led to Chaplin taking his bow at Premier League level thanks to the club's back-to-back promotions.

As for Cam Burgess, who was Ipswich's player of the match against the Cherries, his career path to the top level was much more circuitous. Starting out in the Championship with Fulham, also in 2014-15, making his first league appearance against Ipswich, a combination of loans and transfers eventually saw the Australia international ply his trade at League Two Salford in 2019-20. Fast forward five seasons at Accrington and then at Town, and Burgess is now lining up - and impressing - in the top flight.

While much is expected of Kieran McKenna's summer recruits, it is great that opportunities are being given to players like Chaplin and Burgess who have earned their Premier League minutes by going the 'long way round'.

Find more from Richard Woodward at the Blue Monday Podcast