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Ipswich Town’s double promotion winner Janoi Donacien on ‘the hardest goodbye’ after re-joining Paul Cook and Kieron Dyer at Chesterfield




Ipswich Town’s double promotion winner Janoi Donacien admitted saying his farewells at Playford Road on Thursday was ‘the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say’.

The popular versatile defender ended his six-and-a-half year stay with the Suffolk club, having continued to build his way back from groin surgery with the Blues after not being offered a new contract in the summer, by joining Sk Bet League Two outfit Chesterfield on Sunday.

It will see the 31-year-old work under his former Town boss Paul Cook, who also has Kieron Dyer, who worked with the St Lucia international in his role as the Tractor Boys’ Under-23s manager, on his staff alongside Gary Roberts.

Janoi Donacien started the Championship promotion-winning campaign away at Sunderland before injuries went on to curtail his 2023/24 season Picture: Ady Kerry
Janoi Donacien started the Championship promotion-winning campaign away at Sunderland before injuries went on to curtail his 2023/24 season Picture: Ady Kerry

Donacien had joined Town from Accrington Stanley, following an initial loan spell, for a reported fee of £750,000 under Paul Hirst in July, 2018, and was sent out on loan spells back to Accrington and then Fleetwood Town by Paul Lambert when it appeared his days in Suffolk were numbered.

However, the Luton-raised right-sided defender, who came through the ranks at Aston Villa after academy spells with The Hatters and Spurs, bounced back and became a key player in Kieran MceKnna’s side that gained automatic promotion from Sky Bet League One in 2022/23.

He started the opening two Championship games last season and came off the bench in the third before an ankle issue on international duty with St Lucia in September last year was followed by a groin injury that eventually curtailed his 2023/24 campaign.

Janoi Donacien (44) leads Kieran McKenna’s side out in Portman Road’s first Championship fixture, against Stoke City, since promotion from League One Picture: Barry Goodwin
Janoi Donacien (44) leads Kieran McKenna’s side out in Portman Road’s first Championship fixture, against Stoke City, since promotion from League One Picture: Barry Goodwin

In total, he made 111 starts and 24 substitute appearances for the club without scoring.

McKenna had paid tribute to Doncacien in his pre-match press conference with Bristol Rovers on Friday ahead of the move to the Derbyshire, saying: “Janoi said his goodbyes in here yesterday to the group and to the staff.

“It was quite emotional, really, because he’s a fantastic person. He’s loved by everyone here and loved by the supporters as well.

“He has a brilliant story at the club really, sort of summarises the highs and the lows from arriving and then having a really difficult first season.

“The resilience that he’s shown then in the more difficult times at the club, to be out on loan twice but to keep coming back and giving his best.

“And then to come full circle, to get back in the team pretty regularly before I arrived and then he played in my first game and had such a massive part in the promotion from League One.

“He also had a big part to play in the squad last year. He started the season really well at right-back, then unfortunately had injuries throughout the season, so wasn’t able to play as much as we would have liked to have had him play, but had a massive part to play behind the scenes.

“Just a great guy, positive energy, great vibe all the time, really good in the dressing room and has written his place in the history of the football club, like so many others in that group.

“He had his operation in the summer, which is thankfully fixed now, the issue that he missed last season with, so he’s been in a pretty good position health-wise this season.

“He has trained with us for the last few months. Apart from one or two little minor side issues, his fitness has been great, he’s looked good in training and he’s just really keen to go out and get some games now.

“So I think he’s going to go and do that at Chesterfield, hopefully, I believe that’s close to completion, and will be sorely missed around the building.

“But he also leaves with great fondness, great memories and having had a big part to play in the club and I know for a fact, like so many others in the group that he’s been with for the last few years, will always be welcome at the club in the years to come.”

And Donacien has now given his own account of his departure.

“I think this is the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say,” he told the club’s TownTV channel. “I don’t really want to say goodbye, I always try to say, ‘see you later’ because ‘goodbye’ means you’re probably never going to see someone again, so I’ve just tried to keep it nice and hopefully I do see most of the people again.”

Reflecting on his six-and-a-half years at the club, he said: “High points, extreme high points, signing, extreme low points and then just extreme highs again, just riding the wave of football.

“I’ve seen pretty much everything that’s happened here. On the inside and from outside because obviously I left to go on loan. I’ve seen pretty much everything.”

McKenna’s appointment in December 2021 marked the point when Town’s fortunes changed with Donacien one of the first names on the teamsheet in the Northern Irishman’s first season-and-a-half at the club, before injury having limited his involvement in the Championship promotion campaign.

“The change, it’s hard to put in words because as soon as he came in, everything just started moving in a completely different direction,” he said.

“The club, fans, everyone and that’s just the way that he came in and the way he was with everyone from day one and then you can see what happened now.

“I’m proud to say I was a part of it. Proud to say I was here with the boys in all the celebrations. I’ll look back fondly on those memories.

“When I think back on my time here, I think there’s a video at the end of the season, not even the games, the end of the season on the pitch with my son and my family and stuff, it’s the vibe that I felt here.”

He added: “There’s a lot of people I call family here. Shelly, who has been here a long time, it’s sad to see her go today, she was holding back a bit.

“I’m a people person, so I’ve spent a lot of time with everyone around here.

“There are some very, very special people here that have helped me a lot, on the pitch and off the pitch as well. I just want to say thank you to everyone.

“To the supporters as well, I say thank you to everyone that has stood outside the coaches.

“There’s a good group of people who were continuously there with us throughout the hard times and the good times and I hope there are plenty more good times to come.”

Donacien could make his Chesterfield debut in tonight’s home Vertu (EFL) Trophy tie with Rotherham United (7pm, Sky Sports+).

The Spireites, who Cook led to the Vanarama National League title last season. lie 10th in the Sky Bet League Two table.

Former Town player Armando Dobra is also part of their squad with the forward having eight goals, two behind top scorer James Berry and level with Will Grigg.