Jon Nolan has been tipped to be among the best midfielders in League Two after signing for Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, provided his injury problems are behind him.
The 29-year-old joined the Gas as a free agent after deadline day following the termination of his contract at Portman Road.
There is no doubting the former Shrewsbury Town midfielder's pedigree. However, he has not played for more than a year due to a knee injury, although he returned to full training before his Ipswich exit.
But Joey Barton and his staff will hope the player's injury issues are behind him after passing a medical upon joining the Gas.
To get an insight into Rovers' latest signing, Bristol Live spoke to Andy Warren, Ipswich Town reporter for the East Anglian Daily Times.
What is your verdict on Rovers' transfer window? Have your say in the comments section below...
What sort of player have Rovers signed in Jon Nolan?
He should be one of the best midfielders in League Two, that’s for sure. Were it not for injuries, I highly doubt he’d be anywhere near the fourth tier.
At his best, he’s tenacious, good on the ball and able to link play between two boxes. He’s played in deeper midfield roles for Ipswich but also more advanced, lining up behind the strikers.
Hopefully, for his and Rovers’ sake, he can get back to the performance levels he’s capable of playing at.
What are his strengths and weaknesses on the pitch?
He’s at his best when he’s in possession. His control is good, he can lay clever balls off to teammates quickly and, when playing with confidence, he can drive into the box.
His close control and ability to turn in tight circles, getting his team out of trouble, is a real strength.
His goal record is good, too. One in seven from midfield, in not particularly good Ipswich teams, is decent.
He’s not against putting a tackle in but I wouldn’t necessarily call him a ‘ball winning’ type. He also has a tendency to put rash challenges in when frustration grows.
Nolan’s not particularly pacey, but the way he plays the game doesn’t require him to be.
Did he bring any qualities to Ipswich off the pitch? Was he a prominent figure in the dressing room?
Nolan’s always struck me as the quiet type. He doesn’t like doing interviews but, when he’s pushed to, he’s actually very good at them.
He was certainly popular with his teammates, but I’m sure he would be the first to say he’s not necessarily a prominent figure in terms of vocal leadership.
He has spent a significant period sidelined with injury. What was the nature of his injury and at what stage is he in his recovery? Could he be ready for action imminently?
Nolan hasn’t played for Ipswich in more than a year.
He’d been banished to Ipswich’s Under 23s following a disagreement with Paul Lambert but, after the Scot was sacked, he was instantly brought back into the fold by new boss Paul Cook. But he suffered a knee injury in his first session back, as he looked to impress. He’s had a number of other problems since, including one with his calf.
He did make the bench for one Papa John’s Trophy game at the end of last year but didn’t get on the pitch and hasn’t been seen since.
But, by all accounts, he’s fit again now. He’d been training with the Ipswich first team of late, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw him on the pitch sooner rather than later.
Here’s what Town boss Kieran McKenna said of Nolan last week: “Thankfully, his major injury that he had has much improved, no big long-term issues there hopefully, so now it’s just about getting a rhythm in training, that’s obviously a challenge when you’ve had a longer injury and a long time out.”
How will his time at Portman Road be remembered by Ipswich fans?
Sadly, I think the injury issues will be Nolan’s lasting memory.
That and the fact he was part of a recruiting class of 2018 which ultimately formed the core of the side relegated to League One. Town spent £6m that summer and many of those players have left the club for free.
There is certainly an acknowledgement that Nolan has ability. We just didn’t get to see it often or consistently enough.
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