'A fresh start' - Johnson on Town switch, leaving West Ham and McKenna talks

Ben Johnson is taking a big step in his career, completing a permanent move to Ipswich Town as they prepare to tackle the Premier League.

The defender arrived on a free transfer from West Ham, who reportedly offered him a new five-year deal to stay in East London. Ultimately, he turned it down to join the Blues, looking to kick on after a difficult campaign with the Hammers.

“It was an up-and-down year, very much so,” he told Town TV. "I started the season not really playing at all, and then came into the team in some relatively big games – I did well – and made some sub appearances towards the end of the season, finishing it off quite well.

“We had a good season, but there’s been so much uncertainty over my future for the last couple of years, I just wanted to really focus on my football and let the rest take care of itself.

“That’s why I’m here.”

The word ‘uncertainty’ is key. Not only were there question marks over his contract and his game time, but manager David Moyes opted to leave West Ham, with Julen Lopetegui coming in as his replacement.

CEO Mark Ashton often says that Ipswich’s consistency is their superpower, and that appealed to Johnson, who wants to help them take on the biggest challenge that they’ve faced under the ownership of Gamechanger 20 Ltd.

“Everything is brand new,” he said. “I think that not being in the Premier League for the last 22 years, it’s going to be new, a new experience for the fans, a new experience for me.

“To come here, such a historic club, to come into the stadium and the training ground, it’s been an amazing experience and something new for me.

“I think it’s going to be a fresh start, something I sensed that I needed. I’ve been at West Ham for the last 17 years, so that’s all I’ve ever known.

Johnson had been at West Ham since he was seven years old (Image: PA)

“Staying on there, would it be different? I’m not so sure, but this opportunity came up and it was one that I don’t think I could turn down.

“With the last two years, Ipswich’s rise from League One to the Premier League, Kieran McKenna, the players. I followed the top end of the Championship all of last season as well, seeing how well they were doing, how they just stayed at the top for the duration of the season.

“To get into the Premier League is a great achievement and I feel like it’s definitely the next step for my development, to play more regularly.”

Moving away from his boyhood club won’t be easy, but this was a move that Johnson couldn’t turn down. Even before Ipswich had registered their interest, the 24-year-old had followed their trajectory and their battle to win promotion from the Championship.

“It’s very unique, it doesn’t come around regularly,” he admitted.

“It shows the dynamic of the club, the structure of it from top to bottom. The investment side, recruiting the right manager, the right players. To be able to improve in consecutive seasons is not easy to do and probably ahead of schedule.

“It just shows the group, the atmosphere that’s here at Ipswich. I just feel that, for this season, it’ll be even better.

“No one knows what’s going to happen but we know that we’re going to enjoy it. There’s going to be a lot of joy this season, a lot of togetherness, and I think that’s something that I wanted to be a part of.

The 24-year-old followed closely as Town secured promotion from the Championship (Image: Stephen Waller)

“I know of the players, of course, but I don’t know anyone personally. It’ll be good to go into a new atmosphere, a new changing room with boys who’ve been together for a while and know what success looks like.

“Back-to-back promotions, as I said, it doesn’t come around very often, so hopefully I can bring and add to the success that they’ve had, and bring Premier League experience which some of the boys do have – and I have.

“I think it’ll definitely be a good mix.”

As with any move, Johnson spoke with the manager early on. He was impressed by Kieran McKenna’s plan, heaping praise on him and his vision for the future.

“I spoke to Kieran a few times,” he revealed. “The plan he has for the club, Mark’s plan that he has for the club, Mark overseeing everything and Kieran doing everything with the football side.

“He [McKenna] has brought success, so there’s no reason to change and tweak that.

“He’s brilliant, what he wants to do for this season, the plan on and off the pitch, the plan for myself as well. It was really refreshing to hear.

“You can see he’s going to be a successful manager for Ipswich and in the future, so it’s definitely a great mix for me to come in here.

Johnson can play in any defensive position - as well as midfield and out wide (Image: PA)

“I want to focus on my football. I love my football, so it’s something that I really want to maximise.”

Johnson isn’t coming into this blind. Not only does he know what the club achieved recently, but he’s also learned more about the history and the size. Even he had to admit that it took him by surprise.

“I didn’t realise how large the fanbase is,” he explained. “The derbies against Norwich, the fans outside the stadium. I knew it was a massive derby, but I didn’t realise it was to that extent.

“The club size, the history it has. The size of the stadium I knew, but coming to the stadium, it’s beautiful, the pitch is amazing. The training ground, improvements are always being made.

“That’s what you want to see, you want to be in an environment where you’re always trying to improve, always trying to impress. I feel like, with the infrastructure and the players, there’s only one way to go for Ipswich Town, and this is the start.”

His experience will be key to their success, particularly when it comes to adapting to life in the Premier League. Johnson has played more than 100 times for West Ham, with 69 of them coming in the top flight. He’s also played in Europe, helping the Hammers win the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022/23.

“Hopefully it brings a lot of experience,” he said. “I’ve played in big games, I’ve had times when I’ve played regularly in the Premier League, there’s been times where I’ve had to be on the sidelines and still be a good team-mate.

“I’ve got a good blend of it all, really, of the Premier League experience.

The defender was part of the West Ham side that won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022/23 (Image: PA)

“It’ll be helpful for me to learn from the boys and from them to learn from me, the intensity and what it takes to play in the Premier League. I’m sure this squad of players will all be capable of doing that.

“I think that the adrenaline of coming from the Championship to the Premier League, always in the first season, it’s certainly going to help. The fans will add the extra bit that we need and I’m sure that, with more Premier League experience, Ipswich will have a good season.”

When it comes to his time at Ipswich, he obviously wants to help the club maintain their Premier League status, but on a personal level, he just wants to play week in, week out.

“When I’m playing regular minutes, I enjoy my football,” he stated. “I can build a rhythm, build confidence, and I feel that playing regularly can help me.

“This is my job, this is what I’ve always wanted to do, and every footballer wants to do that.

“There’s always going to be times in your career where you might not play as much, but I’m at that stage where I’m 24, I’m at a really good age to play with the experience I have to make that regular.

“A club like this is a fantastic opportunity for me.”