‘Unbelievable’ Nathan Broadhead making huge impact after Everton exit

Follow us on Google Discover

It’s not every day a third-tier club invests a seven-figure sum to sign a player from a Premier League club. But Nathan Broadhead, celebrating his one month anniversary as an Ipswich Town player, went some way to re-paying that £1.5 million transfer fee when opening his account for Kieran McKenna’s side during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday. 

Ipswich needed something special at Portman Road; a goal down with seconds remaining in a tense first-half. And Broadhead was on hand to provide exactly that, whipping a sumptuous free-kick into the back of the Wednesday net. 

Nathan Broadhead already proving his worth following Everton exit

“I’d never seen him take a free-kick in training, but he just said he was going to take it,” admits Ipswich team-mate Leif Davis, the former Leeds left-back as surprised as Wednesday ‘keeper Cameron Dawson as Broadhead channelled his inner-David Beckham (EADT). 

“I let him have it and he did that. It was an unbelievable strike, and I think he’s claiming them from that side now. Hopefully he does that every week.

“I thought ‘Chappers’ (Conor Chaplin) might take it, because he’s unbelievable at them too. But Broady said ‘I’m having this’ and sticks it in the top corner off the crossbar.

“That’s what got the crowd going again and got us going again, too. We felt we were back in the game and we went from there. After the free-kick we got that buzz of energy and we came out all guns blazing.”

Broadhead spent 15 years at Everton before bringing an end to his long association with the Toffees last month; departing on a permanent basis following a series of loan spells. Broadhead might not have been deemed worthy of a chance in the top-flight. But, at third-tier level, his is a talent most League One clubs could only dream of. There were 10 goals in just 15 starts for Sunderland in 2021/22, Broadhead playing a key role as the Black Cats ended their long wait for promotion. 

If Ipswich are to do the same this term, expect a few more moments of ‘unbelievable’ quality for a man once again making League One look like child’s play.