Christian Walton would have been forgiven for thinking 'here we go again' this summer.

Just like in the summer of 2023, having played a key role between the sticks for a promotion campaign, he suffered a poorly timed pre-season foot injury.

Just like in the summer of 2024, the Blues went out and spent big money on a new goalkeeper ahead of a step up to the Premier League.

For the fourth successive year, through no fault of his own, he was facing an uphill struggle before a competitive ball was kicked.

"Funnily enough, I didn't actually think that," says the 30-year-old.

"I had a fracture in my foot and missed a lot of pre-season, which wasn't ideal, but I just saw it as another challenge I had to take face on.

"Then, as soon as I was back, I wanted to be number one at this football club, so I made sure I did everything right to give myself the best opportunity of doing that."

Christian Walton was named Players' Player of the Year when Ipswich Town secured promotion back to the Premier League. (Image: Ross Halls)

Vaclav Hladky blocked Walton's path in the Championship promotion winning campaign of 2023/24, while Aro Muric was brought in as a new £10m keeper for Premier League football in 2024/25. An injury set-back robbed Walton of the chance to build on a clean sheet against Chelsea and reclaim the jersey in the second part of that top flight campaign, while an injury set-back for Alex Palmer opened the door for him to go and be Ipswich's Players' Player of the Year in 2025/26.

Having fully experienced the capricious life of a goalkeeper helped the Cornish custodian achieve a zen mindset this time around.

Asked what he was thinking when Ipswich went out and signed Dutch duo Kjell Schepen (£8.5m, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise) and Kayne van Oevelen (£3.4m, FC Volendam) this summer, Walton replied: "Emotionally, I would probably have let it affect me more when I was younger.

"As I've got older, I've realised that all you can do is focus on yourself - what you bring to the squad every day, how you go about your work, who you are as a person around the place and what influence you can have.

"The club is always going to be looking to bring in players. That's the nature of the game. It's about making sure that you thrive off that competition and enjoy that challenge.

"It's been hard at times, but it's about resilience. Last year I came into the team knowing I was ready to be the number one again at this football club. That last game against QPR [when promotion was secured] made all the hard work worth it. You always get your rewards in the end. It's about making sure your attitude and application to your job and your role is key."

Ipswich signed two Dutch goalkeepers back in the summer - Kjell Scherpen and Kayne van Oevelen. (Image: Ross Halls)

Walton had to wait 17 months for a run in the side following his last pre-season foot injury. This time, he warmed the bench for just four league games before being called upon to replace Scherpen for last month's trip to Everton.

Asked how he reacted to getting that news, he replies: "Probably with calmness. I didn't expect it, but I'd been working hard in training and sometimes that gets you an opportunity.

"I was obviously really happy to be back in. My main aim was to have an impact and make sure those lads in front of me, some of whom I've played with before (Dara O'Shea and Leif Davis), are settled with me behind them.

"I think I did as much as I could in the game (a 1-0 defeat). We were unfortunate to win, in my opinion, but it was really pleasing to be back out there.

"That three-week international break probably came at the wrong time for me because I just wanted to keep playing."

Christian Walton looks set for a run in the side after starting games against Everton, Fulham and Manchester City. (Image: Steve Waller)

Walton kept his place for the subsequent 2-1 home win against Fulham, making a match-winning save with his legs deep into stoppage-time off the back of dramatic late goals from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O'Shea.

"The game's never over, is it?" he says, with a beaming smile. "It's a big save in that moment. I was fully focused. Obviously, with the emotion of Dara’s goal and then VAR intervening, you're thinking, ‘Come on, don't take the atmosphere away’. As soon as the whistle goes again for kick-off, you have to be switched on because, as was shown, there’s still time for another chance for them. I was ready and made the save."

Having started again in last Saturday's 3-2 defeat at league leaders Manchester City, Walton looks set for a run in the side. Scherpen is now the one trying to apply the pressure, with former No.1 Palmer sitting third in the pecking order and younger prospects van Oevelen and Cieran Slicker out on loan at Valencia and Barnsley respectively.

"If you look across every top division, there's always challenge for every position on the pitch - I think that's healthy," says Walton.

"It's enjoyable when you've got two or three goalies pushing you. It drives you to be better. Under the manager, we set our standards in training. It's been like that my whole time here. If you're not playing, work as hard as possible. If you are playing, work as hard as possible. I don't think you can afford to have it any other way."

Christian Walton has made 140 appearances for Ipswich since joining from Brighton in 2021. (Image: Steve Waller)

On how Scherpen's been since the change in goal, Walton replies: "He’s fine. Training well. I've been there myself, coming out of the team. It’s hard. It can be frustrating. It's about making sure that you work hard and just make sure that you're ready."

Set to turn 31 next month, Walton is now entering what are typically the peak years for a goalkeeper. Asked if felt his best was to come, the former Brighton, Luton, Wigan and Blackburn man says: "Yes, definitely. I've had a lot of good experiences from 19, when I first went out on loan, to now. It has flown by, but they've been amazing experiences and ones that I can lean on regularly to make sure that I'm in the best place to perform at the highest level."

Nine years at Ipswich Town? Christian Walton (left) says he'd love more! (Image: Ross Halls)

This is Walton's seventh season at Ipswich. If he sees out his recently extended contract until 2029, that would be nine years at Portman Road. Could he go on to join a very exclusive club of of players to represent a club for a decade or more in the modern era?

"Yes, I'd like to," he smiles. "That would be really nice.

"Obviously a lot can happen in 24 hours in a football club, so to look that far ahead is probably a bit silly at the minute.

"But yes, I would really like to finish my career here. If I could, that would be the dream. It's been an amazing journey so far and long may that continue."