George Hirst admitted he felt “super proud” after captaining Ipswich Town for the first time during their 1–0 FA Cup defeat at Wrexham.
On a night where Kieran McKenna rotated heavily and handed responsibility to some of his longest‑serving players, the striker led the side on his 109th appearance for the club.
It was a moment that carried real weight for Hirst, who has been central to Town’s rise from League One to the Premier League.
Hirst said being handed the armband was a “huge honour” on a night where regular skipper Dara O’Shea was rested, and Ashley Young was unavailable.
As one of the squad’s most established figures, he admitted the gesture meant a great deal after four seasons of contribution and growth.
“Super proud,” he said.
“I love every minute of being here since the second I walked through the door.”
I’ve seen a lot of people come and go and to still be here and the gaffer giving me the chance to captain the side tonight was a massive honour.”
He added that while he’d captained youth sides, “in men’s football, that’s a first.”
Hirst revealed that McKenna told him the night before the game, during a relaxed conversation while reviewing clips and discussing details ahead of the tie.
“He told me that he sees me as a leader in the group and I try to be that every single day,” he said.
“He said I was going to captain the side, so I slept pretty nice.”
The striker said the armband was something he wanted to repay with work rate and presence. Even without a goal, he felt he led the line with the intensity expected of a captain.
Asked about his leadership style, Hirst admitted he’s still learning.
“I’m not the biggest screamer and shouter, I try and say what needs to be said,” he said.
“After one game of being a captain, I don’t really know what kind of captain I am.”
He said he focuses on setting standards before kick‑off and during the warm‑up, drawing on what he’s learned from O’Shea and previous captains.
“If I can show my quality and my work rate, especially being a striker leading the line, hopefully all the boys will follow on with that.”
Even his half‑time message was instinctive. “I can’t really remember what I said, to be honest. It was just to refocus the boys, get them going again and make sure we started quickly.”
Town’s defeat ended hopes of reaching the FA Cup fifth round for a second straight season, with Josh Windass’ first‑half finish proving decisive.
Ipswich failed to register a shot on target, and Hirst admitted the frustration of falling short in a game they felt they could have controlled.
“You want to go as far as you possibly can in any competition,” he said.
“The good thing about football… is we get to come back here next week and put tonight right. That’s going to be the focus for everyone this week.”
He felt the match unfolded as expected.“The first half, we got a good start but I think we fell off a little bit with the second balls and winning a few duels,” he said.
“We withstood a lot of pressure. In the second half, we gave it a really good go, and we were unlucky with a few moments.”
With only league fixtures remaining, Hirst believes the squad’s depth and competitiveness will be crucial.
“We’ve got a competitive squad, and the more games we have, the more minutes everyone is going to have,” he said.
“Now we just have the league to focus on, and it just increases competition throughout.”
Asked whether the defeat could shape next week’s rematch, he was clear. “It can do if we use it in the right way,” he said.
“There are lessons to be learnt and things we can learn from tonight and take into next week to make sure we’re better and get the result that we want.”
Hirst felt Town had enough chances to change the game. “On another day, they all go in the back of the net and you win the game comfortably,” he said.
“We’ve got the luxury of being able to come back next week… and we’ve got a chance to go and put three more points on the board.”
