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Yet More Has-Been’s And Freebies

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I guess it is to be expected that when it comes to transfer negotiations, Town finds itself embroiled in deals for freebies and has-beens and very little else. For example, it is looking increasingly likely that journeyman Stephen Ward will join the club on a short term contract. He will be 35 next week and although lasting power for defenders tends to be longer, can he really commit to the rigours of life in League One? I have yet to be convinced.

There is nothing that would please me more than to be proved wrong. I would love to hear former Blues captain Mick Mills views on the subject. I remember he said after turning 32, that training became more and more arduous and the commitment to the cause more challenging. Manager Paul Lambert might be impressed with Ward, but I will wait until the season kicks off in earnest before I will deliver my final verdict on a player who was above average at his best. I have heard on the grapevine that it will be a one-year deal with an option of a years extension when he signs.

The talk of recruiting 36-year-old Danny Graham seems to have faded, which is just as well. If we continue to recruit more from football’s senior citizen’s society, then the average age of the team will go through the roof – if both Cole Skuse and Luke Chambers are involved as well! To make matters worse, 21- year old Barry Cotter is currently training with League Two side Leyton Orient ahead of a potential move away from Portman Road. So much for the Marcus Evans five-point plan. This is looking increasingly like the Paul Jewell football strategy, and we all know where that got us!

I feel sorry for Burnley. They obviously don’t know just how bad Will Norris is, as he has signed for them today, and will be understudy to former Ipswich youth player and England goalkeeper Nick Pope. Tomas Holy will have competition for the number one jersey here though, and it will in the form of Northampton keeper David Cornell. He has agreed on a two-year deal, with an option for a third year. Ex-Portsmouth striker Oli Hawkins is also close to signing apparently.

Once again, the possible Hawkins signature does not excite me in the slightest and why should it? He started his career in non-league with North Greenford, Hillingdon Borough, Northwood, Hemel Hempstead Town and Harrow Borough but has never been prolific in front of goal. He netted a paltry 18 goals in 96 games for Portsmouth, which wouldn’t get anyone’s blood boiling, whilst former Blue, 32-year-old Brett Pitman has scored 37 in 81 appearances for the same club! Yes, at 6ft 5 inches, Hawkins could be regarded as a target man – even if he struggles to find the target himself!

I suppose the latest wheelings and dealings tells us all we need to know about the sorry state of Ipswich Town football club. Even before the Coronavirus, we found it difficult to attract football talent and now it seems, we are scraping the barrel for the games leftovers.

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