Midfielder Grant Leadbitter has confirmed that he has decided not to accept Town’s offer of a new deal. We understand that, as outlined by Blues boss Paul Jewell yesterday, the former Sunderland man, who has been strongly linked with a move to Middlesbrough, did not travel with the rest of the squad to Doncaster for Saturday’s final game of the season and has played his last match for the Blues.

Leadbitter told Sky Sports that he has opted against remaining with the Blues after his current deal is up at the end of June: “I have turned down the offer of a new deal at Ipswich and I will be leaving at the end of the season.

"It was a really tough decision, but I feel I am ready for a new challenge at this stage of my career.

"I never spoke to Ipswich about finances, I just feel the time is right for a new challenge and a new experience.

"I would like to thank the club for bringing me here in the first place and I have had a great three years here.

"The fans have been brilliant and I have a lot of time for Paul Jewell and always got on very well with him and you see how hard he works for the club."

He added: "I have not thought about my future yet I will be going on holidays soon and I will be keeping my options open before I decide where I want to go."

Manager Paul Jewell said: "We have given it our best shot. I have spoken to Grant at length. The owner has as well. It's a big decision for him though. I understand that.

"The longer it has gone on the more I have felt we were going down the lines of him going elsewhere. We wanted him to stay but it's not to be and we wish him well."

In addition to Boro, Brighton and Hove Albion have also been linked. Former captain Leadbitter joined his old Sunderland boss Roy Keane at Portman Road for a fee of £2.65 million in the summer of 2009 and went on to make 120 starts and six sub appearances for the Blues, scoring 14 goals.

Photo: Action Images

RetroBlue added 18:02 - Apr 27 A major under performer the vast majority of his time here. No loss tbh. Im just pissed off Town have pandered to him for so long in the vein hope he'd sign another contract. Why? He'll would no doubt have been Mr Anonymous for us . So as many others have said "good riddance"!
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icetruckiller added 18:03 - Apr 27 Good. Been important the last few months, but hasn't produced the goods game after game. A good chunk of wages saved for some new young players.
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martin12120137 added 18:06 - Apr 27 were never going to go up were going to be a midtable team every year if we cant keep crappy players like him what chance have we got you do all know he was only playing well lately to look good for potential buyers this club is becoing a joke
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mschultz76 added 18:07 - Apr 27 Gutted Leadbitter have left. Now Town really need a quality central midfielder. 2 goalkeepers, 2 Central defenders and a striker. Still positive for next season as I am sure PJ will get some quality added this summer but would have liked a settled midfield for next season with Leadbitter, Drury and Hyam but not to be. Good luck Leadbitter. I for one thought you were great for Town.

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chepstowblue added 18:22 - Apr 27 Am really disappointed by the news,yes weve got some decent midfielders at the club but no-one who could run a game the way that Leadbitter did at Birmingham and his speed of thought is considerably faster than Hyam,Drury et al. I fear he ll be going upwards a lot quicker than us.Interested to see wholl be brought in as a replacement. I for one wish him good luck.

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buryblue77 added 18:24 - Apr 27 chepstowblue, who can replace him? A resurgent Bullard, that's who.
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irishtim added 18:30 - Apr 27 Good riddance. Put himself in shop window in last 10 games then gives us the 2 finger salute.
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Chicago_Blue added 18:44 - Apr 27 Can someone answer me this?... Jewell said he spoke to the player, and so did the owner. No mention of Clegg at all. Was he not involved? What's he do then? What's his role?
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wrightyblue added 19:00 - Apr 27 Yay the best news iv heard all season. Roll on next season.
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itfcjc added 19:01 - Apr 27 Glad to see the back of him He's not committed to this club We'll sign someone better Over the 3 years he's been a flop for 2.6 million A Roy Keane player
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Mungo added 19:04 - Apr 27 Disappointed but not surprised by GL's attitude. Will be remembered as an expensive failure - that's his choice and I'm not sorry to see him go if he doesn't want to stay. Hopefully this will create an opening for Hyam and Bullard will come back better next season.
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alfromcol added 19:05 - Apr 27 Should have stopped playing him weeks ago, when it was clear he was another "Norris" waiting for the end of the season. Whilst I accept that footballers like anyone else in employment is entitled to better themselves I am sick of these players being two-faced to the supporters, who ultimately pay their inflated wages. Let's hope that wherever he is going he has the same luck as Norris with his new employer.

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SouperJim added 19:07 - Apr 27 All the best Grant, you have to respect his decision and he clearly has ambition to better himself, who can blame him after our "progress" over the last 3 seasons. He may not have often hit those early heights in terms of his performances, but only muppets will question his professionalism or his effort. If every pro at this club had a bit more Grant Leadbitter in them we would be a lot better off.

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Superfrans added 19:08 - Apr 27 No axe to grind against GL. Good luck to him. But... Finances aren't behind the decision. I've had a great three years The fans have been brilliant. I have not thought about the future yet. How many of those sound at all true? I'm really struggling. ;-)
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alfromcol added 19:08 - Apr 27 He added: "I have not thought about my future yet I will be going on holidays soon and I will be keeping my options open before I decide where I want to go." Does he think we are all dumbo's?? Why can't he be truthful. another overpaid footballer being economic with the truth.
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manualthetisfanclub added 19:15 - Apr 27 Good luck ol lead boots.another 2 mill plus down the carsy,should have been flogged last summer when he turned initial contract,it was obvious it was another "Norris" situation happening again!they never learn!lets hope pj gets some decent replacements in,as we need em!
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stewartwonderland added 19:15 - Apr 27 Thought he was a good player and am sorry to hear that he's going, but good luck to him. His form has been erratic over the past 2 seasons and i think that he didnt cope well with the pressure of being made captain of the team. He is no way captain material and played better when it was taken away.
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jas0999 added 19:17 - Apr 27 Best wishes to Grant. People have short memories, he was actually very good in his first season with us, but then sadly it went down hill. The club should be utterly ashamed that for the second year running we have let a player leave for nothing when we spent so much. Why is Clegg allowed to get away with it? If I was as incompetent in my job, I would expect to be sacked! Norris and McAuley was bad enough - but now Leadbitter. This is no surprise however and I fully expect Pj to have a back up plan in place ... on last years showing, I am not confident.

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brittaniaman added 19:18 - Apr 27 THE DARK LORD has a lot to answer for in the short time he was here ??? Please quote me if I am wrong,,, but I thought if we offered a player a contract and they refused,, and moved on, we shoud be entitled to some sort of fee ????? Did we get a fee for Trotter when he refused a contract ???????
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Blue041273 added 19:40 - Apr 27 No surprise at all. GL is a neat and tidy footballer who is arguably the most naturally talented player at the club. His performances generally though have not been up to the expectations peddled to us when RK brought him here. It's been clear though that he was actively considering moving on since he turned down the original contract offer at the start of the season. It was obvious then that he would only stay if the contract offer was significantly improved. In the new world this was always unlikely and the only surprise is that PJ continued to hold out hope that he would stay. I feel sorry for PJ; yet again he has been let down by one of his senior players and left looking hapless. But you have to say he must have seen this coming.

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buryblue77 added 19:40 - Apr 27 brittaniaman, thanks to that belgain bloke called Bosman players are allowed to run their contracts down and leave for nothing regardless of whether his parent club has offered a new deal or not.
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Cheshire_Blue added 19:41 - Apr 27 I hope he has made a note of the Successful move that David Norris made in similar circumstances lasy year !
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bluearmy4life added 19:42 - Apr 27 We will last remember him for his penalty miss against Millwall sadly. Thanks Grant all the best. Just dissapointed we didn't get a penny for him. Poor from ITFC.
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brainbox added 19:46 - Apr 27 Personally pleased as it frees up PJs thinking for the midfield going forward - I know Leadboots has been good the last few games but frankly he has been a real disappointment for most of his Town career and I am not sorry to see him go - however, it is another example of us letting a reasonable player go without recouping any fee back, which is not good, but so be it - would like to see Hyam and Drury being our first choice midfield pair next season, hopefully with Bullard giving us something positive assuming PJ can drain his sinuses and more importantly get him less dependent on the pop!!

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Mungo added 19:50 - Apr 27 Jas - I remember GL had a decent first season, but for the last 2 years has generally under-delivered and failed to live up to the big price tag & wages. I'm disappointed that he didn't want to try and help put the last few seasons right, but if he doesn't want to be here, we're probably better off in the long run. Like you say, good luck to him. On the matter of why his contract was allowed to run down, I don't recall there being many bids for him over the last few transfer windows. There is a limit to what the club can do in that situation, with the player holding most of the cards. I think Peterborough have a good policy in this regard, but even then it can backfire (eg, Joe Lewis was one of their most valuable assets but will leave them for free at the end of this season) btw, your posts seem to be more balanced and more enjoyable to read lately. Keep up the good work. Brittaniaman - Compensation applies to players under the age of 24. Yes the club did get a small fee for Trotter, but will get nothing for Leadbitter.

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