Town chief executive Derek Bowden has revealed to TWTD that midfielder Owen Garvan could be back in action by the end of next month. The Irishman has been sidelined since pre-season having contracted a post-viral syndrome after a bout of shingles.

Bowden told TWTD: “The poor lad has had shingles and a virus post-shingles and it's been pretty horrible for him. But he's getting better and we're hopeful he'll be back soon, and if it's in time for Mark Noble's departure that would be fantastic.”

Noble is currently on a three-month loan from West Ham but Bowden says an immediate extension is out of the question: “He will go back in November, because he has to go back in November, but we can take him again in January as long as West Ham wish to release him again.

“The loan rules are curious, but he's on a standard 93-day loan which means you can't loan him again in the same intra-window, so we'd have to wait until January 1st to get him back. That would be either on a permanent deal, which is unlikely but not impossible, or more likely on a window-to-window loan.”

The Hammers could recall Noble at any time between now and the end of the spell if they so wish, but the same is not true of Simon Walton's loan from Charlton or Jon Macken's from Crystal Palace. The midfielder and the striker are both with the Blues until January 3rd come what may.

Charlton's recent comments relating to Walton suggest they would be unwilling to allow the 18-year-old to extend his spell at Portman Road beyond January. Town have an agreement with Crystal Palace for Macken to join on a permanent basis in the transfer window if he impresses Jim Magilton during his loan spell.

The full interview with Bowden appears in issue 84 of TWTD which is out ahead of Saturday's home game with West Brom. See our sellers around the ground prior to kick-off or receive your copy by post via a six-issue subscription which is available here.

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