Young striker Jordan Rhodes is included in Town's senior squad for the first time ahead of Saturday's home game with Plymouth Argyle. Boss Jim Magilton has also named central defender Ian Miller in his 19-man squad after recalling the 23-year-old from his loan spell at Darlington.

With Town's season now to all intents and purposes dead, Magilton has said he will give some of the club's promising youngsters their chance in the remaining seven games: "If results go our way, I'd like to push through some of the young players who have done well in the reserves and see how they handle the next step up, which is playing in front of 20,000.”

Miller looks more likely to make a start than Rhodes with skipper Jason De Vos still considered a doubt due to the new foot problem he picked up in the Luton game. The Canadian will train on Friday afternoon before a decision is made.

Magilton says he is keen to see Miller, who moved to Portman Road from Bury Town earlier in the season, make his Blues debut at some point over the next few weeks even if he doesn't play on Saturday: “I'd like to see him play a game or two in the blue shirt before the season is out."

The 23-year-old was hugely impressive in loan spells at Boston and Darlington and looks certain to win an extension to his one-year deal with Town.

Rhodes, 17, joined the Blues from Barnsley for £5,000 when still a schoolboy in March 2005 when his father Andy became Town's goalkeeper coach.

The striker scored more than 40 goals for the U16s, U18s and reserves last season and, after suffering a broken collarbone in a pre-season friendly at Framlingham, has continued to net on a regular basis this year, including two goals in Tuesday's 2-2 reserves draw at Leyton Orient.

Magilton says the 6ft tall frontman is worthy of his call-up: "Jordan deserves his chance. He has scored goals regularly all season and has worked really hard at his game."

Lewis Price will continue in goal with David Wright at left-back in place of the suspended Dan Harding, who has reached 10 bookings for the season and also misses next week's game against Barnsley.

Fabian Wilnis will again be at right-back and will be hoping he won't add to the two red cards he has received while playing against Argyle, the most recent in the 1-1 draw at Home Park in October.

Miller is likely to come in for De Vos alongside Alex Bruce at the centre of the defence if the Town skipper fails to make it. The former Bury Town man may be used as a second half sub if the Canadian is considered fit enough to start. Richard Naylor is out for the season with bone bruising to his toe.

In midfield, the Blues are without Sylvain Legwinski, who is out of action until pre-season with a broken metatarsal. The Frenchman's place alongside Owen Garvan in the centre of the midfield is likely to be taken by Gavin Williams, although George O'Callaghan is another candidate for the role.

Gary Roberts is expected to be fit despite picking up a slight groin strain in training earlier in the week and will continue on one flank with Matt Richards and Jaime Peters in the running to play on the other. Peters has spent much of the week away in Canada with their U20 squad and may be rested.

Up front, Alan Lee will make his 50th league start for the Blues with Jon Walters partnering him. Rhodes will compete with Danny Haynes and Billy Clarke for a space on the bench.

The Town boss wants his side's performances over the course of the next few weeks to encourage more fans to renew their season tickets: “We are all aware of the importance of season tickets sales. We have some massive games coming up and I would like to end by winning all the remaining seven.”

Plymouth are without midfielder Dan Gosling, who injured a hip during the England U17 game with Azerbaijan last Sunday.

Also missing is Tony Capaldi, who is prevented from playing by Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez invoking the five-day rule which states that players unavailable to their national teams through injury are unable to play for their clubs for a five-day period, something which hasn't impressed Pilgrims boss Ian Holloway: "It's rubbish isn't it? I'm not happy at all.

"We have lost Dan Gosling and now Tony Capaldi just because of international football. We are not Manchester United with a huge squad who can cope with it."

Striker Nick Chadwick is out for the rest of the season after undergoing a groin operation, while skipper Paul Wotton is also a long-term casualty having damaged his cruciate and medial ligaments earlier in the campaign.

Midfielder David Norris is suspended after reaching 10 bookings but could be replaced by Akos Buzsaky, who is on his way back after a hamstring injury.

Buzsaky, scorer of a freekick in last season's corresponding fixture which ended 3-1 to the Blues, says he is a fan of Portman Road: "Ipswich is one of the stadiums at which I really like to play.

"It will not be easy - they have a big pitch, they have a young squad and they try to play football - but we have to go there and play like we know we can. We will have to press them and win back the ball when they have it."

Manager Holloway also likes Town's home ground: “I'm expecting Ipswich to be a very good side but I'm expecting us to beat them.

"It's a place I like going to. The pitch is superb, the dressing rooms are beautiful and the surroundings are wonderful.

"There will be no excuses for us and I will be looking to pick a team that I think can get us the three points."

Plymouth have won only once in their 19 visits to Portman Road, a 3-1 victory back in February 1987.

Saturday's referee is Jon Moss from West Yorkshire, who has shown 84 yellow and five red cards in 34 games this season. Moss's last Town game was the 0-0 draw at Chester in the FA Cup in January when he booked Billy Clarke and Gary Roberts. Moss was also in charge of Town's 3-1 defeat at Leicester in August when he yellow-carded Gavin Williams.

Squad: Bruce, Clarke, De Vos, Garvan, Haynes, Lee, Miller, O'Callaghan, Peters, Price, Rhodes, Richards, Roberts, Sito, Supple, Walters, Williams, Wilnis, Wright.

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