Town will face Ridgeons Division One champions Tiptree United in a pre-season game on Thursday 24th July at their Chapel Road ground. The Blues promised Tiptree the friendly in September 2007 after the Jam-makers were expelled from the FA Cup for fielding two ineligible players, one of whom was former Town academy scholar Ian Nimmo.

Nimmo and former Northampton scholar Jamie Arlick played in a preliminary round tie against London APSA, who were subsequently reinstated into the competition, while both players were still officially registered to their former Football League sides.

The duo had been released in the previous July and Town, the Cobblers and Tiptree were all under the impression that they were free to play for another club.

However, neither Town nor Northampton had completed the necessary paperwork for the Football Association which officially terminated their scholarships.

Tiptree secretary John Wisbey said he was delighted that the Blues had kept their agreement: "Ipswich Town must be congratulated for this outstanding commitment and I would like to personally thank Town secretary Sally Webb, chairman Mr Sheepshanks and boss Jim Magilton for staying true to their words.

"Like the other professional club involved at the time, Ipswich could have just conveniently forgotten about the difficult time we went through but, to their credit, they haven't.

”The potential income from this one match will set the club up for the rest of the season and will also provide manager Colin Wallington and his players with the opportunity to pit their wits against some of the best in the business.

"It might just be another pre-season game to the Tractor Boys, but to our lads it will be a cup final and, with the squad Colin is assembling, I'm sure our lads will be keen to put up a good showing.”

Meanwhile, former Blue Chris Swailes has hung up his boots at the age of 37. Swailes was part of the Hamilton Academical squad which won the Scottish Division One championship this season.

The central defender spent two spells at Portman Road, leaving for Peterborough while still a youngster and having failed to make the first team, and returning four years later for £225,000 during the Blues' first stint in the Premier League, scoring a last minute own goal loser on his debut at home to Aston Villa.

Swailes, who left Town for the second time to join Bury in 1997 for £200,000 as part of the deal which saw David Johnson move to Portman Road, now plans to move to Gran Canaria where his wife Louise has a new job.

Photo: Action Images

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