The Football League have refused Town special dispensation to bring in another keeper on loan in the wake of Richard Wright’s knee injury. Wright is out for four months having damaged ligaments at Cardiff on Sunday.

Football League rule 49.1 prevents a club from bringing in a keeper after the end of the emergency loan period - which was last Thursday - unless they are without any fit professional stoppers: "If all the professional goalkeepers at a club are certified by an independent medical practitioner as being unfit to play, a club may register... a further goalkeeper on loan."

Town currently have two professional glovesmen on the books, former Hartlepool man Arran Lee-Barrett (pictured), who is contracted to the club until January, and 18-year-old Ian McLoughlin, who signed an 18-month deal last January. Mirko Ranieri, 17, is on loan from Spurs to play for the U18s as McLoughlin is too old to play in the FA Youth Cup.

One way the Blues may find of circumventing the ban on signing a loan player is to track down a free agent keeper who was released in the summer and who hasn't been registered with another club since August. However, it's unlikely that a player in that position would be match sharp and would probably only be seen as back-up to Lee-Barrett.

Town will otherwise have to wait until January to add another keeper when former Bohemians man Brian Murphy officially joins the club on a Bosman. The 26-year-old is due at Portman Road next week to begin what Roy Keane has referred to as a “mini-pre-season”.

Meanwhile, Gareth McAuley says his Town future is now more certain after suggestions earlier on the season that his days with the Blues might be numbered.

The Northern Irishman revealed in September that his agent had been told that he could find another club but he says he was never really keen on making a move: “That is all behind me now. I'm happy here and want to kick-on with my football.

“A move may have looked in the balance three months ago but I would not have welcomed it. We have a stronger squad than when I first arrived in the summer of 2008.

“I discovered later that it appeared a different picture was coming through than what was actually happening. That's football, and how it works.”

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

bedsitfc added 15:36 - Dec 2 as we all thought, but i feel i does give arron a chance to make the no. 1 shirt his own. it is in his hands now and hope he holds on to it along with maynards and haynes shots on sat
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dboyips added 15:37 - Dec 2 THANKS FOR FA
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Wozza added 15:39 - Dec 2 No surprises here then, be interesting to see if arran can rise to the challenge now.
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tractorboybig added 15:44 - Dec 2 The only result they could give in the circumstances.
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8ashblue added 15:50 - Dec 2 this was expected but if defence can continue its recent form then Aaron will have support and will be able to show if he's worth a longer contract. Begovic found out last weekend that his form counts for nothing behind leaky defence. It's just a shame about RW as this was his chance to grab the no.1 spot before Murphy arrived.
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Blueknight85 added 15:54 - Dec 2 he wnt need to worry about hayes shots they are more predictable than the phases of the moon. gunna be a few people worrying about his pace though mayb edwards will have to man mark him
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positivity added 15:55 - Dec 2 there's an obvious answer to this. escape to victory. kevin o'callaghan. new keeper. (just hope someone better than stallone's available!)
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Dale added 15:56 - Dec 2 I have an idea. Why can't we just break McLoughlin's arm?
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bedsitfc added 15:59 - Dec 2 dale has something there!!!! come here mcloughlin haha
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Blueknight85 added 16:00 - Dec 2 craif forrest for the win bryan gunn also available great bench warmers lol aran could allways end up doing great so could the 18 year old reserve keeper but lets not forget aran was just here training between low league clubs and was offerend a tempory contract due to shanes decision to retire so if theres some1 old chugger out there with a bit of experiance it would be worth getting him in just incase

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ITFCHollywoodGT added 16:12 - Dec 2 I'm happy to play if we need a keeper!
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sirbenofmorlingshire added 16:15 - Dec 2 No one has really seen this guy play and Goalkeeper is probably the only position on the park where you don't have to be super skilled like your average outfielder (meaning a lesser known/experienced keeper can still do very well at most levels). So as he's a professional keeper, I assume motivated and chomping at the bit right now to play I don't see what the panic is about, I think he'll do fine. Backed up by a consistant defence and helped by the captain and coaches, he'll do fine. He's had a week to get it into his head he'll be playing and I'm sure he's being drilled in training, so good luck to him I say!

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boltzak added 16:16 - Dec 2 If we were called Chelsea, had a russian billionair owner and broke all the rules I expect it would have been ok to sign a keeper.
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WeWereZombies added 16:25 - Dec 2 It's good to hear that Murphy will be at the club for his 'mini pre-season', if Lee-Barrett and McLoughlin suffer injuries before Wright returns then we at least have a keeper ready for action who the squad have worked with. Shame Mike Pollitt is not a free agent at the moment.
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Blueknight85 added 16:27 - Dec 2 absolut peeeee take!!!!!!!!!! david james has recored faster than they expected apparently....hes back for saturday!!!! great big frickin girl probably only broke a nail!!! GIVE US BEGOVIC BACK!!
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NW10_Tractor added 16:39 - Dec 2 Its a shame that Shane Supple came to the conclusion he did... This could have been a great opportunity for him to step on up!
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dobbie73 added 16:47 - Dec 2 NW10 - I was thinking much the same! But at least this will be a good test of character for Arran. Let's hope he takes his chance and does well. FA = gits.
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Bergholtblue added 16:49 - Dec 2 Why do we need another keeper? Arran was signed as cover for Richard Wright. Now RW is injured he has to step up to the plate. If he is not up to it we should never have signed him in the first place. Likewise Ian McLoughlin. He is now cover for Arran. He is 18 and should be old enough and big enough to take his place if called upon to do so. If not, then why is he still at the club? Arran did OK when he came on against Cardiff. Not many keepers would have saved the goal that went in. I have every confidence in him to do well. he supporters just have to get behind him and encourage him, and not groan if he does make an error. Off to Bristol saturday with tails high and full of confidence. COYB

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ThatMuhrenCross added 16:53 - Dec 2 Part one of my theory confirmed. Arran will do well enough to earn himself an 18-month contract now. Murphy will still establish himself as number 1 in January. Richard Wright will be released when his contract expires in January.
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EatonBlue added 16:59 - Dec 2 If Bego comes back all well and good but if not we do need to find one of those 'free agents'. I think that there may be one being made free by the scum quite soon - that guy who played in the 1-7 defeat v Col U !
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ThatMuhrenCross added 17:06 - Dec 2 This may sound ridiculous, but why don't we ask a retired keeper to come back and sit on the bench for a month - and challenge Arran for a start. I have a few ideas - David Seaman, Oliver Khan, Fabian Barthez. Why not? Pay them a healthy amount, their experience would be invaluable to some of the younger keepers coming through.
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Blueknight85 added 17:27 - Dec 2 bergoltblue aran was signed as cover but only on an emergency basis when shane left because he was allready at the club keeping fit after he was released from the lower leagues because he used to be our youth player. he may be capable of doing a great job untill and maybe beyond january but with no other choice other than an 18 year old who hasnt shown much promise it would not be sensible to not look at who is about on the old free agent list and get them in on trial/half season contract getting them in training and fit incase aran is not up to it or gets injured/banned especially given our current position. as for the coment....why are they here if they arent up to it....aran was signed for emrgency cover while a replacement was found for shane and murphy comes in in january. and the 18 year old is still being educated who knows what hes up to for all we know he might have allready been told his contract wont be renewed. id give good odds for the emrgency youth cup keeper getting the nod over him on the bench lol

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el_nino added 17:30 - Dec 2 ....Or Shane Supple? ;) Does anyone remember in Jan 1995 when we played the mighty Blackburn in the FA cup and our young reserve keeper came in and was named man of the match in a 1-0 win? I'm sure we were very worried before that game.....
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ITFC4EVER added 17:32 - Dec 2 bit unfair. hopefully that murphy will be good when he joins in january.
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bigfish added 17:34 - Dec 2 Fa load of xxxxxxxxx
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