Striker Jon Stead is looking forward to getting back into action having served his four-match ban for his Boxing Day red card at Crystal Palace. Stead, who spent some of his time out taking a break in Dubai, looks set to come into the Town starting line-up for Tuesday’s home game against West Brom.

Stead told the club site: "It has been a frustrating wait but I've kept my head down and worked as hard as I can to stay as fit as I can.

"The ban couldn't have come at a worse time for me. I was scoring goals and playing OK and also it's been a long month, with only one game a week.

"If the suspension had come in February, when we are playing twice a week, then my time out would have been two weeks and not four.

"I was very disappointed by the ban in the first place, especially when you see some of the tackles that go unpunished, but to get the extra game was really harsh.

"That's in the past now though. I'm back and I can't wait to get involved again, hopefully against West Brom. It's going to be a difficult game but we are confident we can get the three points."

Meanwhile, former Blue Shefki Kuqi has agreed an 18-month contract with Swansea City, moving to the Welsh club on a free transfer from German side Koblenz.

Elsewhere, Celtic have agreed to sell left-back Danny Fox to Burnley for £1.5 million, which could mean the Bhoys are less likely to allow fellow left-sided full-back Lee Naylor to leave Parkhead. Former Wolves man Naylor, 29, is understood to be a Town target.

Photo: Action Images

legal_blue added 19:14 - Jan 25 Steady on!
0

warwickblue added 19:24 - Jan 25 Welcome back Jon. A really harsh ban in the first place and then extended through no fault of your own. We'll have a couple of goals tomorrow night to celebrate please.
0

ITFC_G_O added 19:37 - Jan 25 I wish i would get a 4 week ban from work, a little trip to Dubai is alright for some ay Jon?. Welcome back son.
0

ChambersM added 19:43 - Jan 25 Hope he hasnt lost his good form. Why cant we get Kuqi?!!?!?!
0

devontractorboy added 19:58 - Jan 25 Presume he didn't train whilst in Dubai, hope he wasn't there too long!!!!
0

Mark added 20:09 - Jan 25 Come on Stead, bang in a goal or two tomorrow night! I would start him up front next to Counago. Shefki Kuqi is only a couple of weeks younger than Stern John (both 33), but I expect he will still put himself about on the pitch and hassle defenders. I remember Kuqi being here on loan under Magilton towards the end of the 2007/8 season. We thought at the time that Kuqi was okay but that now the Marcus Evans money was here we could expect a player of better pedigree to join us in the summer. We're still waiting!

0

jesus added 20:13 - Jan 25 Dubai? You mean the portal to hell? Interesting choice for a break.
0

Holdsteady added 21:27 - Jan 25 Welcome back Steady, looking forward to having you back tomorrow night. WHHHOOOOEEEE JONNY JONNY, JONNY JONNY JONNY JONNY JONNY STEAD!!
0

swifty added 21:47 - Jan 25 Stead and counago must start tomorrow night. With leadbetter and norris in the centre it remains to be seen who gets the nod on the left and right of midfield. Very difficult game.
0

ChambersM added 22:47 - Jan 25 Lee, Lee, Lee barret! D.Wright MacAuley Delaney Peters Rosenior (why not, hes better than edwards and walters injured) Leadbitter Norris Garvan Stead Counago what do we reckon?
0

swifty added 02:06 - Jan 26 Chambers m I nearly agree with your formation but rosenior is no midfielder. Keep rosenior at right back put david wright at left back and jaime peters on the right wing. That would be a more settled team shape.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 08:29 - Jan 26 Its going to be a tough game tonight,Jon you have four goals in store ,if you can cash them in tonight it would be good ![dont want a 4-4 draw though] go., go Jon eee go, go go,..go Jon eee ,go ...go,...... JON EEEE BEEEEE GOOD ! COYB ]
0

superblueflude added 09:00 - Jan 26 wwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhoooooooo John Stead is on fire Now the verse! He scores a cracker, better than most, he drivers a tractor, a tractor he's shoots with his left foot he scores with his right, he'll score with a header, a header, a header Waaaaaaaaaaaahooooooooooooooooooo John Stead is on fire.
0

chicorytwin added 09:35 - Jan 26 ITFC GO...If every person who is a slave to match day including all leagues would jut boycott the game for 4 weeks that would be enough to bring EVERY club to it's knees and force them to reduce ticket prices, Maybe then you could afford your Dubai break. The power is in our hands. Football is a bloody rip off, Players on way way too much money living the millionaire lifestyle while we scrimp and save to pay the stupid admission prices....Football fan attendees you ALL have yourselves to blame!

0

Marshalls_Mullet added 10:00 - Jan 26 Chicorytwin - Comment was a bit off track, but raises a very interesting point. Unfortunate that FC's have a monopoloy and the emotional tie to a club that would make boycotts unlikely due to the conflict of interest that would see a lack of crowd adversely effecting results. They will continue to bleed us dry for as long as we let them.
0

chicorytwin added 10:26 - Jan 26 Wouldn't it be nice though, Would love to see players told they are going to be playing for around £800 a week...Don't like it, Fine then go work in Boots for £7 an hour.
0

Baggins78 added 11:19 - Jan 26 Chicorytwin - Bit of a chip on your shoulder there. I think it was David James who described his position as a footballer very well a couple of years ago. His point was that he's in the top 100-200 people in the world at doing what he does (some may disagree), if he was as good at running a company as he is at football then he'd be earning a hell of a lot more money. Just have to get over it in my opinion

0

Marshalls_Mullet added 11:24 - Jan 26 Baggins78 - I dont disagree that the top performers deserve money for being the best in the world. However, this only works where the clubs are profitable. Football is a ticking time bomb financially. Even in the prem, Man Utd, Liverpool, Portsmouth, West Ham, Hull and a few others all close to big financial problems. Strange how easily people forget the Leeds story.

0

Baggins78 added 11:33 - Jan 26 I couldn't agree more, but thats the clubs fault and not players. No player in their right mind would turn down a large contract because they thought the club couldn't afford it. I have a feeling that in a couple of years time we will see the first major club go bankrupt and dissappear from the league (possibly Portsmouth) which could possibly/hopefully see a different attitude taken by many clubs. How Leeds are still running as a business I have no idea

0

brockleyblueboy added 12:08 - Jan 26 Really good points being made. In my opinion there are only 2 possible ways to save football - 1- Bring in a wage cap that EVERY club in the world have to adhere to, to ensure the quality stays the same 2 - Liverpool, United or one of the big teams goes into administration Lessons need to be learnt and football has to be given back to the people. You can see a direct link to lower league football teams getting more support because its decent football and affordable. Isn't that what every supporter wants?

0

Holdsteady added 12:57 - Jan 26 Superblueflude, I'll expect to hear you singing it. I will most certainly join in.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 13:06 - Jan 26 Shifty cuckoo ,gone to Swansea ! so thats one ex that wont be coming back, deadline approaching,Keano ,who ya gonna call ...? could Moses take us to the promised land ?.
0

MVBlue added 15:27 - Jan 26 Stead and Connor up front
0

ChambersM added 15:06 - Jan 28 can't believe Rio Ferdinand gets the same punishment for what he did as Stead got for what he did, which was barely worth a yellow!!!!!!
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls