Keeper Richard Wright says he is looking forward to getting back into action after his knee ligament injury. The former England keeper, whose Town deal is up at the end of the season, is due to see a specialist next week and hopes to given the go-ahead to play for the reserves.

Wright told the club site: "Things are going OK and I've been out on the training pitch with Jimbo [goalkeeper-coach Jim Hollman] for the last two weeks.

"I've been doing some fitness work and have stepped that up this week. I'm seeing a specialist early next week and if that goes well, I'll be hoping to play in the reserves as soon as possible.

"The first six weeks after the injury were very difficult. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even drive. As soon as the brace came off my knee, I hit the ground running.

"I'm ahead of schedule and that's allowed me to work on my fitness and reflexes but now I just want to get out there and play. I'm fed up with being in the gym and not playing games.

"I'm desperate to play for Ipswich Town. If the specialist gives me the OK, I want to get straight back into action. I'll be looking to take up the first opportunity I get of playing for the reserves and then give myself a chance of getting back in the first team."

Last week manager Roy Keane praised the professionalism Wright had shown during his spell on the sidelines.

Town’s other long-term absentee is midfielder Luciano Civelli, who Keane revealed last week could be out of action until September.

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 16:34 - Feb 12 Good luck on your return to fitness Richard, but I simply can't see you playing for the club again.
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Jesney_Havoc added 16:45 - Feb 12 Didn't we sell him to Arsenal ?
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Wallingford_Boy added 16:49 - Feb 12 jas0999 - then I am afraid you know nothing about ITFC.
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rockstar1981 added 16:58 - Feb 12 i agree with jas0999 and have been to nearly every home game and half of the away games this year so do I know nothing about ITFC as well?
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GlenPennyfather added 17:12 - Feb 12 So, we have an experienced ex-England international keeper, who once commanded a fee of £6 million, and is only 32. On the other hand we have a rookie keeper, who had made a handful of league appearances for lower division sides, or a slightly older promising Irish keeper, who has played a handful of league games for Swansea. Even if Lee-Barrett and Murphy eventually fulfill their potential, is is obvious that the pecking order should currently have Wright at the top. Why on earth would Wright not play again this season given our current form? I could understand it if we were keeping clean sheets all the time. I agree that he might not get a new contract at the end of the season, but that is the time to be thinking about buying a new No.1 - not binning the current No.1 now!

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ITFC1985 added 17:29 - Feb 12 well said GlenPennyfather
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wazza added 17:33 - Feb 12 With a half decent defence in front of him still one of the best keepers in the league. The errors at the beginning of the season where not down to him alone.
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Suffolk_n_Good added 17:44 - Feb 12 I understand why people are saying he won't play for Town again, IMO Wright has always been a fantastic shot stopper, but is awful when it comes to crosses he flaps about something terrible, he doesn't seem to command his box particularly well either, & I think this is probably the main reason why the defence seems shakey when he's in goal. Aaron Lee-Barrett has been consistent since playing, & has obviously impressed Keane, Murphy has been courted by Keane for some time & is IMO always going to be put ahead of Wright to challenge Aaron L-B for the no. 1 position. I honestly believe Keane will let Wright leave at the end of the season, when his contract runs out.

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osborne1nil added 18:22 - Feb 12 Hope he gets another chance to show his ability for Town. Won the player of the season hands down last year and as wazza said, with a decent defence in front of him his confidence in them will regained. ALB has done ok since coming in but I thought he has looked poor the last couple of games. I haven't seen Murphy yet and could be the future no.1 but clearly Wright should be once fit again, but we shall see what Roy thinks.

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Karlosfandangal added 18:28 - Feb 12 I think we should keep Wrighty, he never really had any comp for his place, Now he know he has to be on top form to keep the no1 shirt. We have two new keepers with not much Championship experiance, So even if Wrighty is on the bench we have a keeper who has played for England and some of the top prem teams, so how valuble is that going to be if are new rookie keepers find themselves in the Prem in the next year or two?

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beerhelps added 18:46 - Feb 12 Well said GlenPennyfather. Given his past service for the club, and his form earlier in the season against WBA and Preston, I find some the Wrighty bashing on here a little hard to understand. After last weeks comments by RK, I suspect he might get to silence the critics before the end of the season. Good luck to him.
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dudlydog added 18:46 - Feb 12 glenpennyfather me thinks that like thatcher him and mr keane dont see eye to eye
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Redmond added 18:53 - Feb 12 Hopefully he can help and teach brain murphy and LB and then hopefully become better players with the exp that RW has takes a long time in the game to get
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 19:15 - Feb 12 Any serious club at this level needs 3 senior keepers on the books. Wrighty should be one of those: number one of those imho.
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ChambersM added 20:04 - Feb 12 the errors were down to him, hence they are called errors: INDIVIDUAL ERRORS
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bluepeter added 21:25 - Feb 12 Hit the ground running? That surely won't do his leg any good!
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DodgyKeeper added 21:26 - Feb 12 Richard Wright is the best keeper we have had at ITFC since Paul Cooper!!
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PutYaBootsOnKeano added 22:14 - Feb 12 He is a great shot stopper. He imbues no confidence in the team for crosses, it's an area that's blighted his career. He is also not confident enough, ever. He dwells on errors by his own admission, and keepers i think are defined by the size of their personality, and resilience. This, is yet another, impossibly difficult conundrum for RK, and he'll not win either way.

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dragonalfa added 08:07 - Feb 13 Good Luck to Richard Wright a good servant to the club but his future lies else where.
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:19 - Feb 13 dont know why people on here are saying anything about him going anywhere, the statement is just about him returning to fitness !seems dont even need a tabloid report to get people going .Good luck to him ,if and when he comes back lets hope he does his job .
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Surco72 added 09:02 - Feb 15 "Crosses have blighted his career" - thats why he played for England ,commanded a £6 million move and has played in the top two divisions his whole career . He made some individual errors trying to cover for a hapless defence in front of him but also put in some great performances Coventry,West Brom ,Leicester . Last season when he won Player of the Year i dont recall too many people criticising him ? ALB has done well but last season was playing non league football and has looked panicky at times ,i would feel safer with Wrighty now the defence looks sorted but Keane didnt sign Wright did he

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