Midfielder Owen Garvan has completed his £225,000 move to George Burley's Crystal Palace. The Irish U21 international skipper is believed to have signed a two-year deal, having undergone a medical yesterday.

Garvan said: "I am delighted to have signed for Crystal Palace. Hopefully this season I can play a bit more football, that is what I am wanting to do and hopefully everything will go well for myself and the club.

"At Ipswich things did not really work out and I think the manager realised that. As a footballer I just want to play games and play in the Championship and I am just thankful to the manager for giving me this chance and hopefully I can repay him with good performances and good results.

"He just tried to sell the club to me and the main thing is he said that I would get more game time here than I would at Ipswich. I could not wait around at Ipswich any longer as last season I was on the bench and getting frustrated and hopefully a new challenge will be good for me.

"There are a few ex-Ipswich players here and I know Sean [Scannell], although it is unfortunate for him to have picked up the knee injury and may be out for a little while. When you come to a new club there are different staff and new lads to meet and this is part and parcel of a move."

Town boss Roy Keane paid tribute to Garvan and to defender Alex Bruce, who left Portman Road for Leeds United last week: "Both Owen and Alex have served Ipswich Town well and we wish them all the best in their future careers."

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 18:32 - Aug 3 Personally, I am a Garvan fan, but it is clear that all was not well with him, even during Jim's time at the club. I think it's probably a good move for all concerned. I am afraid, despite some decent home games, Garvan has rarely performed away from PR. Bit like Pablo. Shame. Still good luck to him.
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Manic_Blue added 18:37 - Aug 3 Bags of potential, but it he rarely looked like fulfilling it. If Burley can get the best out of him, then it could turn out to be a bargain. But Garvan has only performed for one manager out of three, and even then he wasn't consistent, so I'm not going to hold my breath. For his sake, I hope he proves Keane wrong, but I fear he'll be another Dean Bowditch - never reaching the level his early performances suggested he should. As it is, we got a reasonable price for what he is, a decent squad player who needs to move on to kick-start his career. It's the right time for him to move, so let's just thank him for the good memories, wish him all the best for the future (except when he plays against us) and get behind the players we have now.

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poggie added 18:45 - Aug 3 Depressing! Wish we could turn back the clock ... (or fast forward if it means we have a new manager). Good luck, Owen hopefully you'll be given a proper chance at Palace.
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RetroBlue added 18:57 - Aug 3 all under-achiveers though, arent they !
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Lightningboy added 18:59 - Aug 3 That's a really sad point arc....Burley's got an absolute bargain there & he'll probably be worth 10 times that in a year or so just like Ambrose has proved. Idiotic managerial decision once again.
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Bobby_Petta added 19:18 - Aug 3 Good luck Garven, at least your going to play for a manager who plays football, and will get out the best of you. Always been a fan, Can't see a replacement coming in for the money we sold him for, most concerned with what happening at portman road these days.
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Warkystache added 19:26 - Aug 3 A squad midfielder at best. Could've been more but clearly didn't want to. He's renowned for being a moaner when things aren't going right. One of the most positive things we've done this summer. Burley might get him back on track, but do I care? Nope. He's a Palace player now. Got the feeling he'll never fulfill the early promise. Good luck to him though, but I'm certainly not that bothered he's gone. Onwards.....

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TheCurly added 19:29 - Aug 3 I for one will be sad to see Garvan go, Burley has got a real bargain at £225,000 It is obvious that Keane did not fancy him, but I thought he was the best passer of the ball at the club, using short passes to keep possession and longer balls to un-lock defences. Not sure we have anyone to provide the bullets for Wickham etc now. The only thing that stopped Garvan being a top player is his lack of pace, and for all you out there saying he could not run, tackle or head a ball, I remember a certain Dutchman with the same attributes, think he has some nice silverware in his cupboard, it is just a question in adopting a style of play to get the best out of the players you have, RR was brilliant at it, not so RK

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gypo added 19:46 - Aug 3 Do you honestly think if garvan was worth any more money palace would have offered more .If he was that good why didn't the likes of Middlesboro,Newcastle ,west brom or blackpool come in for him ? I rest my case .
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colonel added 20:03 - Aug 3 Good luck Owen - A chance to show what you're capable of..... Will be interesting to see if it'll be Keane or Burley who will ultimately be proven right on this one. I'd rather it be shown right for both clubs with each having a decent season rather than neither.
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PutYaBootsOnKeano added 20:23 - Aug 3 Never good enough, though nice option in the squad. He did have the odd good game, but far too slow to ever be effective, and certainly didn't contribute enough going forward, nor did he get anything like enough goals. We mustn't be sentimental, Roy is completing a rout that was desperately needed. (All eyes then, of course, are on who is coming in.)
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Fatcatevans added 20:24 - Aug 3 I think The Curly has been sitting in the sun too long! To even think that Garvan can be thought of as a potential Muhren just because he has a good left peg is ludicrous. You were priveleged to see Muhren - players of his ilk come along once in a lifetime. Owen is a journeyman pro.The comparison is beyond farcical. The best coach on the planet couldnt make that happen. Lets face it yes he has a nice left foot and can do the basic thing which is to pass a ball, but he lacks in all other areas . His 45 minutes at WBA away must have been amongst the worst ever seen in a Town shirt. He's gone - get over it and hopefully we can start to build for the future

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Blue_Square added 20:58 - Aug 3 What a shame to see Garvan's creativity and passing ability lost... Looking at Palace next season, what a force they have in Midfield. Garvan to pass and create, Danns to run the engine and tackle, Ambrose for free kicks and goals... Easily finish above us without a doubt when we're languishing in relegation midsts again... We, on the other hand have 3 almost identicle players to watch in CM. Can't wait.....

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WREXHAM_BLUE added 21:08 - Aug 3 Good luck Owen. Things haven't worked out at Town as you would have hoped I imagine but you're joining a fantastic manager and there'll be plenty of familiar faces there too. All the best.
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Coolpooper added 21:24 - Aug 3 Not keen on this sale, but to be fair Garvan only ever showed glimpses of his potential for us, no doubt we'll regret it in the long run as we will with Rhodes. However the arrival of Hyam and a good start to the season might make all the worries go away.
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titanicclown added 21:48 - Aug 3 First saw Garvs play for the youth team in the cup winning year. Within 2 minutes I'd turned to by briother and said "who is that lad, he's awesome." His ability to control the ball in tight areas in the centre of the park is a rare talent. I've no doubt Garvan will reach the premiership he just needs to play with like minded players. He was too good for us not the other way round. Good luck Owen - you didn't deserve this

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froudy added 22:05 - Aug 3 Typical - the only player who can pass decently in the squad, forward thinking and good technically although short on pace. Well done, Keano.
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SiBo added 22:50 - Aug 3 Good business for ITFC... Sadly although he showed early promise, Garven never fulfilled that promise and isn't as good as some on here try to make out. I'd have loved to have seen him blossom like the early glimses of his talent suggested, but at 22 it has passed him by... As others have said, if he was that good we would have had teams lining up to sign him, but we didn't, which says it all. Best of luck to the lad at palace, i hope it does come good for him.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:33 - Aug 3 225k that's all he's worth, if not someone else would have bid more - scchimple
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suffolksam added 07:05 - Aug 4 why didnt he go to sunderland ? surely thats how it works
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dobbie73 added 08:28 - Aug 4 Love the way that the Keane haters are making Garvan out to be some sort of amazing Gerrard-esque midfielder that was the core of the team and will rip the heart out of the club. Truth is, that while in his early days he WAS potentially a new Gerrard, those well-documented personal issues he had a few years ago (NOT under Keane before you haters get on your high horses) knocked any decent future out of him, and he was never the same player after that. Reasonable yes, squad player yes, midfield dynamo .... no. As others have said, if he was THAT good, then either (a) he would have been playing week in week out, or (b) a 'bigger' club would have come in and offered a better deal. Wasn't it a couple of years ago that Everton offered a mill for him? Jim (I think) knocked back that offer because that was the right decision at the time. Since then Garvan hasn't kicked on, his value has dropped, and it is now right for him to move on. Hopefully, this will benefit him, benefit Palace, and benefit us. Garvan has gone - get over it and wish him luck. He has hardly played, and I don't think we will really miss him. COYB!!

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BlueVic added 09:05 - Aug 4 A sad day.
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naa added 09:55 - Aug 4 For all those on here talking about 'the future' and not to worry that Garvan has gone - errr, where's the replacement? It's all very well saying he never fullfilled his promise (if he had he'd be long gone for big money anyway) but where's the replacement in midfield? We cannot just have a team of runners. As someone else rightly said, running around will stop too many goals being conceded but it will not score them. Why else do people think we scored so few last year? It was not because of a lack of top striker - that would have added 5 - 10 goals max to our meagre total, it was because of a loack of creativity. Why is everyone so blind to that? And for those saying this is great business. why? What has it acheived. It makes no odds to us if he's here but on the bench. We've let a player go for a small amount of money. There's no sign that that money is to be used wisely, so how is this in any way good business? Good for Garvan though, I'll admit that as he needed to get with a manager who appreciates how football should be played.

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jayessess added 11:20 - Aug 4 can anyone imagine a midfield with less flair/guile than the one we have now? Norris, Leadbitter, Hyam is it now? Christ.
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Lombokblue added 11:46 - Aug 4 I thought he had some class it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He is as good as anyone Keano has bought. Chopra would be great but can't see why he would come here.
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