Skipper David Norris says the reason he turned down the new Town contract which was on offer at the end of last year was down to its length rather than him wanting more money. The former Plymouth man, whose current terms are up in the summer, says there has been no new progress towards sealing a deal.

Norris said: “I had an initial offer two months ago and it wasn’t quite right for me. I was hoping for three years and it was only two years and I haven’t heard anything since.

“I read something last week about certain demands, but it hasn’t even got that far, to be honest. It was more the fact that initially I was hoping for three years. I was hoping that might be negotiable and we could talk, but I haven’t heard anything since.

“I’m fully committed then. If I sign for only two years, come the following summer, I’m back in the same position where I’m in my last year again, so I’d like to fully commit to the club.”

The midfielder spoke to new boss Paul Jewell last week, along with Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley, who will be in the same position as him at the end of June, and says he’ll keep pushing for a new deal until Town tell him one definitely won’t be forthcoming: “He spoke to us last week, he just said there were a couple of bids in in January and that he didn’t want us to leave.

“I said that that was fine by me. Until this club comes to me and says ‘Thanks, but we’re going to let you go’, I’ll keep trying and hopefully get a contract.

“It’s an unusual situation but there was the change of manager at an awkward time and maybe he wants to come in have a look and that might be part of the reason it might not have happened. I’d rather have it done yesterday.”

Norris took Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill’s claims that he wanted to move to Pompey with a pinch of salt: “I read about those. I don’t tend to take too much notice. My agent deals with anything else away from the game, I tell him not to bother me too much until it’s concrete.”

The Blues' top scorer for the season with nine goals says he very much wants to stay at Portman Road, having signed from Argyle for £2.25 million in January 2008: “I’ve never said anything different. We’re settled here, I never said I wanted to leave. I haven’t signed anything with anyone else when I possibly could have.

“It’s just a little bit frustrating because I don’t really know 100% where I stand. Are the club happy? Do they want me to stay and sort a deal out? Do they want me to stay until the end of the season and then I go? Or in January did they want to cash in on me? I’m just not sure exactly where I stand.”

Norris says the situation doesn’t affect him during games but that there are serious matters to be considered and he Delaney and McAuley have discussed their positions: “Off the pitch you think about it, you don’t know where you’re going to be playing and I’ve got to be careful. Coming towards the end of a contract I don’t want to get injured.

“It plays a little bit on my mind but once the games get going I just want to concentrate on the football and enjoy it.

“I wouldn’t say we’re unsettled," he added, "We’re enjoying our games here. We’re not unsettled and it’s not causing problems, but we have the conversations, ‘What’s happening with you?’ and this and that. We’re still enjoying our football, as you can see.”

The Peterborough-born player admits that if Town don’t tie him down soon he could find himself in a strong position in the summer where he’s able to pick and choose from various offers, but the 29-year-old doesn't appear particularly interested in moving elsewhere: “Yes, if I carry on OK it’s a strong position but sometimes the grass isn’t always greener.”

Photo: Action Images

sherborneblue added 09:00 - Feb 7 give it to him then
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BLUEBEAT added 09:02 - Feb 7 fair enough - will still be an asset for such a period - sign him up
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Crofty added 09:04 - Feb 7 Give him the 3 years ffs he will only be 32 when that contract finishes and he clearly wants to stay. How much will it cost to buy a goal scoring midfielder!!! Just get it sorted Clegg!!!
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Smithy added 09:05 - Feb 7 Steve Cotterill, what an absolute arse!
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roytheboy added 09:08 - Feb 7 Three years sounds good to me, he's well worthy of that I feel
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debenhamsteve added 09:16 - Feb 7 It sounds as if his agent was stiring it with Portsmouth. This needs to sorted out asap. It's clear he wants to stay and surely Jewell has now seen his worth. Top scorer with 9 goals let alone his other contibutions and excellent work rate and attitude.
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suffolkpoker added 09:19 - Feb 7 i can see what MC is trying to do, where in 2 years time he would be 31 and couldnt comand such a high salary the next time he would negotiate a new contract. Norris has been one of our best performers in a struggling side, he is well worth the 3 years contract, it would be madness to let him go in the summer for free.
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suffolkpoker added 09:20 - Feb 7 not MC but ME lol
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bedsitfc added 09:21 - Feb 7 3 year deal would take him up to the age of 32 -33 hardly old and past it, so i think it should be offered to him. I can see why it wasn't as we were looking at relegation before jewell took over and with a new manager coming in he will want to decide for himself if norris etc are going to be part of his plans.
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SouperJim added 09:25 - Feb 7 I'll be happy if we give new contracts to the senior players, but equally I trust PJ's judgement. I wish the players would stop talking to the press though, these stories just encourage the anti-club mentality amongst certain supporters. The "sign him up" song is getting old fast and supporters rarely get this stuff right. Take Alex Bruce and Castro Sito for example, two shop window mercenaries that the club rightly pulled the trigger on despite the opinions of a few very short-sighted fans.

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hampstead_blue added 09:29 - Feb 7 He's got a point. We all want stability when we can get it. Maybe stick a clause for the third year dependent on the number of games he plays.
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cornishnick added 09:36 - Feb 7 At this rate, by the time Clegg gets round to sorting it out, Norris will have already signed with another club. Same with McAuley and Delaney
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legoman added 09:45 - Feb 7 By the time he is 33 he will be one of those seasoned campaigners that are apparently so important to any club. Sign him up Clegg, you clown.
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bluelady added 09:45 - Feb 7 for me is finally showing his truth worth playing in a far more attacking role. he easily has three years in him and i think he is the best captain we ha ve had in some time - a player that WANTS to play for town, doesnt want to go elsewhere and isnt after the biggest wage packet possible, surely that is leading by example?
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ozzydog added 09:45 - Feb 7 For fcuks sake this ain`t rocket science, he is club captain, a good player with loads left in him not greedy just wants some security. What is it with this bloke Clegg can he plaese go the same way as beano Give him three years smeghead he would cost a fotune to replace, you are doing your master a favour
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djbreeze added 09:50 - Feb 7 if you read between lines of comments made by PJ a week ago he said 'go out there and show me your worth a contract', and he is .. but with us needing to climb the table more.. maybe this is good that while they are playing for contracts we are playing well , would things be different if a 3 year was given now? .. while they play out of their skins for contracts we are climbing the table and as long as they do deals before the summer im happy. to easy to get a 3 year and slip back into comfortable football... i say keep em hanging a bit longer !! lol

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Blue_Fred added 09:54 - Feb 7 So we offered 2, he wants 3 - Hampstead has it right here, the compromise is either a 2 year deal with the option of a 3rd year or a 3 year deal with a break clause after 2. personally I would like to see him signed so offer him the 3 year deal and wait to see if he then asks for more money
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bluelady added 09:54 - Feb 7 djbreeze maybe, but Norris started the season so well in a 451 format pushing on, then when Keane started to mess around with the team and we went all defensive he was pushed back to a more central role. Now he has been given lisence to push on we are once again seeing him for the good attacking midfielder he is. I think there is only a matter of time when concern over a new contract me possible impead not improve performance. Norris for me has always given 100% just maybe not being able to show his true ability due to team set up

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brogansnose added 09:56 - Feb 7 Good to see his take on things which will clear up some of the confusion and speculation around this. Got to admit i havent been his biggest fan , mainly because of the amount of money and hassle Jim went through to get him. I also feel that he hasnt been played in the best way which is behind the front players and coming in from an unmarkable position to snatch those goals up, which is what he did for Plymouth. It just doesnt work so well playing him wide right or left or with Leadbitter doing that break the play up headless chicken thing.. He clearly wants to play for us, which is a novelty, and would be difficult to replace. Sign him up and while we are on the subject, sign Big Mac too the man is immense and again who are you going to replace him with that won't cost more in fee's ect.

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dirtydingusmagee added 10:04 - Feb 7 i agree Brogansnose,get both done and dusted NOW .
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bluearmy4life added 10:04 - Feb 7 He is are leading goal scorer and captain who loves ITFC. Clegg pull your finger out and offer him a 3 year deal he deserves it. Sort it out you Fcukn clown!
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CleverTrevor added 10:09 - Feb 7 A few of the comments above get Norris's age wrong. He's 30 in a couple of weeks, so the club is rightly judging whether to give 3 years to someone who has had a couple of bad injuries in the past two seasons and who will be 33 when a three year deal comes to an end. Seems sensible to me - especially given that Chuck will be on decent money, having come here on a £2.2m deal. Personally, I'd give him what he wants - but its logical for Jewell to make that assessment.

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themariner added 10:11 - Feb 7 for petes sake this is ridiculous give the man a 2 year contract with the option of a 3rd year depending on the club gaining promotion.if hes given a 3 year deal and the club get promoted next season does that not mean his agent wont be in looking to re-negotiate his terms as a premership player? the player wants to stay so whats the problem ? how much is it going to cost to replace a player like norris who will prob leave for nowt during the summer come on ipswich sort it out this is not the way to treat the club captain were getting the best years of this players career.

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bluelady added 10:20 - Feb 7 Those blaming Clegg, i have a feeling that at the moment Jewell is calling the shots and deciding who he wants to keep and who goes....... Cant blame him for that and can honestly see Norris getting the deal he wants after the last few games.
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ErikaTractor added 10:22 - Feb 7 SORT IT OUT CLEGGY!!!! What are you paid to do?
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