Wolves boss Mick McCarthy says Town have a real chance of promotion back to the Premier League with Paul Jewell as manager. The former Ireland chief has a lot of time for his Blues opposite number, who like him has previously taken two clubs from the Championship into the top flight.

McCarthy said: “They’ve got a chance because they’ve got Jeweller in charge to start with, that’s a real plus because he’s done it with two teams. There’s not many of us. I think there are two, strangely enough!

“He’s different class. I’ve such a lot of time for him and for Hutch. They’ll have them working hard, doing it right and well organised."

McCarthy, who led Sunderland to promotion as well as his current club while Jewell enjoyed success at Bradford and Wigan, was forgetting two more bosses with the same achievement on their CVs, ex-Crystal Palace and Reading manager Steve Coppell and Neil Warnock, who did the same with QPR and Sheffield United.

The former Barnsley stalwart was impressed with the Blues during his side’s 2-1 victory at Portman Road on Saturday and says a decent squad is being assembled: “They’ve got some good players. I thought they played well in the second half, I really did.

“Lee Bowyer’s a good signing for them, Michael Chopra’s a good signing for them and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could be anything he wants to be, it’s up to him. I think they’ve got a good solid side.”

As for the game, McCarthy felt his side fell asleep for Bowyer’s strike just before the break but was pleased to grab the two second half goals after he had brought a number of his first teamers off the bench: “We were fine, we just gave the ball away in the last minute and got caught on the break.

“Stephen Hunt’s got that happy knack of being Johnny on the spot, we know that from the last game of the season. OK, it took a deflection but he was in there shooting, and it was a penalty, I don’t think there was any doubt about that.”

McCarthy also said he’s not heard from Town regarding defender Richard Stearman and in any case has no plans to sell: “I wouldn’t be willing to let him go, so that puts that one right out of the water."

Meanwhile, Sheffield United striker Ched Evans, reportedly a Town target earlier in the summer has been charged with rape. The Blues appear unlikely to be looking for another frontman since adding Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to the squad last week.

Elsewhere, Preston's Keith Treacy, another player linked with the Blues this summer, is set to join Burnley today, the Lancashire clubs having agreed a fee after lengthy negotiations.

Dundee United striker David Goodwillie, also mentioned in connection with the Blues earlier in the summer, is set to join Blackburn, the clubs having agreed a deal worth an initial £2 million plus a further £800,000 in top-ups.

Photo: Action Images

NickIngram9 added 08:39 - Aug 1 Sounds Good
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reuser90 added 08:42 - Aug 1 good article, 'cept the last bit about Stearman..........AARRRGGHHH!!
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JimmyJazz added 08:45 - Aug 1 Mick, are you by any chance saying that Town had no hope with the previous manager in charge?
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BlueMaverick added 08:45 - Aug 1 Shame about stearman but sure we have a few targets still, hopefully we can get something sorted before sat and get at least one more player in! Also.. dont think mccarthy would have said quite the same about our previoys manager!!
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Town22 added 09:14 - Aug 1 I seem to remember managers saying that we were too good to be relegated from the premiership in post match interviews (just after they'd beaten us!!) and whoops, we did. However, I'm very optomistic about our chances of being in and around the play offs this season.
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blueoff added 09:46 - Aug 1 Thing with PJ is that he's grateful of the chance to manage his biggest club (Wigan are tiny & will eventually tumble back down like Bradford),yes he had a short spell at an already doomed Derby but unlike Roy Keane he doesn't act as if he's done us a favour by coming to Town, cmon u blues & cmon pj
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BlackandBlue added 10:19 - Aug 1 I wouldn't take this is a compliment so much as a back handed dig at his nemesis Keane. McCarthy is a lucky manager with a big mouth. If you want a measure of his football genius, remember it was him, who fighting relegation at the end of the season put his reserve team out against Man U. Just grateful we have PJ and not this big head
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Lightningboy added 10:21 - Aug 1 Oh go on Mick,let us have Stearman..go on..please.
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BYRNE_16 added 10:31 - Aug 1 mick said he wouldnt want to "sell him".... laon deal prehaps??
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belgablue added 10:31 - Aug 1 Stat check. Neil Warnock has also achieved promotion with two sides, Sheff Utd and QPR.
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robdaful added 10:38 - Aug 1 Maybe we will get Stearman on loan if he can't get into the side and Mick McCarthy doesn't want to sell.
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PhilTWTD added 10:58 - Aug 1 belgablue Good call, I remembered the stat from when PJ took over. Mr Warnock as joined the club more recently, of course.
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BlackandBlue added 11:17 - Aug 1 Kevin Keegan Newcastle and Fulham
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algarvefan added 11:26 - Aug 1 Thanks Big Bird....Hope you're right?
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Ebantiass added 12:11 - Aug 1 Im really optimistic with PJ in cahrge but I still think play offs is the best we can hope for this season.
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Fatboy added 12:24 - Aug 1 So Jewell will be the first to take three clubs up?! On an aside, I believe Town and Wolves are also two of the few clubs to have won each of the top three divisions in England. Possibly Derby are the only other club, but I might be wrong.
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Sindre94 added 13:51 - Aug 1 Always liked Mick! Nice comments from a nice guy
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churchmans added 14:48 - Aug 1 not bothered about spearmint nor should anyone else
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DiamondGezzer added 15:09 - Aug 1 Reel them in PJ !
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jas0999 added 15:27 - Aug 1 Time will tell, but if PJ continues playing 4-5-1 then I doubt we have a realistic chance. Sure, we will grind out results, but will fast be known as one of the most negative teams in the league.
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MattinLondon added 15:47 - Aug 1 Nothing wrong with grinding out results away from home. Personally I think that as most of the signings have been attacking ones. Even Cresswell is considered an attacking full-back and so I doubt that we will be bored. I think that automatic promotion is beyond us, but who knows.
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greathorkesleyblue added 17:01 - Aug 1 good to hear hope we do well with pj aswell....... but ipswich's odds do not look great looks like we will b 13th again according 2 most people
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greathorkesleyblue added 17:04 - Aug 1 but we all believe that pj will bring us back 2 the good old days!!!!! COYB
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Essex_Tractor added 17:25 - Aug 1 I can see us starting slowly but we'll be in and around the top ten by christmas - just depends on how quickly they get used to playing together and if the older players like Bowyer and Kennedy can keep fit all season
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Karlosfandangal added 18:37 - Aug 1 Still think we will be round the mid table mark unless we get a class Centre Back and class Midfilelder If we get them then we are in with a good shout
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