Town manager Paul Jewell says his summer transfer activity doesn’t feel like an overnight rebuild to him as he’s been working on deals since before the end of last season. The Blues boss has added seven players to his squad - Michael Chopra, Ívar Ingimarsson, Aaron Cresswell, Nathan Ellington, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, David Stockdale and Lee Bowyer - so far with more set to follow.

Jewell said: “It doesn’t seem like a major overhaul to me because I’ve been doing it since the before the season finished. It hasn’t been that I’ve brought in seven in a week. It seems like it’s happened over quite a long period.

“At football clubs you’re never satisfied, even if you win the league. Very rarely do Manchester United or Chelsea feel at the end of a season that they’re happy with what they’ve got.

“They’re always looking to improve. We want to get to a stage where we only need to tinker with two or three positions, rather than seven.

“We had a lot of people come in and a lot of people go out, so it will take a bit of time to be stable and settled, but I’m very happy with the people we’ve got in and happy with the people we’ve got here already, and I’ll be even happier if we get someone else in.”

The Blues manager had hoped to add midfielder Keith Andrews to his squad in time to play at Bristol City on Saturday but the deal has stalled due to Town having been unable to negotiate the terms of the deal with his club Blackburn.

The Irish international's season-long loan move is still expected to go ahead, perhaps even today but more likely next week. Jewell had also hoped to add a central defender to his options — he says he could be looking for two more — but was unable to land that target.

Arsenal’s Kyle Bartley, reportedly the subject of a recent Town enquiry but probably not the defender the Blues were close to signing, has rejoined Rangers on a season-long loan.

Jewell says no club is ever going to sign all the players they are after: “You’re not going to be successful with every target. There are some people who aren’t for sale, some people that are for sale but are too expensive and sometimes people don’t want to come. With all those things, you’re not going to get all the ones you want.”

The former Wigan and Bradford boss says he will continue to look at bringing in new players even after the end of the transfer window: “It’s ongoing. We’re always looking to improve the squad, even after August when we can explore the loan market. We definitely want to keep on improving the squad.

“That’s the beauty of the Championship. Once August 31st goes we can still trade with loans. At the end of the day Premier League clubs can’t buy anyone after that, so maybe things will happen then.”

Jewell says he’s happy enough with the seven signings he has made so far: “We’ve got a bit of experience with Lee Bowyer, we’ve got the young precocious talent of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and young Cressy. I think they’ve all got different strengths.

“I’m pleased with them all but pleading for a little bit of patience because it will take time, some of them only came in not so long ago.

“It takes time and I’m looking forward to bringing in a couple more signings, allying them to the players we’ve got here and having a decent season.”

Elsewhere, Beerschot AC midfielder Faris Haroun, who was linked with Town earlier in the summer, is being tipped to join Middlesbrough.

Photo: Action Images

BROTHERBLUE1974 added 08:23 - Aug 5 Town are going up!!!!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:36 - Aug 5 Patience, BROTHERBLUE1974, patience! (Mind you, you didn't say when! -:))
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JayITFC added 08:37 - Aug 5 Let's calm it down a bit! Jewell: “I'm pleased with them all but pleading for a little bit of patience because it will take time, some of them only came in not so long ago." BROTHERBLUE1974: "Town are going up!!!!"
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andygizmo added 08:43 - Aug 5 A couple more in the spine of the side and Sven and his purchased team might just find the "team" that PJ has put together will be looking down on them. Sven would do well to remember the Cradiff team last year of buys and loans. No team spirit and pretty much all elsewhere this season.
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simoitfc added 09:07 - Aug 5 not just 7 good signings 7 great bits of business by pj experiance in ivor and bowyer,ambition and potential in jet and cresswell,an england (current)squad member in stockdale and goals in chopra and and ellington. it will take time to gel yes,but when they do i feel good things coming to pr this season.hope we add a few more, andrews seems to be the deal maybe completedd today but we do need cover at center half, which pj is working on. top six realistic finish for us.plus jan transfer window to strenghen again b4 the last push COYB!!!!

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Withnail_and_ITFC added 09:10 - Aug 5 Such a strak contrast in manager style. I used to cringe at everything Keane said. PJ on the other hand, i love reading his comments.
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jas0999 added 09:32 - Aug 5 I agree with PJ - it doesn't feel like an overhaul, but are we actually a stronger side than last season? Based on the squad today - what do others think for each area of the pitch: Goalkeeper: Excellent signing in Stockdale. But 24 hour release clause is a concern. STRONGER Defence: Cresswell is a good addition, but as PJ says may not be a starter. Failure to sign a RB is worrying, whilst we have let three CB's go, replacing with just one, who also has a poor injury record. WEAKER Midfield: Bowyer will add experience, but with Quinn, Civelli, Norris and Bullard all leaving the club we certainly have less options. Plus where is the creativity and replacement for Bullard? WEAKER Striker: Selling Wickham was a blow, but not unexpected. Much will depend on the formation PJ plays - JET is a good buy, but not if we play this target man wide-left. Likewise Chopra will score goals, but clearly prefers playing along side another - has looked isoltaed in PJ's preferred 4-5-1 role. But there is little doubt we have plenty of striking opinions, whilst retaining the services of Priskin and Scotland. I just hope PJ selects two strikers particularly at home. STRONGER. Overall PJ has undertaken some good business and no doubt tried to sign more players. Whether ME/Clegg are the result of these failures remains to be seen. In reality we have only been able to negotiate two actual fees this Summer (Cresswell's will go to Tribunal) - with the rest being frees and loans.

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KenDubZ added 09:34 - Aug 5 We all say about going up but what we forgett is players need to learn how the club runs they need to learn new drills and everything so I'm not the party pooper but if town went up it would be great as the players would have to work bloody hard and the people who are new to the club would have to work even harder. Look at cresswell he hasn't settled his moving away from home etc yet so once everything is settled I belive we will have a highier chance in going up but play offs would be nice :D

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randomblue added 09:38 - Aug 5 Strength and depth PJ - it will all fall into place!
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 09:41 - Aug 5 Let's be positive, got a good manager. U look at our squad, not bad at all. Still needs improving. Which he still is doing. TOWN are going up!!! Let me all hear u say it on TWTD.... Almost here
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hb_bill added 09:44 - Aug 5 It seems to me PJ is a TWTD fan and reads how the fans are feeling with there comments. He has addressed most of the questions we have all been talking about,he is building a team for promotion he has set his side set up with experience and young blood with pace a team that can go 4-5-1 then change to 4-4-2 depending on tactics and opposition. We all look forward to a successful season ahead most of all good entertainment and if we miss out this year we can see the team getting stronger each game for a league win next year. I am looking forward to this season more than any for years I am now confident PJ can take us to the promised land. Let's all get behind this great team and you never no in 9 months time I have a feeling we will be walking down Wembly Way holding aloft our BLUE and WHITE FLAGS.

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BlackandBlue added 10:09 - Aug 5 Jack Ainsley and Tommy Smith have got a brilliant chance to prove themselves and grab a starting place before PJ gets anybody else in. I'd love to see one of them do it.
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robdaful added 10:13 - Aug 5 I agree with Jas.
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nardblue added 10:24 - Aug 5 All looks good & am feeling positive about the coming season, however it's going to take time for the players to gel together!!! Maybe a bit of patience is required for the start of the season but we'll be up there come the end. COYB
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RedDust added 10:32 - Aug 5 I think the best thing for Ipswich this year is to have a really sucessful season but just miss out on promotion.. can you imagine this time next year with a good season behind us and another transfer window like this one building on the team we have now rather than the team jewell had to build from keane's squad?
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Pessimistic added 10:32 - Aug 5 As with everything else patience is a virtue and at least now we have something to be patient about!
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flatos97 added 11:19 - Aug 5 Its gonna b one hell of a season
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Surco72 added 11:37 - Aug 5 Goalkeepr - Stockdale better than Fulop/Murphy /ALB Defence - Edwards,Inger,Delaney,Kennedy/Cresswell ,Smith as back up ,loan to come -Mac aside centre backs released not good enough for championship standard Midfield Carson/Jet,Leadbitter,Bowyer,MartinHealy,Hyam,Peters,Andrews to come. Bowyer ,Andrews and Jet or Quinn ,Civilli and Norris ? Weaker really !!! Bullard was only on loan so another loan may be brought in to replace Jewell wants the creativity wide using Jet,Carson and Martin Forwards Chopra,Ellington,Scotland ,Priskin,Murray - lost Wickham- who scored in only five games last season Overall much more balanced side with strong core through the middle without blowing millions like previous manager which will enable January spending and other loan deals ,all looks good

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ncharles added 11:37 - Aug 5 What I would add to the assessment from Jas is that the squad might not be stronger overall but I would say the starting 11 is stronger. Also try comparing each out going player with each incoming player and see who you would rather have in the team!
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Surco72 added 11:38 - Aug 5 Have we named the club captain yet ?
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ncharles added 11:43 - Aug 5 Surco has just demonstrated my point apart from Bullard I would go with those coming in and our starting 11 for this Saturday over last season's 11.
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DiamondGezzer added 11:51 - Aug 5 Along with others, really looking forward to tomorrow. P.S. where are all the ' clowns ' when all this positivity is about ? Waiting for a slip up no doubt !
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mickshrimpton added 11:57 - Aug 5 Report on BBC Sport website about number of international players still without a club because they've been holding out for too much money, now realising that they're going to have to take big wage drop to get a contract - mentions Matthew Upson. He'd do.
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ncharles added 12:17 - Aug 5 DiamondGezzer - don't worry they will all be back online on Sunday when we've not scored a hatfull at Bristol ! It might take a while and we will conceed but I would rather watch us play football with our new signings and hopefully they will bring the best out of the rest of the squad.
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26_Paz added 12:43 - Aug 5 For the first time in a while I am actually relatively confident about this season. Jewell has made some good signings and if we can get a decent centre half in we should push for a play off spot. Surco72 I believe Grant Leadbitter will be skipper.
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