Town boss Paul Jewell is still looking for more new recruits despite already adding 11 players to his squad this summer. The signings of Jimmy Bullard and Daryl Murphy were confirmed yesterday, while the paperwork making Ibrahima Sonko a Blue is set to be rubber-stamped this morning.

Jewell says there could be further additions either before the transfer window closes next Wednesday or on a loan basis after that: “I don’t think that’s the end of us. That’s 11 new players, a huge turnover and that’s another reason why it will take time for us to get right. It’s not going to happen overnight.

“Deadline day is less important for us than it is for the Premier League teams because we can still loan players seven days after it closes, so we could get players in on loan for the Blackpool game.”

The Blues manager confirmed that he has spoken to Stoke about two players with defender Danny Collins again claimed to be a £700,000 target by one of today’s papers. The other Potters player is almost certainly Ryan Shotton.

Jewell says that Stoke, in common with other Premier League clubs, are loath to let players move on until the transfer window closes, so it may be that one of the duo could come in during the week before Town’s trip to Bloomfield Road.

The Town boss says this week’s sudden influx of signings isn’t a knee-jerk reaction to Saturday’s hammering at Peterborough: “It’s not as if we’ve bought players because we got beaten 7-1, we were looking to sign players when we beat Bristol City 3-0.

“It’s a bit like London buses, they came along very quickly and quietly. The week has been no different in terms of being on the phone, it’s just that some things have fallen into place for us.”

Jewell realises that getting his signings to gel will take time but has always said turning Town into a competitive side would be a long-term task: “It’s not going to be easy but, having said that, if you don’t think the players that were already here are good enough, there’s no point in sticking with them.

“I think some of the results we’ve had this season show that there are certain areas where we are lacking, so we’ve got to try to improve the squad.”

One area where the Liverpudlian is certainly still looking to make a further signing is in goal with first choice David Stockdale subject to a 24-hour recall to Fulham and with Márton Fülöp having moved to West Brom on a free transfer earlier in the month.

Former Blue Richard Wright is still training with the squad and was in goal for the reserves in Monday’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Colchester, but Jewell says that at the moment that’s as far as things go: “Richard only lives around the corner, so he’s been training here and he played in the reserve game the other day because we didn’t want to risk Arran Lee-Barrett.

“He’s good experience for the young players, he’s got a good voice and he’s here training keeping fit, but things might change.

“We are on the look-out for another goalkeeper, a young one to take us forward in the future because Stocky might be called back at any time.

“We are aware of the situation where we’ve got Arran and we might have Richard as back-up, but in the long-term we need another young goalkeeper to take us forward and that search is continuing.”

Photo: Action Images

blueherts added 11:49 - Aug 26 Bowyer vs Leeds be tasty !! Make him skipper - he will be fired up - Kennedy should be skipper in my book as he does bring bit more stability in our shaky backline and organises
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roytheboy added 11:51 - Aug 26 Has Sonko's deal been rubber stamped yet, it will be the afternoon very soon ? I hope that the ink pad has not run dry ! hurry up Paul, we're all waiting anxiously to hear that this deal is secure.
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IvorFeeling added 12:04 - Aug 26 Looking lopsided for Leeds match. Worry is that we will be very narrow and have no width. JET sulked in the second half against Hull out wide, so stick Edwards RM. Please why do we persist with Leadlegs as el capitano, or even on the pitch? Keep him to make Andrews & Jimmy half time cuppa and get a winger plus one CB and RB then we will have some balance. Still think it will be November by the time the team is actually playing as a balanced cohesive unit but looking forward to seeing JB turn on the style tomorrow.

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Surco72 added 12:45 - Aug 26 The reason Jewell has had to sign 11 players and wants more is because clearly the assembled bunch that Keane left him with were not up to it hence our poor league position for the last two seasons . And stop whining about losing Norris he was offered a contract and turned it down to chase more money ,and is not in the same quality as Andrews ,Bowyer or Bullard . And as for the comment lets not buy new players or get loan players its not right for the future do it the Scum way ,they have signed Ward ,Surman,Ruddy,Jackson,Fox,Crofts,Barnett,Lansbury,Vokes,Edwards,Bennett,Ayala,De Laet,Johnson,Morrison,Naughton,Vaughan,Pilkington and more in the last two seasons !!! some so called fans like to moan about anything

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TractorBeezer added 13:20 - Aug 26 I agree with those that suggest that the IDEAL way to build a team is over time with a blend of experience and youth. That's in an ideal world. Let's face it PJ was left with some inadequate players on his hands along with expiring contracts so on to Plan B....and we are fortunate that ME is able to bankroll a Plan B. It will take quite a while for the new team to develop the required undertanding and cohesion to be effective but at least it has given most of us some renewed hope. A decent reserve team league (Combination) was in place in the past to help develop players and keep them match fit and I think that it would be good if the powers that be can get this resurrected again. There are only 5 subs this year so that's 2 more players with nothing to do on match day.

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thechangingman added 13:41 - Aug 26 dugoutdave: Good comeback - I guess I deserved that! :) It made me smile - which is more than I can say for our current state of chaos and desparation...
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Pip50 added 14:05 - Aug 26 Rose tinted glasses comes to mind. The average age of PJ's signings is in excess of 30 forgive me for being negative but how is that building for the future?
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TractorRoyNo1 added 14:42 - Aug 26 Ellington - waste of space! Lanky added 08:48 - Aug 26 All of te signings have been alright so far to be honest
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TractorRoyNo1 added 14:44 - Aug 26 it's no good having a class player who can only turn out once a month, that's why he was let go meekreech added 09:38 - Aug 26 Ingimarrson is a class act and would have stopped a lot of last weeks nonsense , he will turn into a very good signing !
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TractorRoyNo1 added 14:47 - Aug 26 part of the justifcation for jimmy's huge wage is that he will be captain blueherts added 11:49 - Aug 26 Bowyer vs Leeds be tasty !! Make him skipper - he will be fired up - Kennedy should be skipper in my book as he does bring bit more stability in our shaky backline and organises
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jas0999 added 18:56 - Aug 26 Good. Shame this wasn't sorted sooner. I wonder if the club tried to do things on the cheap - before finally realising we weren't good enough? Hopefully we will spend some actual money soon. Lot's of loans and frees so far. Can Clegg actually negotiate proper deals?
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