Blues boss Paul Jewell says new signing Jimmy Bullard may not be fit enough to go straight into his starting line-up for Saturday’s home fixture against Leeds United. The 32-year-old hasn’t played a game since Town’s final Portman Road match of last season against Preston.

Jewell said: “Jimmy hasn’t played a lot of football. He’s been away from Hull for four weeks now. We’ll have to assess Jimmy’s fitness in training.

“There’s no guarantee he’ll go straight in. If he’s fit enough he’ll have a chance, but we’ll have to wait and see how he comes through in the next few days.”

Bullard himself admits he’s not 100% but says he’ll be fine once he’s back in the swing of things: “I’m 32 now but I feel as fit and as strong as ever.

“It was my first training session today and I was blowing a little bit, but I was bound to. Once I’ve got a few games under my belt, whether that’s in the first team or the reserves, I’ll start to feel a little bit better.

“I hope I play on Saturday, but that’s entirely up to the manager. That’s his decision. I’ve come here to play football and hopefully I’ll do that soon.”

The midfielder says the international games coming up after the weekend will benefit him: “This next couple of weeks are big for me. There’s a break next week, so I’ve got to get as fit as I can.

“I’ve not played a game since Preston last season, which is five months. I need to get as fit as I can and try to get ready as quickly as possible to play.”

Ultimately, Jewell is in no doubt that Bullard will prove to be an important signing: “He’s a character, he’ll fit in. When he first came here last year I think it took him quite a while to settle in, but after five minutes he was OK.

"I had Jimmy at Wigan and he missed one game in three years. I left him out at Chelsea and we had a row about that.

“But he doesn’t let anything seem to get him down. He’s an infectious character, he gets people going. He may drive you made at times, but he’s no shrinking violet, he’ll never hide. He wants the ball, he wants to get on it, sometimes in areas where you don’t want him to.

“He’s a little bit of a free spirit, but I think last year he came in and lifted the place. Hopefully with him and the other new signings can have the same effect.”

One player whose fitness Jewell isn’t concerned about is Ibrahima Sonko: “You should see the condition that he’s in. I saw him play on Tuesday [in the reserves] and he’s trained quite a bit with Reading. I know it’s not like a first team game, but he came through that well and looking at him as a specimen, he’s a man mountain!

“He’s only 30, but he’s been around, he played at Reading and I think he went to Stoke for £3 million.

“He’s big, he’s powerful and he throws it further than I can kick it, which is a weapon. He’s strong and he’ll get better, I’m sure. Everyone knows we just lack that little bit of power and know-how at the back, and hopefully he can bridge that gap.”

Town’s third new signing Daryl Murphy hadn’t featured for Celtic in a competitive game this campaign but was involved in pre-season for the SPL giants and may well be handed his second Town debut against Leeds.

Photo: Action Images

MaySixth added 09:21 - Aug 26 Good comments
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SouperJim added 09:27 - Aug 26 Will be very surprised if the "freak of nature" doesn't play Saturday, despite the bit of spin.
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ipswichm8 added 09:30 - Aug 26 yh maySixth good comments but we need jimmy bullard for leeds
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rogie_dog added 09:31 - Aug 26 Would be mad to risk Bullard with his fitness record. He clearly can't be fit enough to start if his last game was at Preston.
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muhrensleftfoot added 09:31 - Aug 26 I reckon Jimmy will be on the bench, and will do about 20 minutes in the 2nd half
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ipswichm8 added 09:32 - Aug 26 how come it didnt come through at 9:04
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tractorboy1961 added 09:37 - Aug 26 A half fit Bullard is better than Leadbitter and co ! Think we need him badly What a week to be a Town fan hey!,
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meekreech added 09:40 - Aug 26 Electric PR tomorrow !
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 09:40 - Aug 26 does everyone who plays / played for stoke have a long throw!? even the ryan shotton guy has a long throw on him
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norfsufblue added 09:42 - Aug 26 reckon he will play....got another week off next week !!!! jeez .....we are surely not relying on his pace and fitness now at his age...its his craft we need!!
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marcusevans added 09:56 - Aug 26 This is surely kidology to throw Leeds off the scent and confuse them regarding team selection. I expect him to play!
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bluenut added 09:57 - Aug 26 Bring him on as a supersub tomorrow. Wouldn't risk him if not fully fit judging by his past records. It'd be just our luck at the moment that he'd get injured!!
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ipswich_is_the_best added 10:07 - Aug 26 Stockdale Edwards Sonko Delaney* Cresswell Bullard Andrews Bowyer JET Chopra Murphy lets give delaney a reception because tommorow will be his last game he might stay but will be far down the pecking order very very soon
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heady added 10:14 - Aug 26 ipswich_is_the_best - agree with your team selection but I can't see Leadbitter being dropped (think bowyer will be on bench at best any way - not fully fit). We still need another out and out winger as JET and Murphy won't be so effective out there - andros townsend had a decent game for spurs last night!
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Lightningboy added 10:20 - Aug 26 We need to wrap Jimmy up in cotton wool..he is our key to success. Wonder who'll be captain 2moro? As for when everybody's fit/we get a new RB,this would be my line up: Stockdale; *new RB,Ingimarsson(c),Sonko,Creswell; Bowyer; Bullard,Andrews; Carson,Chopra,Murphy.
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heady added 10:22 - Aug 26 Who ever is playing right wing will have an easy game (O'dea is at LB)!!
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ITFC4daprem added 10:25 - Aug 26 hopefully he is OK and don't get injured COYB
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Eeyore added 10:27 - Aug 26 With Bullard, Bowyer and Ingimarson unfit I think it could be a tough game. Perhaps Drury and Kennedy?
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randomblue added 11:00 - Aug 26 Love it - want him to play just so he can say - V one weekend, playing against Leeds the next!
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Pessimistic added 11:13 - Aug 26 I agee that twenty minutes at the end of the game will suite Jimmy fine just now...
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Crock added 11:32 - Aug 26 LOL It says Assess!!!!
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Matteo_Sereni added 12:06 - Aug 26 really hope he plays! especially after coughing up £34 for a ticket!
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Marcus added 12:39 - Aug 26 "I think it took him quite a while to settle in, but after five minutes he was OK." Nice one
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marc96 added 12:45 - Aug 26 "He's only 30"? Forgive me if I'm wrong but in football that's not exactly young!
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Edinburgh_Blue added 12:53 - Aug 26 30 is a perfect age for a defender IMHO. Still relatively young, with the experience that position demands.
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