Town boss Paul Jewell has revealed that skipper Grant Leadbitter has turned down the Blues’ initial contract offer. The 25-year-old's current terms are up at the end of the season with his representatives having held talks with owner Marcus Evans in recent weeks.

Jewell said: “Grant and his advisors sat down with the owner to discuss a new deal and it wasn’t quite what he was looking for. I’ve spoken to Grant and he seems cool with the situation. I’m comfortable with it too.

“I’ve said to all the players that if they play well for us then we might have to pay them more than someone else.

“If we get players that are striving to get a deal then it benefits the team. Grant’s playing as well as he has for us since I’ve been here at the moment so it can work positively for both parties sometimes.”

Leadbitter is one of 18 players whose terms are up either during or at the end of the season. Mark Kennedy, Tommy Smith, Shane O’Connor, Carlos Edwards, Ibrahima Sonko, Ívar Ingimarsson, Lee Bowyer, Josh Carson, Colin Healy, Luke Hyam, Jason Scotland, Tamás Priskin, Ronan Murray, Cody Cropper and Cormac Burke all have deals which end on June 30th next year, although some of those contracts include options for a further season.

Jack Ainsley and Jamie Griffiths, who is currently on loan at Plymouth, have six-month contracts, which are up at the end of December.

Jewell says he has spoken to some of those whose deals are up in June, who will be able to talk to other clubs regarding contracts for next season from January, and says there’s no panic from either side: "I’m comfortable with the situation. No-one’s knocked on my door and asked to sit down and discuss contracts, but I’m sure that will happen if we continue to play as well as we have done.

“It’s not just the lads in the final year of their contracts that we will talk to, we might also look to extend deals for the likes of young Aaron Cresswell who’s done very well. Things will hopefully be a lot clearer in a couple of months’ time.”

Blues boss Jewell has said on a number of occasions that he doesn’t want a repeat of last season’s Gareth McAuley and David Norris contract saga, while last month Leadbitter told him he wanted to remain at Portman Road.

In August TWTD revealed that Portsmouth had made an offer for the former Sunderland man but at a level well below the Blues’ expectations.

Elsewhere, new loanee Reece Wabara says he'll change his controversial yellow boots if manager Paul Jewell, who made comment on the Manchester City man's footwear after the weekend victory over Brighton, asks him to do so: “I’m happy to change them if he wants me to.

"I’m fully aware of the rivalry [with Norwich] and I’ve had a few tweets about the boots already!”

Meanwhile, many of the Town squad, staff and a number of ex-players are competing at the club's golf day at the Five Lakes Hotel, Golf, Country Club and Spa today.

Photo: Action Images

Infineteregress added 18:09 - Oct 5 Reckon we should offering Edwards, Sonko, Bowyer, Scotland, Murray, Carson, Hyam and O'Connor new deals. Not sure about Cropper or Burke and I'd personally give Ingimarsson and Leadbitter more time this season to prove themselves. I would however be tempted to cut loose the likes of Kennedy, Smith, Healy and above all Priskin. No hard feelings to any of them but sadly I'd have to say that they're probably the most expendable.

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Walk_the_Wark added 18:47 - Oct 5 Sell him- worst player in the team
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Mutiny added 20:20 - Oct 5 If Evans and Clegg have any backbone, reduce the offer by 30% and say 'take it or leave it' - and don't pick him again until he re-signs. Good at the hand signals, not so good with the feet.
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Buryblueboy added 20:49 - Oct 5 As much as it could mean starting all over once again next summer if contract negotiations do drag on; what we have seen in recent times suggests PJ is as good as anyone to bring in players at this level. For all that we were initially gutted to see McAuley and Norris leave, there can't be many people that think Sonko and Bullard (along with Andrews and Collins if we go on to sign them) aren't bringing more to the team and seeing us as more capable team than we have seen for some time. Also this shows that scouting for capable young players with genuine potential is more important than ever as if we can get a few more in of the vein of Cresswell then atleast we will have some longer term squad stability. Ultimately, I want to cheer players on who genuinely want to be here. McAuley and Norris have both shown dsepite enhanced pay packets no doubt, that the grass isnt always greener. COYB.

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rosseden added 21:38 - Oct 5 for what its worth, id keep Mark Kennedy as a defensive coach or youth coach, i think he would excel at that. great footballing brain...... Tommy Smith, Shane O'Connor, Luke Hyam, Ronan Murray, Jack Ainsley id offer a year too, either get compo if they go then, or keep them and loan them out. Carlos Edwards, Lee Bowyer id offer a year too as well Ibrahima Sonko, Josh Carson, Jason Scotland id offer 2 year contracts too. I still think JS will be a good impact sub in 2 years from now. Josh has the potential but does he have the mentality, and IS is great for now, and if we go up hes a solid squad player....... Jury out on Ívar Ingimarsson, Cody Cropper and Cormac Burke and Jamie Griffiths, but given time they could be worth keeping...... Then i think Colin healy, Grant & Tamas are as good as gone, probabaly in the january window....... If grant goes for decent dollar though Colin might stay as a back up player....... id probabaly rather have him doing that too, at least someone else could be captain then.......

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dommyboyblue added 22:13 - Oct 5 I think lifelongtownfan has really summed up the mood perfectly, brilliant.
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ClassyCranson added 00:30 - Oct 6 Once it got to 1 September and with no new contract signed the club were always going to be on a hiding to nothing. They should have put him up for sale over the summer. It maybe an initial offer by the club but that probably means that is the first offer of new contract the player has been given in writing. Without an offer in writing there is nothing to really reject. Ipswich, the player and his agent I am convinced will have known about the make up of the offer for months. The club completely rule out any chance of a fee if they say anything different to what has been said by PJ. Grant's form has improved recently but I am not convinced about him long term and he is not creative enough to go at the top of the diamond. A captain who rejects a new contract in my opinion has to pass the armband on and the obvious candidate for captain is Bowyer. Fitness levels now good, matured over the last few years, under a two year contract and playing well. If Grant can find a new club in January and we don't get a fee then so be it. It would be far worse to let him go at the end of the season for free. The wage savings would massively outstrip any transfer fee element.

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finidigeorge88 added 02:01 - Oct 6 See ya!!!
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arablue added 02:26 - Oct 6 Jewell is "comfortable" with the situation as he may well want grant to leave...
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hogster1970 added 11:06 - Oct 6 defo let go, he aint that a good enough player if we want to progress, i talked to some sunderland supporters and they all said the same as me, creates nothing, not that good at passing , slow and predictable, and just doesnt score enough goals. if it was me i would just let him go, we have young carson who i would like to see in that postion, he has bags of pace, very good foot skills, and knows were the goal is and can play out on the wing, bit of a no brainer realy , but i dont know whats happened to him , he dont even get on the bench, i hope he dont get rouined like bowditched did, then again josh is far better than bowditch any how.

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CharlieITFC added 13:46 - Oct 6 He promised so much when he joined, and has been largely disappointing. Personally when JET is fit i think he will fit into the diamond in leadbitters place. Give Bullard the armband and let JET roam in his favoured position. He is just deadwood nowadays.
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