Midfielder Jimmy Bullard will be looking to reignite his faltering Town career over the summer, according to manager Paul Jewell. The 33-year-old, who has made only 12 starts and one sub appearance during 2011/12, scoring one goal, is currently sidelined with a sinus problem and won’t be involved against Birmingham tonight.

Jewell said: “Jimmy will be looking to start again in the summer because it just hasn’t happened for him this season.

“He’ll be in the final year of his contract next season, so we want Jimmy trying to get into the team like everybody else.

“It’s not about owing me, it’s about getting back and concentrating on what he does best, which is play football.

“He’s had a bad year, it’s all been well-documented, and I guess he’ll be glad when the season ends.”

The Blues boss says the one-time England call-up will have to win back his place like anyone else: “Jimmy’s very keen, in fact he’s too keen sometimes.

"He does love the game and that’s why he gets very frustrated and down when he’s not playing. But, like everybody else, he’s got to earn the right to get in the team.”

Jewell says the ex-Wigan, Peterborough, Hull and Fulham man is currently not a particularly pretty sight: “He came in on Friday and he looks like he’s done 10 rounds with Frank Bruno.

“His nose is really blocked up. The poor lad, since Christmas, has really struggled with illness and one or two other things, as we know.”

The Blues manager says age hasn’t been a factor in Bullard’s disappointing season: “He’s not getting any younger like all of us, but Jimmy is one of those players who will still be running around when he’s 45.”

Playford Road is a somewhat less noisy place with Bullard absent: “One thing he does do when he’s not here is quieten the place down,” Jewell joked.

“When he came in last year for 17 games he got Player of the Season and supporters were desperate for us to sign him.

“It hasn’t happened for him here since November but that’s not just him. He was a big part of the team when we had that good run.

“He’ll be back next week and he’ll come back in the summer and like everyone else who is here and contracted to us, they’ll always have a chance.”

Photo: Action Images

DiamondGezzer added 07:03 - Apr 17 Waste of a good playboy, I mean player !
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Karlosfandangal added 08:32 - Apr 17 Never mind that another million quid in his bank account. Time for a holiday now been a hard season, He will be fit by December after he comes back overweight, should play very well as in last year of his contract and will be trying to win a new one.
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RetroBlue added 08:41 - Apr 17 agree with all ablove , but if he's going to be looking for a contrcat extension next season , Town could very well benefit from a resurgent Jimmy Bullard next season!!
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buryblue77 added 09:13 - Apr 17 Agree with Retro, if Jimmy thinks playing his ar$e off next year gets him another contract then he's more than welcome to think that way, could be the driving force behind us even if it is for all the wrong reasons, if he can emulate Leadbitters turn around in form and a few correct additions to the squad we couuld be a lethal force next season.
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MathieandMarshall added 13:01 - Apr 17 Agree, would love to see an in form Bullard pulling the strings in Midfield. Could make the difference between a top 10 and a top 6 finish! We dont have many players that can turn a game with a moment of brilliance (JET being the obvious other) and i for one would love to see him turn it around next season. People forget that he played very well (out of position) in the good run earlier in the season. I remember him looking a class act away at West Ham stuck in the Holding midfield role - which he should never have been played in!

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Lightningboy added 13:16 - Apr 17 Total waste of talent..big year for you next year Jimmy..I hope you can get back to your best.
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JewellintheTown added 13:44 - Apr 17 I do hope Jimmys going to donate his body to medical science after he pops his cloggs (which by the rate he's picking up illnesses & partying it wont be too long) as I'm sure they'll be able to find cures for cancer, the common cold, bird flu, man flu and every other type of illness on the planet.
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righty added 17:26 - Apr 17 £350000 since Nov 19th what a waste of money
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Suffolk_n_Good added 18:19 - Apr 17 And now the end is near.....
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h32 added 20:03 - Apr 17 ........ who's the mug / mugs ?? - not him !! - seem to remember that some predicted that he only wanted to get his signature on a Contract last season. Not Wrong. Mugged all concerned - and he was voted 'Player of the Season' by so called intelligent Supporters. Absolute joke 'of the 2011/ 12 Season'.
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