Midfielder Grant Leadbitter has confirmed that he has decided not to accept Town’s offer of a new deal. We understand that, as outlined by Blues boss Paul Jewell yesterday, the former Sunderland man, who has been strongly linked with a move to Middlesbrough, did not travel with the rest of the squad to Doncaster for Saturday’s final game of the season and has played his last match for the Blues.

Leadbitter told Sky Sports that he has opted against remaining with the Blues after his current deal is up at the end of June: “I have turned down the offer of a new deal at Ipswich and I will be leaving at the end of the season.

"It was a really tough decision, but I feel I am ready for a new challenge at this stage of my career.

"I never spoke to Ipswich about finances, I just feel the time is right for a new challenge and a new experience.

"I would like to thank the club for bringing me here in the first place and I have had a great three years here.

"The fans have been brilliant and I have a lot of time for Paul Jewell and always got on very well with him and you see how hard he works for the club."

He added: "I have not thought about my future yet I will be going on holidays soon and I will be keeping my options open before I decide where I want to go."

Manager Paul Jewell said: "We have given it our best shot. I have spoken to Grant at length. The owner has as well. It's a big decision for him though. I understand that.

"The longer it has gone on the more I have felt we were going down the lines of him going elsewhere. We wanted him to stay but it's not to be and we wish him well."

In addition to Boro, Brighton and Hove Albion have also been linked. Former captain Leadbitter joined his old Sunderland boss Roy Keane at Portman Road for a fee of £2.65 million in the summer of 2009 and went on to make 120 starts and six sub appearances for the Blues, scoring 14 goals.

Photo: Action Images

martleshamitfc added 16:46 - Apr 27 A shame but not unexpected really!
0

RaymondovicBlue added 16:47 - Apr 27 That's the way to find out ... NOT a team sheet. Good in patches, but not consistent ... however - Grant was a Town player who deserves a good farewell. All the best with your future Grant - family and career. I guess you remember how cold and bleak it is ooooop Norff
0

Sindre94 added 16:48 - Apr 27 Fair enough.. if he doesnt wanna stay then thank you goodbye! I would like to see him stay but the most important thing is that we have players that WANNA play for us, and Leadbitter obviously didnt want that. Alot of abuse and slating from fans didnt help and I wish him all the best in the future, good luck Grant.
0

tractorboybig added 16:48 - Apr 27 Bye bye.
0

cromwellblue added 16:48 - Apr 27 What a shock, NOT
0

Warkys_Tash added 16:49 - Apr 27 Surprise, surprise. Never talked about finances but he knew he was going to be offered less money so he didn't need to talk finances, he was never interested in staying. Very good player but we never got full value from him, unfortunately. No point having players here that don't want to be. Lets start signing players who really want to play for ITFC - in the same mould as Matty Holland, honest reliable, passionate & talented please.

0

yorkhenry added 16:49 - Apr 27 A real shame for a number of reasons. 1. He was a good player, and the best of our central midfielders. 2. Even if he flattered to deceive at times he has undoubted ability and will, knowing us, go on to do very well at Boro. 3. We cannot keep letting players leave for free on whom we have spent a lot of money - transfer fee and wages. 4. It's more change, meaning more turnover of playing staff and probably a shaky start to next season. 5. More proof of players not really wanting to play for us.

0

Special_A added 16:49 - Apr 27 Jog on! It is a shame though to be honest, but hopefully the end of this old era of players coming and going and us messing up contract renewals. I wouldn't be surprised if he scores past us next year!
0

Keaneish added 16:51 - Apr 27 'A new challenge'!? - you never got anywhere close to completing your last challenge! The thing that annoys me about this is he's left via the back door. No final, 'thank you' for your patience with me although i've been a real disappointment! Big, big task ahead in the summer now PJ and with the news that we're not in the running for Pearce, we've got off to a bad start in the market for me!

0

Blue_Fred added 16:52 - Apr 27 And there I was thinking this had been a rubbish week with absolutely no good news
0

jert16 added 16:53 - Apr 27 Good riddance to bad rubbish..
0

dirtydingusmagee added 16:53 - Apr 27 ta ta ,
0

Dissblue added 16:53 - Apr 27 Yay!! He can go and warm the bench at Boro and we can get someone who wants to be here. Result.
0

cwb91 added 16:54 - Apr 27 If he feels he can go somewhere better then be my guest. Good riddance. Yeh, he's got ability, but 10 good games in 3 seasons, doesn't cut it. I have to say, I got the impression he hasn't wanted to be here for sometime. I won't forget his shockers for us. His performance at P'boro, can't even be described as a performance. I hope this decision comes back to haunt him, much like David Norris.

0

casanovacrow added 16:54 - Apr 27 Cheerio Leadboots. Shame you cant be honest with us, it's all about the money. You said you wanted to stay over and over again but its the lack of money thats changed your mind, nothing else. No mention of looking for a new challenge until the money wasn't there.
0

cromwellblue added 16:54 - Apr 27 and for the record in recent games I felt both he and Drury were looking to be the playmaker. I think Drury is the better man for the job, his passing is slicker and when it flows through him we look more dangerous. Don't see this as a big problem. Move on...........
0

taylor15 added 16:55 - Apr 27 not a shock, but his late form would obviously have wanted many fans for him to stay. moving on, let's get in lewis mcgugan?! good luck grant, COYB!<3
0

lowtit added 16:56 - Apr 27 Thank god for that - bye bye -let's build a team who want to play for us -
0

pocketsout added 16:59 - Apr 27 Not fussed. Good recently, but never lived up to price tag and expectations for me. When we finally turned the corner this year in mid January it was with Drury and Hyam in the middle. Easily replaced IMO
0

BlooooCD added 17:01 - Apr 27 Glad to see the back of this turd! Been good just lately as he clearly wanted to attract other suitors etc. But lets not forget his corners and free-kicks in the last few years have been abysmal! I remain convinced he gets nose bleeds when he has to pass the ball forward... Won't miss him at all and as others have stated it will be be great to get a team of players that want to be here and play for the badge and pride! Good luck to the players on saturday... Bloooo Army!

0

Mark added 17:01 - Apr 27 "I have had a great three years here." I take it he means he enjoyed it, as his football has been far from great. Leadbitter leaves as one of the worst signings the club has ever made, with a £2.6M transfer fee written off, the fourth highest in the club's history and the biggest ever transfer fee paid when outside the Premier League. At that price he should have been a star Championship performer, but instead we got mediocrity.

0

IpsRich added 17:01 - Apr 27 Thanks for nothing Grant. Rarely justified (at least consistently) the considerable transfer fee and wages that we've paid for him. Will be remembered for having a starring role in one of the lowest points in the club's history - at least in recent times. Why Jewell persevered with signing him up for so long given this plainly obvious outcome only he'll know. The supporters called this last summer and he should have been sold off or frozen out of the first team then.

0

painterman added 17:02 - Apr 27 good news, i for one will not miss his poor free kicks and corners
0

MightyBlues added 17:04 - Apr 27 Good riddance...Paul Jewell should have stopped playing you a while ago, particularly when you could have agreed to commit your long term future, much sooner. No big loss. I think we've got a great club captain in Edwards and he leads the team out by professional example.
0

rob442 added 17:04 - Apr 27 At last. Now the whole team can move forward - literally
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls