Blues boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that former West Brom and Bolton centre-half Abdoulaye Meite is spending the week on trial at Playford Road. The Town manager also revealed that 29-year-old Ghanaian international John Mensah, a Sunderland loanee for two seasons, was a possible signing last week.

Jewell confirmed that free agent Meite, who was signed by former Blue Tony Mowbray during his time as manager at the Hawthorns, is at the club: “He’s training with us this week. He came in on Monday and Tuesday and he’ll be in tomorrow. We’re looking at him for a week.

“John Mensah was mentioned last week. He was training at West Ham and there was a possibility that that was going to happen but again it didn’t.

“These players are out of work, out of contract or the clubs that they’re at are now realising the money they wanted for them or the money that players were demanding before the transfer window isn’t about.”

Mensah was released by Lyon at the end of last season having previously played for the likes of Genoa, Chievo, Modena, Cremonese and Rennes.

Town’s interest in former FC Köln man Kevin Pezzoni, who was on trial last week, seems unlikely to be progressed any further: “He did OK. I spoke with his father here last week and I spoke to his agent and the money the agent was looking for is out of our level.

“He’s played the last four seasons as a defensive midfield player as well and we’re looking for that typical English centre-half that no one can find anywhere.”

Jewell has no injury concerns ahead of Wednesday’s game against Wolves, despite Paul Taylor and Luke Chambers having suffered minor knocks at Middlesbrough, while Ronan Murray’s three-match suspension after his red card in the U21s on Sunday only affects non-first team games.

Photo: Action Images

Tiggs added 13:24 - Sep 18 Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.......
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RaymondovicBlue added 13:33 - Sep 18 No - we tried O'dea already ... but he's history now! Is it just me or does the fact that Mogga previously signed this guy lift my interest and enthusiasm to check him out just a little more? He knows what central defending is all about after all.
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irishtim added 13:34 - Sep 18 Who's next?
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ChrisMakin2012 added 13:37 - Sep 18 If he was good enough he wouldn't of had his contract terminated. Well done Clegg
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KernewekBlue added 13:50 - Sep 18 I'm afraid the realisation that, at the moment, supporting Town is going to be a little frustrating is starting to sink in! We are being linked with myriad players, all cast-offs, out-of-contracts and surplus-to-requirements at other clubs and we can't even pick these individuals up to bolster the squad. It could be a looooooooooooong season! Hope I'm proven wrong in the next few days. If these players rate themselves too highly or are touted around for stupid money by their agents, why not go and raid the lower leagues for talent. There are a few decent players to be had. I know the defence is a priority and all efforts should be concentrated their firstly but the left winger playing currently at Crawley looked very handy. How much would he be available for? Just a thought.

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JewellintheTown added 13:53 - Sep 18 Phil, you mentioned in your other article that he was 31yrs old. This one you've put 29yrs. Checking Wikipedia it seems he's 31 (almost 32 yrs old - born 6 october 1980).
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JewellintheTown added 13:54 - Sep 18 ignore me, I'm not reading it right. Sorry, its John Mensah who's 29
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Marcus added 13:58 - Sep 18 @JewellintheTown - you've just failed the Mensah test :)
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cornishnick added 14:02 - Sep 18 "We're looking for that typical English centre-half that no one can find anywhere." You said it Jewell. Heaven help us
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BrianTablet added 14:04 - Sep 18 Blimey! First we offer potential signings our free Medical Check-Up Service, are we now offering religious ceremonies too?
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Suzanna_Gekkaloys added 14:05 - Sep 18 We are the lamest of lame animals. Someone please just call a vet so the injection can be administered and we can begin again in League One next season. With a new manager. And a new squad.
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irishtim added 14:07 - Sep 18 Flabbergasted. We cant get a good defender. We r a long way from ever getting near the premiership at this rate.
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noitan added 14:08 - Sep 18 cornishnick: Yes, that statement was a bit worrying wasn't it. Wish he'd think before speaking sometimes.
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HARRY10 added 14:19 - Sep 18 Over a month into the season and here we are still grubbing about in the scrap heap of football (those unwanted by others) to try and patch up the squad. Where's the supposed 'long term plan' in signing 32 year olds ? There is no long term plan, just an excuse to cover lack of direction or serious intent. And I'm afraid for all the talk of youngsters I fear that is motivated more by lack of money than any sense of ambition or purpose. We are drifting, it is as simple as that.

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alliedaz added 14:20 - Sep 18 talk about the basement bargins,surely we are better than this and we can bring players to ipswich,but the problem is the backroom staff is there more going on behind the scenes than the public know
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rickw added 14:27 - Sep 18 Mensah impressed me when he was at Sunderland - he looked a quality player, Meite is another big guy with premier league experience. It seems theres lots of experienced centre backs currenly "unemployed" and we're waiting for one who just wants to play and will accept a low wage with us!
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walberswick added 15:02 - Sep 18 why don't we just get anyone who turns up on a pay per game deal. 1k cash in hand.
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ChrisMakin2012 added 15:03 - Sep 18 Harry Redknapp would of signed him by now...
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MattinLondon added 15:15 - Sep 18 'we're looking for that typical English centre-half that no one can find anywhere'. In other words we're looking for a donkey. Hopefully PJ can find a defender he likes
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walberswick added 15:18 - Sep 18 we'g hace a better team if we had taken all these frees/out of caontract players and let our whole squad go
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blueblood66 added 15:24 - Sep 18 Another potential washed out reject on loan then Jewell? Or should we blame the owner? Someone is at fault here and it is one or the other.
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itfc1981 added 15:26 - Sep 18 John Mensah, smart move.
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battyblue added 15:36 - Sep 18 Well well what a shambles what's coming next i wonder i just new this would happen not so many posts rubbishing h32 and co posts now hey, we cant just put the blame for not being able to agree terms on pj its out of his hands he is just the manager doing a c-ap job with what he has got Clegg and co just wont pay the going rate and keep harping on about the fair play rubbish by the time that comes in we will be in league 1. why sign taylor for mega bucks and cant afford a cb its unbelievable,i hope we get lucky tomorrow night i think we will need some to get anything out of the game.

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IvorFeeling added 15:48 - Sep 18 Council to change name from Playford Rd to Old Bailey Rd with immediate effect. Re-arrange the following words to form a sentence. Delaney Replacement Planned & Organised When I Let Go, I Will Have a
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runningout added 15:59 - Sep 18 what have our super scouts been looking at for past 5 years.. would be more useful looking at league 1 and now, before we are bottom of this league ..
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