Town continue their pre-season programme away against League One Gillingham on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm). Mick McCarthy will be hoping his side keep up their unbeaten pre-season run and keep a fourth successive clean sheet.

With both the U18s and U21s also in action on Saturday, McCarthy may take a smaller squad to the Priestfield Stadium, having fielded essentially two teams in each of the previous three matches.

Hungarian trialist Bálint Bajner may again be involved having come on in the second half during the 3-0 victory at Colchester, while French-Mauritian midfielder Kévin Bru could also be involved, having played for the development squad in the 1-0 win at Braintree on Tuesday.

The game is likely to come too soon for striker David McGoldrick, who was due to return to training with the rest of the squad yesterday as he continues his comeback from his knee injuries, while Stephen Hunt has been sidelined with a calf niggle and Ted Bishop with a minor neck problem.

Frank Nouble, Elliott Hewitt and Jack Marriott have all spent time on loan with the Gills in the past, the latter pair last season, while the Kent side’s manager Peter Taylor came close to joining Roy Keane’s staff during his time as boss at Portman Road.

Taylor’s team are also unbeaten in their four pre-season games up to now, having scored 10 and conceded two. Recently signed midfielder Josh Pritchard is ruled out but another new addition, Aaron Morris, also a midfield player, is expected to play his first game for his new club.

The sides also met in pre-season last year when a last-gasp David October goal saw Town to a 2-1 victory, ex-Canary Cody McDonald having equalised McGoldrick's first-half freekick.

Tickets will be available on the gate at £12 for adults, £8 for seniors and £4 for juniors. Travelling Blues fans have been invited to drink in the Beacon Court Tavern, which is five minutes from the ground and is "the only pub in town where the landlord wears a Town shirt".

Photo: Action Images

BlueandTruesince82 added 14:16 - Jul 25 Peter Taylor almost joined the staff? We managed to dodge some bullets under Keane's Tenure then!
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itfc_f95 added 14:56 - Jul 25 Tickets on the gate?
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itfc_f95 added 14:56 - Jul 25 Tickets on the gate?
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Jimmy86 added 14:57 - Jul 25 Blue and true why would you say we dodged a bullet regarding peter taylor?? He is an experienced coach, who would have helped keane out big style, that and the fact he was england U21 manager for a long while and was caretaker for the full team, all be it for 1 game. Dont see how that can be a bullet
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StowTractorBoy added 15:11 - Jul 25 Do we know of McGoldrick was at training yesterday ?
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BlueandTruesince82 added 15:12 - Jul 25 Jimmy I regard PT as an appalling coach who has found his level. Being Engalnd u21 manager is not to my mind a sign of being a good coach (Taylor? No. Pearce? No- don't think he will still be at forest come xmas. Southgate? No). I recall his disastrous reign at Leicester something my mate a massive Leicester fan still refers to as the dark ages, to quote him "I'd rather have Sousa back." Now I understand coaching and being a manager are 2 different things but I don't rate Taylor as being good at either. Bullet well and truly dodged. Experience yes but that doesn't always translate to being any use. Short of Glen Roeder rocking up I personally cannot envisage anything worse in any capacity at town

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BlueandTruesince82 added 15:14 - Jul 25 Unless Keane came back that is
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beacon added 15:19 - Jul 25 Pay on the gate £12 , Gordon Rd stand being used for Town fans , so when it rains you wont get wet
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bluemagic74 added 15:23 - Jul 25 Should be another good work out and hope 2 see our other 2 trialest Bajner and Bru play and do well as think both could be good signings 4 us. Did anyone else get there season ticket today?? Cant wait 4 new season 2 start. COYB!!
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BlueandTruesince82 added 16:28 - Jul 25 Wow loads of Peter Taylor fans! Until today had never met 1. Managerial Record below good in the lower leagues (to my mind anyway) Team dates p w d l Ratio Southend United England August 1993 February 1995 84 27 16 41 32.14 England U-21s England July 1995 June 1999 30 13 7 10 43.33 Gillingham England July 1999 June 2000 62 34 12 16 54.84 Leicester City England June 2000 September 2001 54 19 9 26 35.19 England England November 2000 November 2000 1 0 0 1 0.00 Brighton & Hove Albion England October 2001 May 2002 38 21 11 6 55.26 Hull City England October 2002 June 2006 184 77 50 57 41.85 England U-21s England 2004 January 2007 16 9 2 5 56.25 Crystal Palace England June 2006 October 2007 60 21 16 23 35.00 Stevenage Borough England November 2007 April 2008 32 13 4 15 40.63 Wycombe Wanderers England May 2008 October 2009 46 19 17 10 41.30 Bradford City England February 2010 February 2011 46 18 7 21 39.13 Bahrain Bahrain July 2011 October 2012 20 7 6 7 35.00 England U-20s England March 2013 3 0 2 1 0.00 Gillingham England October 2013 37 13 6 18

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Jaffe added 16:31 - Jul 25 if McGoldrick is fit he'll be sold if not don't expect him to play many games before xmas
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bontcho added 16:42 - Jul 25 Peter Taylor - excellent coach, not a good manager. Some fans may prefer a few drinks in Rochester which has a few real ale pubs and isn't far away.
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jas0999 added 18:34 - Jul 25 I believe we have one of the best defences in the league. Keeper situation looking strong. But we are lacking a goal scorer in midfield, whilst we have fewer strikers than last year. Shame this issue hasn't been addressed, particularly a Williams type player and another striker who scores goals! Murphy and Nouble work hard though, but wouldn't bet my house on them scoring!

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Marcus_Evans added 21:52 - Jul 25 Jas0999 - we have 6 weeks of a transfer window and i expect to see one if not two Premier League signings on loan nce their squads are finalised. Plus we'll get a couple more permanent players too. Not looking too shabby i'd say
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Sindre94 added 23:12 - Jul 25 Haha, remember last year when Martin Allen said they were a better side than us. How long was it before he was sacked :)
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Sindre94 added 03:22 - Jul 26 Completely agree with you on this one Jas, we need a striker and a box-box midfielder. Someone in the shape of Williams as you say and just a boring poacher up front scoring the goals for us, if he's got some pace that would also be good. I'm pleased that we've adressed the problems we had last season in wide areas. Looking good.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 09:28 - Jul 26 Diverse observations: 1) Bit cheaper than at CUFC, then! 2) BlueandTruesince82, is that "England, England" or "England, somewhere else"? -:) 3) Jaffe: a bit pessimistic about McGoldrick, but I fear you might be right. Even if he stays, will he get back to his former standard? Are we already in the post-McGoldrick era? 4) Think we are all pretty much agreed the "dirty stuff" is in place, but we need at least one, preferably two, sparks of flair to raise the bar from last season. If ii happens, this may well have to be a loan player (or two).

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CharlieITFC added 12:13 - Jul 26 Although I agree that with most people about the goal scoring, Williams type midfielder and a goal poacher, I actually think we already have them. I wasn't a big fan of Paul Taylor last season, but there's no doubt that the guy has skill and flair, and if he's come back with a new attitude, I think he could prove to be like a new signing and slot into that Williams role.we also have Woody, that seems back in MM plans now. I also don't think we necessarily need another striker (although one would be nice) due to jack marriott. He is a poacher with a real eye for goal. And this could prove to be his breakthrough season. Don't get me wrong, we need a couple players to bulk up the squad, but the issues from last season seem to be addressed, and although our squad is thin, it's certainly the best I've seen it for a few years.

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Tractamatt added 12:38 - Jul 26 Why are people speculating about the sale of Mcgoldrick. I can't see him going unless it was to Palace with Williams in the opposite direction.
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