Town boss Mick McCarthy hopes to continue his ongoing transfer discussions with owner Marcus Evans over the weekend when they take part in the Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic at the Pestana Vila Sol course in Portugal. The Blues are understood to be in talks with Blackburn Rovers regarding the signing of winger Elliott Bennett and are also targeting Premier League loanees.

McCarthy and Evans are both regular participants in the tournament, which legendary Blues boss Robson instigated in 2004 to raise money for a homeless children’s charity, the Refugio Aboim Ascensão, which is based in Faro.

Also amongst those taking part will be Charlie Woods, Simon Milton, Terry Butcher, Russell Osman, Alan Brazil, John Wark and George Burley.

“I don’t know how much time we’ll get to spend together, but I hope to get a chat with him,” McCarthy said.

The Town manager, whose priority is adding wingers to his squad, says he and Evans maintain an open line of communication during the summer, regularly discussing the club's transfer business.

“Absolutely,” he added. “We’re kind of waiting on a number of different things that we’re trying to do. Players that we’re trying to bring in. We’ll just have to wait and see.

“But Cameron Stewart’s doing really well playing wide left and I think Bish has been excellent on the right, so we have got players who can play there.”

Town and Blackburn are understood to be discussing the terms of Bennett moving to Portman Road with the Ewood Park club keen to recoup the reported £250,000 they paid Norwich for the 27-year-old in January.

Quizzed on links with Bennett on Wednesday night, McCarthy wouldn't confirm or deny his interest, although admitted that the former Brighton and Norwich wideman is a player he likes.

With no friendly on Saturday, McCarthy is giving his squad a break: “Over the weekend [they’ll be having some time off] and then we’re back in on Monday to prepare for the Colchester game [on Wednesday] and then that’ll be us all the way through then.”

He says players will start to get more than just 45 minutes from the Colchester game onwards.

“Quite clearly it’s just been two mixed-up teams with some youngsters and some experience so far, but it might be getting to where they’re getting 60 minutes, then others will get 60 or 70 minutes at Cambridge.”

Striker Daryl Murphy returned to pre-season training on Tuesday having been given additional time off having been away with the Republic of Ireland at the Euros and McCarthy says the 33-year-old won't be involved in a game until next weekend.

“It’ll be Cambridge on Saturday that we’ll be looking at," he said. "Adam Webster has every chance of playing some part against Cambridge as well, that’s great.”

Meanwhile, former Blues striker Paul Taylor, 28, has rejoined his former club Peterborough United, having failed to find a club during 2015/16 following his release by Town during the previous season.

Photo: Action Images

rinkydinkpanther added 13:54 - Jul 15 I, for one, am hoping there are a lot more celebrity golf events coming up, as I didn't realise they were so intrinsic to the progress of Town's transfer policy. Phones? Email? Skype? No. Too unreliable. I can see the wisdom in the we-might-bump-into-each-other-at-a-golf-event-so-we-will-possibly-chat-then-if-we-have-the-same-teeing-off-time-but-if-not-fax-my-secretary-and-I-will-take-a-look-at-my-schedule-for-the-next-three-months method. Makes perfect sense to me.

4

WestSussexBlue added 14:29 - Jul 15 And quite often In my fridge are the old leftovers, things just left that nobody really fancies using. Then Town come along and offer a lifeline.
2

PSGBlue added 14:42 - Jul 15 Three years ago I did not renew my season ticket. This year I have not even bothered renewing my SilverCard (not wasting £30 for bit of plastic!). I cannot see myself having problems getting a ticket this season!
5

Michael11 added 14:50 - Jul 15 Hmmm. Really thought the penny might drop this summer that we need BIG investment. I was happy bringing Webster in but we need so much more than just him. Elliott Bennett left Norwich on very good terms and I seriously doubt whether his heart would be in it playing for us. Why does McCarthy have to have managed everyone he signs by the way? Barring Webster, he rarely puts faith in players he hasn't previously managed.

3

Surco72 added 15:17 - Jul 15 Are the Ipswich scouts so poor they cannot find anyone or is MM so limited/stubborn he wont take anyones view unless he has managed them before or seen them play against us ?
10

JimmyJazz added 15:52 - Jul 15 Anyone get the feeling that if he came Bennett would become one of the undropables? Just imagine ineffective performance after ineffective performance and still MM puts him in the starting XI and says he won't pay any attention to what everyone else says about him
3

midastouch added 16:53 - Jul 15 See here and you can tell EB's heart is with Norwich: @NorwichCityFC thanks for the memories. Special club and I wish everyone all the best for the future ⚽️❤️ pic.twitter.com/bo3QX6syMh — Elliott Bennett (@Ebenno88) January 5, 2016 Is this really a good move? I can't see him being fully committed just like PJewellisaGod is right to question.
5

Keaneish added 17:35 - Jul 15 Man talks to another man on a golf course - BORING!
2

DirtyOldNodger added 17:59 - Jul 15 All the negative reaction to this article (and many others) is priceless. You lot don't have a bloody clue what goes on behind the scenes, what the relationship between the manager and owner is like etc. All you do is read the articles and interpret/warp the wording used in them to suit your negative agendas. Its boring and pathetic. P.S I've been a town supporter for the last 178 years so I'm entitled to talk down to all of you because i'm a true town fan. COYB!

-1

BlueandTruesince82 added 18:39 - Jul 15 Mick and Marcus talk all the time, it's been mentioned enough over the years. We have never been a big club, successful yes, big no. As for sliding down the rankings (whatever they are) when Mick the came we were 24th in the divison in the last 3 years we have been 7th 6th and 7th. That to me is up not down. Elliott Bennett I would pass on but Mick has proven us wrong before so I'll give him a chance as I would any player comming in I read the fee for O'dowda cost £1.5 mill. Are that's a bit more than an extra £500k. I have to agree that there is a lot of mud slinging on here rather than comment about actual fact, I don't mind those who wish to see Mick go, we all have a opinion but too often there is no reason, observation or argument presented for ones opinion and too frequently 'Mick Blindess' - the act of ignoring coherent counter point and argument when it points flaws in another's proffering of opinion or facts. Less slagging and more debate, less name calling and more support of the club if not the manager or owner. ITS fine to disagree but let's talk about like gents rather than resort to playground tactics. Remember..... "Be excellent to each other" Bill S Preston Esq. and Ted "Theodore" logan. C. 1989

4

brittaniaman added 19:41 - Jul 15 I see Paul Taylor is back at Peterborough for Free !!! and to think that our club paid Peterborough 1.5 MILLION FOR HIM Plus paying up his contract, That is where the Money has gone Guys !!!!!!
3

midastouch added 19:53 - Jul 15 It was mentioned that Ipswich's squad when they beat Man Utd 6 nil was worth about ten times less than their opponents that fine day. However, that is still only a ratio of 10:1. Now if our squad is worth about 1 million, at least in transfer fees, the ratio (financial gulf) is many many times more than that now. When our team was worth 10k before buying Sears for 100k then the financial ratio compared to Norwich's team when we played them at the start of that season was something daft like 3000:1, given their team was estimated to be worth around 30 million at the time! How on earth are we meant to compete in the coming seasons if our rivals keep spending more on players and wages and the gap keeps on growing? We might be lucky enough to work wonders with a ratio of something like 10:1 but when it becomes hundreds to one or thousands to one then can we honestly expect to become anything other than mere also rans? Nobody is saying should be spending as much as clubs with parachute payments, but is it too much to hope that we show enough ambition to at least buy a few quality players to enable us to keep things mildly competitive. When you have teams like the Terriers attracting players over us it's a worry. Just like when that player chose Yeovil over us if I recall! However little must we have offered him in wages for him to Yeovil over us? Not saying he would of been a great signing, but it's a worry when we can't even get a player to chose us over teams like Yeovil and Huddersfield. If that doesn't concern the ME ultras then what must it take?

5

midastouch added 19:59 - Jul 15 And does it not tell us something that our team from well over 3 decades ago cost more than our team from recent seasons? Doesn't that give some indication of how far we've fallen in terms of ambition?
5

blueboy1981 added 20:36 - Jul 15 ......... they don't need to worry - just yet - there'll be enough mugs to keep the Golf much more important to them than the Football.
4

HARRY10 added 20:51 - Jul 15 "we will still be ok financially, thanks to Mick and the board " What ! We are nearly £100m in debt, our income is (and I suspect season ticket sales are) falling. We are being outbid by the likes of Huddersfield and we are talking about freebies and loans. Which somehow makes us ok, financially ? Dear god, it is quite frightening at times.
8

blueboy1981 added 21:02 - Jul 15 ....... the penny will eventually drop - for those with anything more than half a brain cell.
4

gibbo added 21:35 - Jul 15 More championship teams signing the wingers we are told are hard to find and more championship teams signing loans from premium league sides, yet Mick said premium league teams aren't loaning players yet.
1

DirtyOldNodger added 21:46 - Jul 15 is 1981 the amount of brain cells you possess blueboy?
2

stowby added 01:46 - Jul 16 Mick, just threaten to resign if doesn't give you more money for a team that can succeed in getting promoted. You and we supporters know that this season we will not be successful without investment. looking at the minimum money guaranteed for relegation in the premier league then he has his money back, and if he still can't be bothered then he can sell us on who has Ipswich has HEART.

1

afcfee added 03:49 - Jul 16 Do you expect the manager to go we are desperate for wingers and then be over charged by clubs and or agents
-1

braveblue added 06:58 - Jul 16 Does MM actually talk nonsense on purpose? This subject should be a serious conversation outside a golf freebie. Bishop played out of position to start the season. Brilliant.
1

Blue_Meanie added 07:25 - Jul 16 I wondered for a while why MM spent the money he did on Webster, when arguably other positions are weaker. Now I realise that the remit from Evans must be 'buy to sell'. Mings is the template for Evans to recoup his money. Think about it, spend a reasonable amount on a rated youngster, expose him to the world via the Championship and hey presto a Prem team comes in and offers top dollar. Webster sold within 2 years.......

2

Big_Foot_Blue added 08:13 - Jul 16 Cloddyseedbed I cannot disagree with anything you have said. But my comment never focussed on or criticised anything you said. It stated if you think thisis the first time the manager and owner have sat down to discuss tranfers then your a muppet. Your views seem very reasonable.
0

Kulturarv added 12:20 - Jul 16 It's humiliating for Town fans having to read that MM needs to travel to Portugal and play golf just to be able to get a couple of minutes of attention from Our Great Leader Mr Marcus Scrooge.
2

Dissboyitfc added 14:04 - Jul 16 Dirtyoldnodger... the clue is there for all to see. It happens virtually every time town take to the pitch. We are seeing very little in the way of signings thats going to change the rubbish we have to witness on the pitch! I along with many others need to feel there is more to look forward to than percentage survival football. Games where toughing it out against relegation threatened teams at home hoping to nick it at the death. That was ok for survival when MM arrived, he did takeover a right old mess and he has been applauded and rewarded for that. We are certainly not wrong to want to see continued improvement and at the moment the signs are not great!

3

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls