Summer signing Adam Webster looks set to make his first appearance in a Town shirt during this evening’s friendly against Colchester United at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, while striker Daryl Murphy is also in the 27-man squad (KO 7.45pm).

Central defender Webster, who joined the Blues in a £700,000 deal which also saw Matt Clarke move to Portsmouth, suffered an ankle injury towards the end of Pompey’s 2015/16 League Two campaign and up to now has spent pre-season working on his fitness.

Murphy was given the first two weeks of pre-season off having been at the European Championships with the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking after the game at Barnet last Wednesday, manager Mick McCarthy said he’ll look to give players around 60 or 70 minutes against Colchester and at Cambridge United on Saturday, having previously fielded a team in each half against the Bees and in the opening friendly at Shelbourne.

David McGoldrick (hip flexor), Myles Kenlock (ankle) and Giles Coke (recovering from knee surgery) are not expected to be involved.

Former U’s Freddie Sears, Dean Gerken and Tommy Smith - who spent time on loan with the North Essex side - will be facing their old club, while one-time Town midfielder Owen Garvan is currently playing with the League Two side along with former Blues defender Tom Eastman.

Ex-Town defender John McGreal is now the head coach of the U’s and another former Town centre-half, Tony Humes, is their director of football.

David Wright, Kevin Horlock and Wayne Brown are also on the coaching staff, along with Richard Hall, a former youth player and academy coach at Town, while Steve McCall is the chief scout and David Gregory is their press and communications officer.

Tickets for both #ColU and #ITFC fans are available to buy online for Wednesday's friendly: https://t.co/A4DLnMhwI8 pic.twitter.com/wNqxKjDzTO– Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) July 20, 2016

Fans of both teams can use the Print At Home service to avoid queuing at the Ticket Office! #ColU #ITFC pic.twitter.com/g6LXhclZLv– Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) July 20, 2016

A friendly at Colchester has become a regular feature of pre-season. Last summer two late goals saw the U’s to a 3-2 victory, Kevin Bru and David McGoldrick having been on target for the Blues.

This evening's game will see the reintroduction of the Alderton Trusler Cup, which was previously played for by the clubs back in the 1990s.

In 1993, the then mayor of Colchester, Cllr Ivan Trusler, a Town supporter, instigated an annual charity game played between teams of current and ex-players as well as guests for the trophy, which was named after the incumbent mayors of Colchester and Ipswich. The clubs played for the trophy on three occasions with the U's winning each time.

Details of parking at the Weston Homes Community Stadium and the shuttle bus service which will be running this evening can be found here.

Probable squad: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers, Emmanuel, Knudsen, Berra, T Smith, Webster, Digby, Malarczyk, Skuse, Douglas, Bishop, Bru, Hyam, Dozzell, McDonnell, Blanchfield, Stewart, Murphy, Sears, Pitman, McLoughlin, Morris, Fowler, C Smith, Patterson.

Photo: BBC Suffolk

Photo: Action Images

Currie10 added 12:00 - Jul 20 Can I ask what in gods name is the point in having a 27 man squad.
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weevil added 12:28 - Jul 20 @Currie10 - unlimited subs
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dugoutdave added 12:35 - Jul 20 Put all 27 on at the same time and I bet we'd still lose!
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jas0999 added 12:53 - Jul 20 I suspect naming a 27 man squad is clever spin to deflect away from the complete lack of transfer activity. It says look at us, we have 27 players. The reality of course is a vast majority aren't good enough or indeed aren't ready for regular championship football. The squad is weaker than last season.
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cats_whiskers added 13:05 - Jul 20 Oh No 27 names and guess who's name isn't there! Yes, it's Old trusty McGoldrick That will be his 3rd game he has missed So he will definitely won't be ready and in no way be Match Fit come August But never mind, he is a spent force anyway, so why should it really matter or for us to get too concerned.
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12th_Man added 13:09 - Jul 20 Still no transfer activity
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PhilTWTD added 13:12 - Jul 20 Currie10 The likes of George Fowler, Chris Smith etc will be taken along just to get a feel of being around the first team squad. At Barnet they came along and trained beforehand but weren't involved in the game itself.
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muccletonjoe added 13:30 - Jul 20 McGoldrick - please not another no show season.
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blueblood66 added 13:54 - Jul 20 How come Malarczyk is still here, I though he was released?
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sidtheswan added 13:55 - Jul 20 Underwhelmed
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lightingblue added 14:18 - Jul 20 Is this where we show of our new signings
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Kesgraveblue57 added 14:44 - Jul 20 You have to feel sorry for Webster who comes from one of the best vocal supporters in the land, to the silence of Portman Road where fans seem to be embarrassed to support vocally, it's also a crying shame we left Clark with Pompey
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rinkydinkpanther added 17:09 - Jul 20 I've just heard that I almost very nearly made this squad.
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unknown100 added 17:15 - Jul 20 Wingers needed otherwise bishop and Sears are going to play out of position and waste of 2 players who need to be in their chosen positions, feel sorry for Sears, proved he was a quality striker and got shoved on the wing, very surprised he didn't/doesn't leave
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Bluebongo added 17:18 - Jul 20 So you lot are really looking forward to the new season then.
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onthehoof added 17:20 - Jul 20 Are ITFC running something similar to Spot the Ball? I think so, you get 27 players and have to spot the one solitary new face. However, keep an eye out for A Trialist.....could be MM or ME in disguise or cardboard cut outs
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BlueNomad added 18:04 - Jul 20 A squad is named for a pre-season friendly and people on here show we are Premier League flounders! When we win a league game 2-0 I anticipate a number of you will complain it wasn't 3-0 due to not spending millions. After all Derby have shown it is the natural consequence!
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BlueNomad added 18:05 - Jul 20 Flouncers! Predictive text!
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Surco72 added 18:21 - Jul 20 Yes because teams that get promotion never spend money they do it all on free transfers and loans Pragmatic. Can you remember games we won by 2 goals ?
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norfolk1 added 20:04 - Jul 20 Why should MM risk his job, He would probably be on 10-15k per week, His aim is the top 6where as it should top 2. defeatist attitude right away, will keep us around 8 to 10th spot. will keep some of us happy? inc. ME. see his time out till he retire can,t be bad.
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BlueNomad added 20:07 - Jul 20 My point Surco is that this news item about the squad for tonight has prompted the usual moans about us not spending money. The transfer deadline is six weeks away. The time to moan will be then if nothing more happens.
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