Town boss Mick McCarthy has told new signing Kieffer Moore to go out and try to emulate the success of previous non-league recruits Michael Kightly and Tyrone Mings, the 24-year-old striker having signed an 18-month deal from Forest Green Rovers earlier today. Art lunchtime, TWTD revealed that Moore was at Portman Road and was close to completing his move.

McCarthy signed Kightly from Grays Athletic in 2006 when Wolves manager with the winger going on to play in the Premier League with the Molineux club, Stoke and Burnley.

Mings joined the Blues for £10,000 - the fee Town are believed to have paid for Moore - from Chippenham in 2012 before moving on to Premier League AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2015 for £8 million.

McCarthy says Moore is far from his only signing at Town that fans won’t have known much about when he joined.

“Tom Lawrence, you didn’t either, to be fair, and I seem to remember Ryan Fraser, you didn’t either,” he said.

“I just said to Kieffer, just be careful, don’t be going on social media because we’ve had million pound bids in for players and it’s not happened and now we’ve got one in from Forest Green.

“Don’t be looking at [social media] and getting, ‘If that’s the signing of Ipswich…’ because two of my very best signings have been Michael Kightly and Tyrone Mings, who cost diddly squat and because they’ve got that hunger in them, they want to do well, they want to progress up the ladder, they’ve done brilliantly.

“Take heart from them, not from multi-million pound ones or bigger signings. I’m happy having a hungry one, me.”

Absolutely over the moon to have joined @Official_ITFC Excited by this massive opportunity and I can't wait to get going!!! ⚽️ #itfc pic.twitter.com/w6nM94bE5b– Kieffer Moore (@KRFMoore) January 14, 2017

McCarthy says he first spotted Moore playing alongside Lawrence for Yeovil in the Championship in 2013/14.

“He hit the post in the 90th minute that night [at Huish Park when Town won 1-0] when Tom Lawrence played well and caught my eye.

“He caught my eye then, he’s since gone out to play for Viking [in Norway] and then he’s come back and he’s at Forest Green.

“That doesn’t bother me. I look at the big centre forward for Lincoln last week [Matt Rhead], how much trouble did he cause? Bloody hell fire. Would we have liked him in our team? On a lot of weeks this season, yes I would.

“There are players about that can be a real asset for us, and I think Kieffer will be one of them.”

What sort of player is Moore? “I think he’s 6ft 6in tall, but he’s mobile, he’s quick enough, he’s got a decent touch.

“What I like about him is that he just doesn’t use his height, his weight and his strength, he actually goes and attacks the ball and that’s something that we don’t have.

“And we’re failing to get that anywhere else in terms of making bids for others, and so I’m delighted, I’ve got a relatively young, hungry one coming in.”

He says there are other players currently being targeted: “We’ve got bids in, but I did say it would be a tough window because people don’t want to sell anybody and that’s the case.

“We’ll keep trying but if they’re too expensive, if you can’t afford the house you’re looking at, the favourite house, it’s unlucky, you can’t buy it.”

He added: “We’ve had three or four one million pound-plus bids in for players, but they’ve all been kiboshed.

“We’re still working on them and trying to do them, but if they’re too expensive I can’t do owt about it.

“And what you really have to do if you spend that money is get somebody in who is better than what we’ve got, who will make an impression.

“Hopefully that’s what we’ll do and if we can’t I don’t see any point in going anywhere else and getting somebody that’s going to be here for three years and not make an impression.”

Rotherham striker Danny Ward is believed to be one of the players the Blues have targeted, but with plenty of Championship clubs - now including QPR and Norwich City, we understand - also interested.

Millers boss Paul Warne confirmed this evening that the South Yorskshiremen have turned down two bids for Ward, who missed today's 2-1 victory over Norwich with a back injury.

The Blues are also reported to have had a £1.5 million offer for Preston’s Jordan Hugill rebuffed with both McCarthy and Lilywhites boss Simon Grayson having confirmed Town’s interest if not that a firm bid was made.

Photo: TWTD

jas0999 added 19:02 - Jan 14 A young(ish) player for the future is a good thing. Perhaps get a few minutes in dead rubbers at the end of this season. Good long term planning. However, in the meantime we need reinforcements. It's no point the club keep spouting they have million pound plus bids for players, because deals don't seem to get done. It's all wearing slightly thin. Get deals done.
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tractorboyjim added 19:04 - Jan 14 I'll take half a dozen of signings like this IN ADDITION to a couple who can come in and lead from the front from the get go. Much prefer this approach than the "oh god another 30+ has been" -as we had u see Jewell
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Mark added 19:04 - Jan 14 Well, if he takes a look at the social media that is this site we welcome signings from non-league and often argue this is the way to go rather than getting players not making it at other Championship clubs. As for the £1M bids, if we want an established Championship striker that is probably too little in today's market, after all we sold a 33-year-old for £3M ourselves. £1M might just tempt Grimsby to part with Omar Bogle though?

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TractorCam added 19:06 - Jan 14 Spot on words, how can people be ruling him out without seeing him play? We can only make him feel welcome and give him our support
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osborne added 19:07 - Jan 14 Welcome Kieffer. Hope you liked what you saw and heard today. Good luck here.
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getawig added 19:08 - Jan 14 See Dino can't resisit another dig at the fans. Both Fraser and Lawrence were highly rated by their clubs and known to some fans in the wider football world.
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muccletonjoe added 19:09 - Jan 14 I think there will be someone else coming through the door next week
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Pip50 added 19:18 - Jan 14 Come on the next Vardy. If you don't buy a ticket in the raffle lol.
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TimmyH added 19:19 - Jan 14 ...and bring in the owner a good net profit.
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Warkys_Tash added 19:23 - Jan 14 Getaway, really? 90% of fans knew nothing about Lawrence or Fraser if they are honest. Give McCarthy credit where its due & a kicking where is due but not for the sake of being negative. Today the fans were positive at PR & what a difference that made.
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runningout added 19:27 - Jan 14 would hope and imagine he'll be his own man, and want to do a lot better than Kightly and Mings
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getawig added 19:32 - Jan 14 Warkys tache I think you do a little dis service to fans as Fraser was being touted as a top prospect before he arrived here. But even if you are right and few fans knew about them surely to is MM 's job to know about such players and not take a swipe at the fans?
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bbg added 19:45 - Jan 14 Scored five goals in the championship for a struggling Yeovil side and was signed by a top Norwegian team. Lots of players go abroad and don't settle. If nothing else might be a useful option late in games when balls are being put into both boxes, but apparently he can play a bit on the deck as well. This could well be another masterstroke by MM. Don't forget Daryl Murphy was not a prolific goal scorer until he was almost in his 30's, and his signing was not welcomed by many either.

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Brownie added 19:49 - Jan 14 Can't comment on this lad as haven't seen him play but welcome Keifer & sound advice from MM! We need a few signings & we need some that are ready to go straight into the team - they cost money Mr Evans. Young & hungry is a good start though. I don't see MM's comments as having dig at the fans just some of them. I want a change of manager but do think that some on this site & others would slate the manager whatever the result. Time for a change yes but a bit of balance from some wouldn't be a bad idea.

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BrettenhamBlue added 20:46 - Jan 14 Bbg - hard to judge him at Vikings - played centreback majority of his games there. Former fitness instructor who really knows how to keep himself in shape, fitness obsessed which is a great thing and seems hungry.
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ArnieM added 21:01 - Jan 14 ...yes the fans were good today, but that was because the players, team, tactics, we're set up to attack the opposition. THAT why it felt positive at the ground today. It really ain't rocket science.
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BlueMachines added 21:30 - Jan 14 I remember Fraser playing against us the previous season and being impressed. Certainly not unknown. Also it's MM's job to watch players. So I would expect him to know about some players. Shame he doesn't know the best ones at his own club.
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smellmycheese added 22:06 - Jan 14 Agree. Fraser tormented our right back ( Chambers ) the season before tearing down the left with feeedom to attack at will and with little to no defensive duties. As Mick has often done with signings for Ipswich he saw Fraser have a fantastic game against us and then kept tabs on him. Not exactly earth shattering scouting from you Mick: sorry. Welcome Kieffer.
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dirtydingusmagee added 05:22 - Jan 15 GOOD LUCK Kieff.
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martin587 added 08:58 - Jan 15 An article in the Sunday paper today reads"Ipswich owner fears MM will leave at the end of the season so has funded a January spending spree".Should he not have done this last summer when DM was sold. I just wonder how much funding he will make available,and who he will let go.Very interesting but I won't hold my breath.
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itsonlyme added 09:06 - Jan 15 Have we not been saying for a long time that we need to go down the divisions to bring in the hungry talented players that want to play for us. This is a great start. Welcome Keiffer and I don't mind if we bring in a few more of your ilk to our club. I have been vociferous against MM, but I say well done to him and well done to the lads for yesterday's performance.
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:34 - Jan 15 Martin587, sorry mate ,Costa will not be coming here, don't expect too much .
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martin587 added 10:54 - Jan 15 dirtyindisgusmagee, Are you suggesting a cup of coffee old chap.!!
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TimmyH added 12:08 - Jan 15 He wouldn't want to emulate Mings after yesterdays shocking performance against Hull, looks like Howe wants to play him in the centre (perhaps to slow for a RB) - he was culpable for 2 of Hull' goals and the other delected off him into the goal, shame really as he has been out for some time.
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barrystedmunds added 12:10 - Jan 15 Having watched Mings, albeit on MOTD highlights, he had a rude awakening to premiership football yesterday. All three Hull goals,if you were being hard on the lad, you could say he was in some way at fault! 8 million?
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