Town boss Joe Royle is waiting on Alan Mahon's fitness ahead of Saturday's trip to Watford. However, Darren Bent and Matt Richards have both recovered sufficiently to be involved at Vicarage Road.

Mahon has had a scan on the thigh problem yesterday which showed his injury was not too serious but hhe Watford game may come too quickly for him. He will have a fitness test this afternoon.

If he doesn't make it then it is likely that either Matt Bloomfield or Nabil Abidallah will be added to the travelling party.

Matt Richards was concussed after receiving an elbow to the face at Notts County but is OK to face the Hornets. Darren Bent is over the knee ligament trouble he picked up during the Wimbledon match last Saturday.

New loan signing Shefki Kuqi will be included in the squad if the paperwork is completed in time.

Watford have taken Spurs full-back Stephen Kelly on loan former Blue Wayne Brown has joined Gillingham on a month's loan with a view to a permanent switch. Striker Tommy Smith has also left, signing at Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

Ex-Town loanee Paolo Vernazza is very much out of favour with manager Ray Lewington while Micah Hyde, who broke Kieron Dyer's leg a few years back at Portman Road, misses out on Saturday with a hamstring problem.

Heidar Helguson (knee) and Richard Lee (broken arm) are both long-term injuries and Jason Norville has missed out recently with a groin injury. Lee Peacock and Neal Ardley, calf and ankle respectively, will hope to be involved against Town.

Saturday's referee is Tony Leake from Lancashire who has shown 16 yellow and one red card in his seven games this season. The last Town game he officiated was the 1-1 draw at Birmingham in February 2000.

Armstrong, Bart-Williams, Bent, Bowditch, Couñago, Davis, Kuqi, Magilton, Nash, Naylor, Price, Richards, Santos, Westlake, Wilnis and Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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