Town boss Joe Royle has insisted his side will compete next season, despite a number of high profile departures this summer. The Town manager continues to wait on out-of-contract pair Chris Makin and Fabian Wilnis but Richard Naylor and Jim Magilton have both agreed to sign one-year deals.

Royle is angry at suggestions that the exit of a number of first-teamers is causing concern amongst the contract waverers: "If Fabian and Chris want to hesitate and not sign contracts that's their prerogative. And if they don't want to stay at Ipswich it's up to them - they can and will be replaced.

"We only want players who want to play for this club. I am quite angry that people might see this as a one-way drain. It is not like that at all.

"John McGreal has gone and I didn't want that, but we have brought in another top defender in Jason De Vos.

"I'd have loved Jermaine Wright to have stayed with us, but we couldn't stop him going. He says he has gone to a club who want promotion, but so do we.

"Let's not kid ourselves here - he has gone to Leeds for one reason and that's because they are paying him twice as much as we were able to offer
him.

"Marcus Bent and Alun Armstrong have gone and they hardly played for us last season, while Martijn Reuser is going and he wasn't a regular choice for either George or myself."

Royle is understandbaly keen to get the situation sorted out: "I have not issued ultimatums, but of course I want this resolved sooner rather than later. But talk of an exodus is nonsense - it's normal pre-season jousting and nothing more.

"But it might be time for a change and that's why Fabian and Chris need to know we can and will replace them if necessary."

Makin and Wilnis's deals were up yesterday and the pair are currently training with the club unpaid.

Despite the club's limited finances, Royle says the aim is still the same: "While the line-up has changed and the club has changed in terms of the operating budget, one thing that hasn't changed is our ambition.

"The side was nearly good enough last season and I am confident we will have a better side next season.

"We need a more decisive start and we need to concede fewer goals. But only Plymouth in the entire Football League outscored us and we have lost none of the forwards responsible for that excellent record."

Royle has made enquiries regarding the two players he wants to add to his planned 20-man squad before the start of the season, with a midfielder his priority. The Town boss is also not ruling out targeting another striker.

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