Leading Premiership scorer Marcus Stewart has urged George Burley to raid the First Division for players as he seeks to strengthen his squad. The striker, signed from Huddersfield last season, sees the Nationwide League as a source which goes largely untapped by many Premiership clubs.

The goalscoring genius said: "Ipswich bought me from Huddersfield to help get them in The Premiership and we did that. Now I'm doing it there and I don't see why other clubs don't take a chance on First Division players."

Town's top scorer went on: "Sadly, a lot of managers seem to be bringing in foreign players instead of going into Division One and taking a risk. There's some fantastic talent out there."

Often it is suggested that English clubs want too much cash for their players, however Stewart says: "As for the claim English players cost too much, I hope the £2.75 million I cost isn't looking too expensive now."

I reckon it was a bargain don't you?

Town's reserves meet their Chelsea counterparts at Portman Road tomorrow night. Trialist Jermaine Johnson (with a name like that we have to sign him, we could even give him the number nine shirt, which will please some people) gets a game as does recent knee injury victim Keith Branagan.

John Scales and Richard Naylor both return after injury while Wayne Brown continues his recovery. Nabil Abidallah, a scorer for the Academy U19s at the weekend, is also included.

Full squad: Keith Branagan, James Pullen, Gary Croft, Amir Karic, John Scales, Wayne Brown, Nabil Abidallah, Jermaine Johnson, Ashley Nicholls, Martijn Reuser, Richard Logan, Richard Naylor, Neil Midgley, Justin Miller, Stephen Moffat, Matt Bloomfield and Erdum Artun.

We've been ask to appeal for witnesses to an accident which occurred after the Worthington Cup match against Birmingham City last Tuesday night. If anyone saw an incident at 10.30 pm on West End Road where a black VW Polo was hit by a 4X4's off-side front wing could you send us an email (news@twtd.co.uk) and we'll forward the details on. The incident occurred shortly after the Polo had turned right out of Sir Alf Ramsey Way.

Photo: Action Images

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