Portsmouth boss Steve Cotterill has claimed that Town skipper David Norris wants to join Pompey and says the Blues made public his club's interest in the midfielder. Town are understood to have turned down a £250,000 offer for the 29-year-old, who has only six months remaining on his contract.

Speaking after Portsmouth’s 2-2 home draw with Leeds this afternoon, Cotterill accused Town of leaking Pompey's move for Norris: "It went public, it came out their end. It didn't come from us. I've only had a conversation with the manager and [Portsmouth chief executive] David Lampitt has had a conversation with their chief executive.

"We know how it came out and maybe it was to drum up a bit of interest.

"We know that David Norris wants to join us and hopefully that one can be sorted out, maybe in the next week."

Town boss Paul Jewell has said he isn’t looking to sell any of his squad at the present time, although negotiations regarding Norris’s new contract appear to have stalled and the former Plymouth man is entitled to speak to other clubs regarding terms for next season.

Photo: Action Images

blueconscience added 00:42 - Jan 23 What would he gain by moving there, they are no better than us and have no money to get any better.
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Karlosfandangal added 00:44 - Jan 23 Did Norris look like a man who wants to leave Ipswich. I think not Norris will sign for Ipswich when they offer him a longer deal. Under Jewell Norris will become a far better player than he is now. Portsmouth are very unstable at the minute so why leave a club that could have a very good future ahead of them
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Garv added 00:45 - Jan 23 Call me naive but how long does it take to get a contract negotiated and signed?
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Big_Foot_Blue added 00:49 - Jan 23 I am worried about the contract situation with Norris, he's a better player than many on this site give hime credit for and is now joint top scorer on 7 with Scotland. Lose him and were stuck with Leadbitter which leaves us in real trouble. I seriously doubt he wants to join an unstable, skint club compared to us in a cup semi final with a new manager and on stable foundations however if we dont stop messing him about with his contract I can see the worst happening and him leaving.

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ThatMuhrenCross added 00:52 - Jan 23 Look, give Chuck the 5 year deal he's after. He deserves it with the performances he puts in for us week in week out. Plus, I don't know how much we should be reading into that comment. Norris probably has spoken to them, and told them that he is 'interested', but only if nothing is forthcoming from Ipswich. There really is not a good reason for him to join Portsmouth. I doubt they'll even exist by the start of next season.

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Flip added 00:55 - Jan 23 lmao hahaha ok then Cotterill, believe what you like! why would Norris, our club captain, want to join a side who came so close to going out of business shortly after we played them?! give it a another year or 2 and they will go to league 1 & go out of business, we're a team under a new era & will no doubt go forward, we've tied down Wickham for another 2 years that just shows we're looking to the future!! ps. Norris just looked as though he's putting a message across to Clegg & Evans about getting him signed to a longer deal the way he played today!

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casanovacrow added 01:10 - Jan 23 Lets hope we finish the season in killer form n Portsmouth go down. Clegg n Evans should've had this sorted out in the summer, poor running of a club. They got to use their brains, to replace Norris it would cost how much - and there would be no gaurentees that the new player would settle in, might as well spend a fraction of that as extra contract bulking to keep one of our few performers here. He's one of the few goal threats we have at the club.

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tractorblue99 added 01:12 - Jan 23 Oh dear so this is the mess clegg has gotten us into. This whole contract situation should have been sorted out months ago.
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joeylarts8 added 01:15 - Jan 23 The way Norris celebrated his goal infront of the Bobby Robson stand was not that of a man wanting to leave...
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martleshamitfc added 01:17 - Jan 23 Norris didn't look like a player wanting to leave after he scored today, but suppose if we offe him a crap contract then he may go... simple answer if we want him to stay and I think we all do then give hom a decent contract, surely Pompey cannot offer him any better , they are bankrupt!!!! if he goes then Clegg should be shown the door
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casanovacrow added 01:28 - Jan 23 if Pompey got the cash to pay the wages of some of what they already got then they defo can offer Norris more than us. We need to pay him what he can get elsewhere else he will walk, simple as that. The stupidity of leaving it this late is the guy can talk to other clubs now so knows how much he can get extra. Clegg n Evans need to wise up about football, this contract mess is a shambles

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ErikaTractor added 01:30 - Jan 23 This is not good news. Pompey seem to be a bit unethical in their dealings here and Norris may have already been persuaded that Portsmouth are a better option than us. We need to offer him a significantly improved deal now and put the ball back in his court. Have my suspicions that a number of the old guard will be leaving us soon.
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Nunn_the_Wiser added 01:36 - Jan 23 Why would a manager come out and say that if it wasn't true? I fear the worst I have to say. Can't blame Norris or Gmac if they decide to leave, their contracts should have been sorted out last year, Clegg really needs to look at himself.
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hollywoodginge added 02:34 - Jan 23 Disgracefull behaviour cotterill!!! No need to go public with that whatsoever at this stage, it puts us fans, Norris and the club in a very awkward position, but this would be his underhand plan, make our fans think he wants away, we get on his back, he no longer feels welcome and hands in transfer request, Pompey sign Norris. Answer me this, if Pompey have bid as they have admitted and we have turned it down, as reported, how have they spoken to Norris without this being a tapping up?? He is not YET allowed to talk to other clubs!!!

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bluelady added 02:38 - Jan 23 Why would a guy concerned about his future financial stability join a club who couldnt pay their players six months ago eh? Also grow up cotterill its the way of the world these player bids always get out!! He has also recently said he wants to syst at town, your public statement may just have been what the club needed to pis them into giving him a better deal, come on clegg do not loose the best captain we have had in a very long time

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Sindre94 added 02:58 - Jan 23 noo :(
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BrettenhamBlue added 05:23 - Jan 23 Bloody Clegg. Shocked there are so few "Clegg Outs" here. Even Daley Thompson is finding time to have a go! This club feels like the Titanic sometimes, and we are getting closer to that Iceberg all the time.....
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Paul_Jewell_Manager added 06:56 - Jan 23 norris should be on his HANDS AND KNEES BEGGING to sign our contract, only players who bleed BLUE should be at this mighty club
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michaeldownunder added 07:28 - Jan 23 With the position were in and the No. of good central midfield we have at Ipswich we would be better off keeping him until the end of the season to make sure we stay up than pick up 250,000 . It's our fault for letting his contract run out, but also some players near the end of a contract will not sign so they can get a signing on fee at a new club, plus a chance of higher wages. If he realy wants to go to Portsmouth maybe he could call Phil or the local radio to confirm this?

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TractorMan added 08:05 - Jan 23 This looks like an agent playing Ipswich to ensure a longer contract and higher wage. Maybe have a look and see who the agent of Norris is and who represents Cotterill and a lot of the Portsmouth players......
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wark_on_water added 08:18 - Jan 23 Michaeldownunder - I'm inclined to agree with you on that. Although if he has been enticed by the big bright lights of portsmouth... and has a definite contract to sign in the summer, his performances here may not be as committed as they have been. Offer him a good solid contract and see if he wants to sign it - I truly hope he does because I think he could be a PROPER town legend given 2 or 3 years in a better side and with an experienced/decent manager!

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floridaboy added 08:28 - Jan 23 The problem is it is not the player that talks to the club it is an agent who will be on a very cut of any move or improved contract. Everyone is blaming Clegg but no one knows what the agent of Norris is asking the club re wages and length of contract. Yes Evans is a very wealthy man but surely there is not a bottomless pit of money to throw at a club that is losing money big time. Pay Norris this and that and the queue at Cleggs door will be long with players wanting big rises as well. Personally still think he is overrated. Also think if he wants a move he can do far better than Portsmouth. One of the worst run clubs in the country!

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GiveusaWave added 08:31 - Jan 23 Great shame if he ends up leaving (which appears more and more likely to be the case). We have a fixed wage policy at the club and (apparently) are one of the highest payers so his contract must be GOOD to say the least! Oh well, we will learn more about his character in the next few days.
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mickeyjb added 08:37 - Jan 23 I live in pompie, have any of you been to their ground , 22k stadium that's falling apart. They do not have money. They keep Managing to find the worlds only skint Arabs to buy the club. I can't see how they could possibly offer better turns than us. I also wonder if it says in the samll print- only likely to be paid 6 months out of 12?
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Suffolk_n_Proud added 08:37 - Jan 23 Do people not read the article? He is entitled to speak to other clubs, and we can't hold on to him to the summer and get £250,000 then because he will be out of contract so will go on a free
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