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Town Confirm Ex-Bolton Man Campo Set for Talks - Ipswich Town News

Boss Jim Magilton has confirmed that former Real Madrid and Bolton defender or midfielder Ivan Campo was at last night's friendly with West Ham. News that Campo was at Portman Road first broke on TWTD yesterday evening.

Magilton told the club site that Campo, who sat with chief executive Derek Bowden in the directors' box, would be given a tour of Town's facilities today before a possible deal is discussed: "I will be showing Ivan around the training ground and Portman Road.

"He has played at the highest level for many years and is someone I feel could do a good job for us.

"He's got bags of experience and could come into the club and really help our younger players, but we haven't got that far down the line yet.

"We will sit down and have a chat and if there is something that we can sort out, then great. If not, we move on."

Hull City, managed by Phil Brown who worked with Campo at Bolton, have also been linked with the 34-year-old Spaniard, while a move to Real Sociedad was mooted earlier in the summer.

Magilton is looking to add to his backline which conceded five goals against West Ham last night. Despite the scoreline, the Town manager felt his side impressed with the ball after a tricky early spell: "It was a steep learning curve, especially for Tommy Smith and Pim Balkestein.

"We were caught like rabbits in the headlights for the first 10 minutes, but some of our football was excellent. We are very good with the ball, that's not the problem.”

Meanwhile, West Ham striker and former Canary Craig Bellamy could be in trouble after becoming involved in an abusive exchange with fans in the family enclosure during which he is alleged to have made reference to the 2006 prostitute murders.

Supporter Deryck Ayers was in the Britannia Stand and was involved in the incident which took place as the Welshman left the field with a hamstring injury: "With him being an ex-Norwich player I shouted 'see you later Bellamy' and he just turned around and swore at me and he said something about prostitutes in Ipswich.

"He was not very nice. I was shocked because I had my daughter there and there were other kids around in the same area.”

A complaint was made to the police with Suffolk Constabulary spokesman Mark Norman confirming that both clubs had been informed: "Officials of Ipswich and West Ham are both aware that an incident has taken place."

A Hammers spokesman said that they would be looking into the matter: "We will look into the facts of what happened.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to Craig myself. I was made aware of it after the game, as I was in the players' tunnel.

"An official from Ipswich made me aware something had happened. We take such allegations seriously. I haven't spoken to anyone to find out what was allegedly said."

Elsewhere, Stephen Bywater's move from Derby to Spurs has fallen through after the Premier League club had a change of mind with a £200,000 deal set to go through.

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