Colchester United boss Aidy Boothroyd says he is yet to get hold of Town manager Roy Keane to discuss striker Kevin Lisbie's future. The Blues are set to recall the former Charlton man from his season-long loan early in January.
Boothroyd has said he wants Lisbie for at least the rest of the season but last week Keane revealed he was yet to receive a call from the U’s regarding the frontman. However, the ex-Watford boss says he hopes to speak to him soon: "I do have a number for him but as yet I haven't been able to get hold of him on it. He's a reasonable sort of guy though and hopefully we can move forward.
"I think Kevin Lisbie is a terrific player and I'd like to keep him, but the bottom line is that Kevin Lisbie earns a Championship salary and that really he's a Championship/Premiership player.”
Meanwhile, former Town striker Paul Mariner has been named the new manager at Plymouth Argyle. Mariner, who joined the Pilgrims as head coach earlier in the season, takes over from Paul Sturrock, who moves to a business support role at Home Park.
Chairman Sir Roy Gardiner said: "The board has decided to make this move following the continuing poor set of results. We're convinced we have the capability to remain in the Championship."
Elsewhere, a reported dressing room source appears to have backed up Jim Magilton’s claim of no wrongdoing after the QPR-Watford game.
Magilton is alleged to have headbutted midfielder Akos Buzsaky, but the source says this wasn’t the case: "There was no headbutt, nothing like it. Akos was actually sitting down at the time.
"It was exactly the sort of discussion you'd expect after a disappointing defeat. Jim bent down to speak to Akos, it got a bit heated, forehead to forehead and [coach] Keith Ryan told Jim to move away. Jim did, but then Akos got up and ran out of the dressing room.
"John Gorman told him not to be so stupid and to come back inside. But he refused."
Yesterday, Magilton was suspended pending an investigation into the incident.