Wolves boss Mick McCarthy says Town have a real chance of promotion back to the Premier League with Paul Jewell as manager. The former Ireland chief has a lot of time for his Blues opposite number, who like him has previously taken two clubs from the Championship into the top flight.
McCarthy said: "They’ve got a chance because they’ve got Jeweller in charge to start with, that’s a real plus because he’s done it with two teams. There’s not many of us. I think there are two, strangely enough!
"He’s different class. I’ve such a lot of time for him and for Hutch. They’ll have them working hard, doing it right and well organised."
McCarthy, who led Sunderland to promotion as well as his current club while Jewell enjoyed success at Bradford and Wigan, was forgetting two more bosses with the same achievement on their CVs, ex-Crystal Palace and Reading manager Steve Coppell and Neil Warnock, who did the same with QPR and Sheffield United.
The former Barnsley stalwart was impressed with the Blues during his side’s 2-1 victory at Portman Road on Saturday and says a decent squad is being assembled: "They’ve got some good players. I thought they played well in the second half, I really did.
"Lee Bowyer’s a good signing for them, Michael Chopra’s a good signing for them and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could be anything he wants to be, it’s up to him. I think they’ve got a good solid side.”
As for the game, McCarthy felt his side fell asleep for Bowyer’s strike just before the break but was pleased to grab the two second half goals after he had brought a number of his first teamers off the bench: "We were fine, we just gave the ball away in the last minute and got caught on the break.
"Stephen Hunt’s got that happy knack of being Johnny on the spot, we know that from the last game of the season. OK, it took a deflection but he was in there shooting, and it was a penalty, I don’t think there was any doubt about that.”
McCarthy also said he’s not heard from Town regarding defender Richard Stearman and in any case has no plans to sell: "I wouldn’t be willing to let him go, so that puts that one right out of the water."
Meanwhile, Sheffield United striker Ched Evans, reportedly a Town target earlier in the summer has been charged with rape. The Blues appear unlikely to be looking for another frontman since adding Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to the squad last week.
Elsewhere, Preston's Keith Treacy, another player linked with the Blues this summer, is set to join Burnley today, the Lancashire clubs having agreed a fee after lengthy negotiations.
Dundee United striker David Goodwillie, also mentioned in connection with the Blues earlier in the summer, is set to join Blackburn, the clubs having agreed a deal worth an initial £2 million plus a further £800,000 in top-ups.