Midfielder Jimmy Bullard will be looking to reignite his faltering Town career over the summer, according to manager Paul Jewell. The 33-year-old, who has made only 12 starts and one sub appearance during 2011/12, scoring one goal, is currently sidelined with a sinus problem and won’t be involved against Birmingham tonight.
Jewell said: "Jimmy will be looking to start again in the summer because it just hasn’t happened for him this season.
"He’ll be in the final year of his contract next season, so we want Jimmy trying to get into the team like everybody else.
"It’s not about owing me, it’s about getting back and concentrating on what he does best, which is play football.
"He’s had a bad year, it’s all been well-documented, and I guess he’ll be glad when the season ends.”
The Blues boss says the one-time England call-up will have to win back his place like anyone else: "Jimmy’s very keen, in fact he’s too keen sometimes.
"He does love the game and that’s why he gets very frustrated and down when he’s not playing. But, like everybody else, he’s got to earn the right to get in the team.”
Jewell says the ex-Wigan, Peterborough, Hull and Fulham man is currently not a particularly pretty sight: "He came in on Friday and he looks like he’s done 10 rounds with Frank Bruno.
"His nose is really blocked up. The poor lad, since Christmas, has really struggled with illness and one or two other things, as we know.”
The Blues manager says age hasn’t been a factor in Bullard’s disappointing season: "He’s not getting any younger like all of us, but Jimmy is one of those players who will still be running around when he’s 45.”
Playford Road is a somewhat less noisy place with Bullard absent: "One thing he does do when he’s not here is quieten the place down,” Jewell joked.
"When he came in last year for 17 games he got Player of the Season and supporters were desperate for us to sign him.
"It hasn’t happened for him here since November but that’s not just him. He was a big part of the team when we had that good run.
"He’ll be back next week and he’ll come back in the summer and like everyone else who is here and contracted to us, they’ll always have a chance.”