Dropped Town youngster Titus Bramble has refused to sign a two-year extension to his current contract which ends in the summer of 2004. Bramble was omitted from the side which lost 1-0 to Newcastle on Sunday and has had an up and down season up to now.
Bramble's refusal to sign the extension is probably more down to Town's current precarious position and his personal ambitions within the game more than a reaction to being dropped at the weekend. The 20-year-old hopes to have a long England career ahead of him and could well feel he would have more chance at a bigger club.
David Sheepshanks admitted the inevitable last week when he said that players would definitely go should Town be relegated at the end of the season. With Bramble having just two years left on his contract in June, he could well be one of the favourites to make a move. The U21 international is highly-rated despite dropping a number of clangers this season.
Town manager George Burley admitted that a contract offer had been refused by the Ipswich-born defender, but says that negotiations will continue: "We did make Titus an offer. It is normal practice to do this with any young player. It is an on-going situation and we are still hopeful of reaching agreement."
Bramble is represented by Jonathan Barnett, a man familiar to Town supporters after his role in the transfers of Kieron Dyer and Richard Wright. Barnett also represents Blues' skipper Matt Holland. The Town boss says he has spoken to Barnett regarding Bramble on more than one occasion: "I have spoken to his agent a number of times and at the moment there is no agreement. We will just have to see where we go from here."