Former Blue Titus Bramble is not ruling anything out after lining up for Town for the first time in 11 years during last night's 2-1 friendly victory at Gillingham. The 31-year-old, released by Sunderland in May, says he has a number of options having spent the last fortnight training with West Ham.
Town manager Mick McCarthy says Bramble approached his hometown club regarding spending time training via Simon Milton: "He’d been to West Ham and I got a call from Simon Milton asking if he could come in and train.
"I said of course he could, so I wasn’t lying last time I was asked and I said I hadn’t had a call from him, that was the first time [I’d heard from him]!”
Bramble came through the Town academy, which he now sponsors, before making his senior debut in the 1998/99 season. The Ipswich-born defender was sold to Newcastle United, then managed by Sir Bobby Robson, for £4.5 million in the summer of 2002.
The current Blues boss says the situation is very much in its early stages and that he is yet to speak to the former England U21 international about his wage demands or anything else, having been away from the club on Monday watching Manchester United’s reserves in action.
"He’s come and trained and he’s played one game,” McCarthy said. "He [like some of this summer’s other trialists] might have other options. There’ll be other people here watching tonight.
"Don’t forget he’s getting himself fit, but just the fact he’s here - unless he’s just come round to see his parents because he fancies a couple of days training and a game - would suggest that he’s interested.
"I wasn’t in yesterday, I was elsewhere and I met him for the pre-match meal today, so I need to talk to him.”
McCarthy admits that he felt Bramble was an unlikely target earlier in the summer: "I hadn’t considered him because he’d been released by Sunderland and I just thought a player like him would have other options, and maybe he has.
"Maybe he fancies coming to us. I haven’t had that conversation, but even if I had I wouldn’t tell you, but I haven’t had the conversation.”
Bramble says he’s made no decision on his future as yet: "I’ve been training with West Ham but Ipswich is obviously more convenient for me to train, coming from Ipswich. It’s on my doorstep and Mick and the boys have said I can come in and train.
"I’m not ruling anything out. There are a few options I’ve got. The main thing for me at the moment is to make sure I’m training and make sure I’m right for the start of the season, wherever it may be.”
He says he told Simon Milton that he will be a Town player again, although not necessarily this summer: "I saw Milts a few weeks ago and he asked me about it and I said ‘One day I will come back and play for Ipswich again’. Whether it’s now or in a couple of years’ time, who knows?
"Ipswich is in my heart. I’m from the town, I’m still a fan, the club is everything to me. I’ve always looked out for the results since I’ve left.
"In the past few seasons I’ve been disappointed because I think they’re a Premiership club. At the end of last season under Mick they did very well, so I don’t see why they can’t push for the Premiership this season.
"It’s no secret, I’m a big Ipswich fan," he added. "I said when I left all those years ago, I said I would come back and play football there again one day.”
He admits that dropping out of the Premier League after 13 seasons would be a big step: "Of course, that’s one thing I’ve got to work through in my mind. The next couple of years are important in my career, so I’m keeping my options open.”
Regarding the Gillingham game, he says he was glad to get back on the field and has been impressed with what he has seen of the current Blues squad: "I’ve not played for a while, so it was good to get 70 minutes under my belt.
"When I get back I watch Ipswich. I saw them a couple of times last season so I know they’ve got some very good players. It’ll be good to see them up close and personal over the next week or so.”
He says he expects to be involved in Town’s next friendly at Barnet on Saturday: "I don’t see why not. It’s more training this week and another game at the weekend, so I don’t see why I won’t be involved.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy says the Blues are yet to complete the signing of 18-year-old Waterford winger Jack Doherty, who trained with the squad in Ireland recently: "We’re just talking to him at the moment.”
Elsewhere, Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer has dismissed claims that his club is looking to off-load DJ Campbell only a couple of weeks after the former Blues loanee signed a two-year deal at Ewood Park: "That story was a load of rubbish, I don't know where it came from."
And former Town U18 skipper Callum Bennett is on trial at Chris Kiwomya's Notts County having turned down a one-year pro deal with the Blues last summer.