x

Town Sign Dawkins on Short-Term Deal - Ipswich Town News

Town have signed former Tottenham, Derby and San Jose Earthquakes attacking midfielder Simon Dawkins on a short-term deal until the end of the season with the club having an option for a further year.

Dawkins, who was 31 last month, has been training with the club for five weeks, as TWTD revealed at the end of last month, and impressed as the U23s defeated their Bristol City counterparts 4-2 on Monday, a result that keeps them on top of the Professional Development League Two South table.

"This is a massive club and I want to do everything I can to help get it back to where it should be,” he told iFollow Ipswich.

"I've enjoyed my time here so far and the lads have been brilliant. Everybody is very much together and it’s probably one of the only dressing rooms I’ve been in where that is the case.

"Everyone gets along and we definitely have the foundations to get out of this situation.

"And new additions can give a club that lift and experience that it needs. Hopefully that’s what we need to turn the good performances into results.

"This is an opportunity for me as well. I like the manager and the style of football here and I’m looking forward to it.

"I’ve had a good five weeks training and played a game for the U23s on Monday so I’m ready to go when the gaffer needs me.”

The 19-cap Jamaican international, who will wear the Town number 49 shirt, was born in Edgware and joined the Tottenham academy, going out on loan to Leyton Orient, the Earthquakes, Aston Villa — where Town boss Paul Lambert was in charge at the time — and Derby while on the books at White Hart Lane.

Dawkins failed to make the breakthrough with Spurs and was sold to Derby for £500,000 five years ago before moving on a permanent basis to San Jose in January 2016.

He was close to joining Minnesota United before leaving the States in February last year and after time on trial at League One sides Charlton and Luton in the summer he failed to land a full-time deal at either club.

Missing out on target Anthony Pilkington — the 30-year-old Cardiff winger opted instead for Wigan Athletic for family reasons — saw Lambert turn his attention to Dawkins, who will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s home clash with Rotherham.

Meanwhile, Blues centre-back Luke Woolfenden is back training with the Blues squad at Playford Road this week with manager Paul Lambert taking his first look at the 20-year-old.

Woolfenden is on loan at Swindon for the season, although the Blues are able to cut the stint short in January. However, Lambert has previously played down the likelihood of youngsters such as Woolfenden and Josh Emmanuel, who is at Shrewsbury, being in his plans for the second half of the season.

Elsewhere, ex-Blue Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has joined Thai club PTT Rayong having been released by QPR at the end of last season.

What to read next:

Finidi Appointed Nigeria Head Coach
Former Town winger Finidi George has been appointed the permanent head coach of Nigeria.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Huddersfield Game Live on Sky
The Blues’ final game of the season at home to Huddersfield Town on Saturday is among those being shown live on Sky Sports.
London Branch Meet-Up For Coventry Match
The London Branch of the Ipswich Town Supporters Club is inviting fellow fans to watch Tuesday’s live-on-Sky away game against Coventry City at the Brondes Age public house in Camden.
Hayes Set For Second Wembley Trip
Keeper Nick Hayes will be making two trips to Wembley next month, his Solihull Moors loan side having reached the National League Promotion Final.
Former Skipper Nets Hat-Trick in Final Game
Former Blues skipper David Norris ended his career on a dramatic note, netting a hat-trick for Lancaster City in his final match, a 4-3 Northern Premier League Premier Division defeat at FC United of Manchester on Saturday.
McKenna: Players Handling Big Three-Game Week Really Well
Town visit Coventry City live on Sky on Tuesday night knowing that a victory would take them a point away from securing promotion back to the Premier League after 22 years away.
No Dividends For PLC Shareholders
The board of the Ipswich Town PLC has written to its shareholders confirming that its stake in the club has now reduced to less than one per cent and outlining that any dividends taken out of Town in future will go solely to majority owners Gamechanger 20 Ltd.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Rosenior: I Couldn't Be Prouder of My Players
Hull City manager Liam Rosenior said he couldn’t have been prouder of his players following last night’s 3-3 draw with Town which keeps the Tigers hopes of making the play-offs alive going into their final match and wished the Blues well for the remainder of the campaign.