Town are to field a strong reserve side in tonight's first home game with Leicester City. Gary Croft, Martijn Reuser, John McGreal, Wayne Brown and Keith Branagan are amongst the experienced players in the squad for the game which kicks off at 7pm. The game will be an ideal opportunity for players such as McGreal to stake a claim for a first team place. Town's Dutch youngsters Nabil Abidallah and Guillermo Graaven are included before they meet up with their U18 international squad next month. Also in the squad is Benoit Subrin who is a 17-year-old right back on trial from Lyon. Town squad: Branagan, Pullen, Nicholls, Croft, McGreal, J Miller, Brown, Moffat, Reuser, Niven, Abidallah, Midgley, Graaven, Subrin, English and Artun.
Lomano Tresor Lua Lua, the subject of a Town offer at the end of last year, was under the scrutiny of several Town old boys last night when his Colchester side took on Oldham. Bobby Robson now Newcastle manager was joined by Mick Mills (Birmingham) and Stewart Houston (Spurs) along with Norwich's Steve Foley.
Town are believed to have offered a substatial fee to the Layer Road club for the 18-year-old and that Colchester asked for silly money. Steve Whitton hopes to keep the Zaire-born player for at least this season: "Lomano is not for sale at the moment. We'll deal with any bid if and when it comes. I'm really keen to hold on to him because he's very special and there is no other player like him around."
Three Town players are looking to pursue their careers at other clubs either on loan or in a permanent capacity. Sean Friars, who made his debut in the home match with Crewe last season, is becoming frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities. The Ulsterman, currently with his nation's U21 squad said: "I enjoy it at Ipswich, but at my age I really should be playing first team football. It is hard for me to break into the side so the answer may be for me to move to another club for a loan spell or even go somewhere permanent if it is right for my career."
Also unlikely to get much of a first team look-in this season is striker Neil Midgley. Like Friars he has signed a one year deal with the Blues but must feel his career lies elsewhere. Last season he had successful spells at Luton and Kidderminster and could well be off again.
The Town manager George Burley is happy for players like Friars and Midgley to go on loan: "We have no objections for players like Sean and Neil to go out on loan and gain more first-team experience."
Already seemingly on his way out of Portman Road is Adam Miller. The 18-year-old came through the Blues Academy system, but has been told he will not get much reserve football this year and has therefore asked for a move. He has gone on trial at Southend where he seems to be impressing: "I played against Luton in a youth match and did really well and then I played in the reserves against West Ham and we won 1-0."