x

Royle on Cardiff - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Joe Royle says that he doesn't expect Cardiff's well-publicised cash row to have an effect on them when they come to Portman Road on Sunday.

The Welsh club's players are embroiled in a row with the management regarding a £50,000 payment potentially due to Gareth Whalley, but Royle says this will have no bearing on Sunday's crunch match: "I had a smile when I read the story but that won't be a distraction. There are other things to consider like people coming back.

"We have already seen with the likes of Andy Marshall and David Johnson recently, that we have to beware of them and that will be the same with Gary Croft.

"There is also Martyn Margetson who I gave a free transfer to when I was at Manchester City. So there will be plenty players in their team motivated to do well.

"Robert Earnshaw loves scoring a goal and their manager Lennie Lawrence is very experienced, one of the few who has gone past the 1,000 game mark. Wherever he has been he has done well and he hates to lose games. So we have to stay focused."

Striker Darren Bent has hailed Sunday's match as the most important he has played in: "It's a massive game, the biggest of my career.

"I've seen the pictures of the play-off final when the club won at Wembley four years ago and it would be great to be part of that again.

"But we have a big game against Cardiff first and we know it's going to be a tough one for us."

Cardiff will be without winger Paul Parry due to an ankle injury, but keeper Martyn Margetson will play despite having a broken finger.

What to read next:

Still: Four Months Ago We Probably Would Have Crumbled
Southampton manager Will Still felt his side’s 1-1 draw with Town at Portman Road was the type of match in which the Saints would have crumbled last season.
Davis: There's a Still a Lot More to Come
Town defender Leif Davis insists there is still a lot more to come from the Blues following the 1-1 draw with fellow promotion hopefuls Southampton at Portman Road.
McKenna: Performance a Step Up From Last Week
Town manager Kieran McKenna felt the Blues’ performance in their 1-1 home draw with Southampton was a step forward from their display in their opening match at Birmingham City nine days ago.
McKenna: Al-Hamadi Out With Calf Injury
Blues striker Ali Al-Hamadi has suffered a calf injury, which will keep him out of action for a number of weeks, manager Kieran McKenna has revealed.
McKenna: Davis Committing to Town a Big, Big Positive
Blues Kieran McKenna says it’s a big, big positive that left-back Leif Davis has committed his future to Town.
Davis: I'm Fully Committed to Town
Town defender Leif Davis has committed his future to the club amid reported transfer interest in the left-back this summer.
McKenna: We Don't Expect Azón to Join the Club This Window
Town boss Kieran McKenna says the Blues’ attempt to sign Como striker Iván Azón on loan has not progressed and he doesn’t anticipate the former Spain U21 international to join the club during the transfer window.
Ipswich Town 1-1 Southampton - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Ipswich Town 1-1 Southampton - Match Report
The Blues ended their record nine-game run of home defeats as they drew 1-1 with Southampton at Portman Road. The Blues took an early lead via a Taylor Harwood-Bellis own goal on four, but Jay Robinson levelled for Southampton with a header in the 29th minute with Sammie Szmodics going closest to winning it in the second half when he struck the post.
Ipswich Town 1-1 Southampton - Half-Time
The Blues took an early lead via a Taylor Harwood-Bellis own goal but Jay Robinson levelled for Southampton to leave the scoreline 1-1 at half-time at Portman Road.