Talks are continuing today between Town and Alun Armstrong. A fee of £800,000 was agreed with Middlesbrough yesterday and it seems likely that the deal will go through today.
Richard Wright comes out of plaster today and hopes to be available for Sunday's game at Liverpool. The Town keeper had a hairline fracture of the wrist and has missed the last two games.
The Matt Turner named yesterday in the reserve squad meeting Derby tonight (at Pride Park KO 7pm) turns out to be an 18-year-old winger currently on trial. Turner impressed Town when he faced our reserves while playing for Nottingham Forest earlier this season and did well. Full squad: Salmon, Niemi, Miller, Croft, Scales, Bramble, Friars, Abidallah, Reuser, Turner, Midgley, Logan, Nicholls, Daly, Moffat and Chibogo.
Manu Thetis is available on a free transfer George Burley has aanounced. The Frenchman is no longer in the Town manager's plans and his agent is looking throughout Europe for a new club.
Wayne Brown will have to wait a few weeks before having his groin operation. The Tpwn centre-half, atarget for both Winbledon and Stockport this season, has had the problem since pre-season. Apparently the injury is still calcifying and therefore it is wise to leave surgery for a couple of weeks.
George Burley has said he is not likely to make any quick move for Hassan Kachloul. Town tried to sign the Southampton player at the beginning of the season after agreeing a fee of £2 million with Glenn Hoddle's club. However, the Moroccan didn't think it was the right time for him to move despite being impressed at the Portman Road set-up.
However, Kachloul, a free agent at the end of the season, is now refusing to sign a contract at the Dell and speculation on the south coast suggested he may be interesting Town. This seems not to be the case with Town manager George Burley pouring cold water on the suggestion: "I don't think he is going anywhere until he can become a free agent under the Bosman ruling."
George Burley has one or two more media appearances lined up this week. The Town manager appeared as a pundit on Sky on Sunday, a rare appearance as a live TV guest. He will also be on Radio Five Live on Friday night, presumably on Mark Lawrenson's discussion programme and then he appears with Town fans' favourite Chris Kamara and Rob McCaffrey on Sky's Soccer Sunday prior to Town's clash with Liverpool.
Criticism has flooded in regarding the Ticket Office's decision to take only 2,100 tickets for the Manchester United game (see TWTD Message Board). Town were offered 6,000 tickets, however it was felt that this was far more than Town were likely to sell and that the Blues might have been left footing a large bill. However, the 2,100 sold out in three hours with many regular away fans missing out and many are not pleased. Most fans feel that Town could easily have sold 6,000 and prehaps even more.
There was also further criticism for the Ticker Office yesterday when it emerged that the Away Match Passport scheme had been abandoned for the Manchester City Worthington Cup game. Fans were unhappy that the only notice they were given was an announcement over the very poor Portman Road tannoy.
For more details see yesterday's NewsNet on the website.