Boss Jim Magilton is sweating on the fitness of striker Billy Clarke as they Blues go into their third game in six days at Burnley on Saturday. Clarke has a knee problem and looks likely to be replaced by either Danny Haynes or Gary Roberts.

Magilton, who has added Darryl Knights to the squad as cover, says that Haynes and Roberts are both keen to get their chance: “Both Danny and Gary are itching to play. I would have no problem throwing either of them in. They are both looking confident and ready.

“I don't really want to change things but we have a few tired bodies. The trouble is, players want to play and when you ask them if they're all right they tend to tell little white lies - I know I did.

“We've had a tough few days and a degree of honesty would pay dividends. I don't want players out there unless they are 100 per cent fit and we might benefit from a few fresh legs.”

Town are still without Lewis Price (broken ribs), Gavin Williams (recovering from groin surgery), Owen Garvan (virus) and Jon Macken (hamstring).

Magilton will have to reshuffle his defence with Fabian Wilnis suspended for one match after his record-breaking third Town red card at Plymouth. The Town manager could move Alex Bruce across to right-back and recall Richard Naylor at centre-half or may prefer to bring Sito in on the right of the defence.

There could be changes in midfield with Mark Noble possibly getting a recall in place of Simon Walton.

Magilton is not expecting an easy game against a Clarets team without a defeat in their last six: “They are a well organised side and they don't respect reputations. We will have to cope with what they throw at us and come back with a little bit more.”

Burnley defender, and one-time Town target, Wayne Thomas faces a fitness test on a knee injury, while former Blue John McGreal is currently sidelined, also with a knee problem. Another defender, ex-Crewe man Steve Foster, misses the match due to a one-match ban.

Frontman Gifton Noel-Williams and midfielder Garreth O'Connor should be back after bouts of flu, while ex-Town loanee Alan Mahon has been amongst the Clarets' substitutes of late.

Manager of the Month Steve Cotterill is happy with the way the season has gone so far: "We are very pleased with our start, but that's all it is and we have a lot of important matches coming up now over the coming months and it is important that we try to get the same level of performances that we've had to date.

"I think if you look at our start last year and where we ended up at Christmas, the league table is probably only in its early stages. So the good part is that we are not looking over our shoulders at the bottom of the table. We are more focused on how the likes of Cardiff, Preston and Birmingham are doing.

"Ipswich have had a decent start. They have had a couple of good results recently and we will be looking forward to the game. Jim Magilton was such an icon at Ipswich it probably helped him to get the job. For your first job to be manager of Ipswich Town is a wonderful achievement and good luck to him.

"It has been a tough week, both physically and mentally, and if we can finish it off on Saturday night with a good win it will have been a terrific week for us.”

Saturday's referee is Paul Robinson from East Yorkshire who has shown a sane sounding 10 yellow and one red card in his five games so far this season and appears unlikely to be as card happy as some of Town's recent officials. Norwich keeper Jamie Ashdown was the recipient of Robinson's only dismissal in the Canaries' 5-0 defeat at Stoke last week.

His last Town game was the 2-0 defeat at Sunderland in November 2004, coincidentally the game in which Darryl Knights, back in the squad for the first time in some while, made his only senior appearance as a late sub.

Squad: Barron, Bruce, Clarke, Currie, De Vos, Drobný, Harding, Haynes, Knights, Lee, Legwinski, Naylor, Noble, Peters, Richards, Roberts, Sito, Supple, Walton.

Photo: Action Images

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