Striker Alan Lee will be in Town's starting line-up as the Blues start the season with a home game against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Lee was left shaken after being involved in a car accident in which a cyclist was injured earlier in the week, but will not miss the Owls' visit.

The Republic of Ireland frontman will join Pablo Couñago, who scored twice against Panathinkaikos last week, in the Town attack, but it's in midfield where manager Jim Magilton has decisions to make.

Gavin Williams is out of action for four months after damaging ankle ligaments during the friendly against the Greeks and Town have a number of players waiting in the wings to come into the midfield in place of the Welshman.

Magilton may call on last season's Player of the Year Sylvain Legwinski, who has been slightly behind the rest of the squad in pre-season after breaking a metatarsal in March, although the Frenchman's recall would cause a major midfield reshuffle. It is likely that Tommy Miller, who almost joined Wednesday over the summer, would move to the right to accommodate the former Fulham player, while Jon Walters would switch to the left.

Magilton may prefer instead to bring Gary Roberts or Matt Richards into the side. The duo have been largely out of the first team starting line-up in pre-season but the introduction of either of the naturally left-footed players would create less disruption to the overall make up of the side.

If this is the case, Walters will continue on the right and Tommy Miller in the middle alongside Owen Garvan. George O'Callaghan will be waiting in the wings for a central role from Portman Road's new dugouts, while Danny Haynes and Jaime Peters will also be out to make an impact as replacements.

Neil Alexander will make his Town debut in goal with a backline of Dan Harding, Jason De Vos, Alex Bruce and David Wright ahead of him. Richard Naylor is out of action for three months after undergoing toe surgery.

Aside from Williams and Naylor, Dean Bowditch is Town's only other sidelined senior player at present. The striker underwent groin surgery earlier in the summer.

Boss Jim Magilton, who had an unhappy spell at Wednesday as a player prior to joining the Blues, says he expects the clubs relegated from the Premiership to be amongst those making an impression at the top of the table: “Charlton, Sheffield United and Watford have the budgets to be a real force, with West Brom, Southampton and Wolves also likely to be in the hunt.”

The Town manager is initially setting his sights lower and says he wants no repeat of last year's sluggish August which saw the Blues lose their first three games: “I would like to be pushing for top six or top two, but let us get into the top ten first and then push on from there.

“Getting into the top ten is very important to us. Getting off to a good start is important.”

Magilton thinks last year's pre-season, arranged by the previous management, was insufficient preparation, but says his squad are better equipped this time around: “I felt last year we went into our first game a little bit undercooked and not prepared as I would have liked, so I am eliminating any excuses and getting the players focused on the job in hand."

Extra spice has been added to the fixture by former Town loanee Franny Jeffers joining Sheffield Wednesday from Blackburn on Thursday. The former Everton, Arsenal and Charlton man was Jim Magilton's number one summer target but the deal fell through due to Jeffers's wage demands.

The one-time England international is likely to partner Marcus Tudgay up front with Deon Burton a doubt due to a knee injury.

West Brom target Chris Brunt faces a suspension after a red card in pre-season but not until after the weekend.

Wednesday boss Brian Laws says his side has what it takes to make a challenge towards the top of the table: "We have brought players in and I believe we have players with the quality, the commitment, the desire and the belief to do well in this league.

"We have been looking to secure a top quality striker over the summer and we certainly have that now, going into the new season, which is a really big boost for Sheffield Wednesday.

"We have exciting players like Jermaine Johnson and Chris Brunt, who can do wonders with a football. We have signed Steve Watson, who is a great player with a great pedigree who knows how to win games and is great in the dressing room. We have quality that can hurt opposition teams and we will be very attack-minded."

Winger Johnson had a trial with the Blues in 2001, while Town's Alex Bruce spent time on loan at Hillsborough between March and May 2005, making nine appearances.

Last season, the Owls won both games between the sides 2-0, goals from Tudgay and Madjid Bougherra, now with Charlton, winning the Portman Road match in November.

TWTD issue 88 goes on sale ahead of the game from our sellers placed by Sir Alf, Planet Blue, at the Portman Road entrance to the Greene King Stand and at the North Stand end of Alderman Road.

If you can't make the game, you can buy a single issue here or take out a six-issue subscription here.

Saturday's referee is Richard Beeby from Northamptonshire, who showed 116 yellow and nine red cards in 40 games last season. Beeby's last Town match was the 1-1 draw at Brighton in October 2005.

Likely Town squad: Alexander, Supple, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Bruce, Wilnis, Miller, Garvan, Walters, Legwinski, Roberts, Richards, O'Callaghan, Peters, Haynes, Lee, Couñago, Clarke.

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