Town are one of a number of Championship clubs being linked with Wigan central defender Fitz Hall. The former Southampton, Crystal Palace and Oldham man's only appearance for the Latics this season was in their 1-0 Carling Cup defeat to Hull City.

The 26-year-old is also claimed to be interesting Charlton, Coventry and former club Palace with Wigan said to be keen to sell the Walthamstow-born defender.

Claims of Town interest is likely to be speculation based on Jim Magilton confirming that he has a Premiership loan defender in mind and is currently deciding whether to bring him in. If there is anything in the reports, the move would certainly be a loan with the widely quoted £1.5 million price-tag well beyond the club's current means.

Also said to be interesting Town is Paul Ifill, although the report claims the Palace winger is a Spurs player, presumably confusing him with Phil Ifil, who is a defender in the Premiership club's reserve side. The right-back or centre-half was linked with a move to Bournemouth in yesterday's papers.

Meanwhile, Howard Wells, chief executive of the IFA, Northern Ireland's FA, has confirmed that his organisation has contacted FIFA to question Alex Bruce's availability for the Republic of Ireland, as TWTD reported on Sunday.

Wells, who was Town's chief executive for a brief spell in 1999, said: “Alex Bruce is a player we have asked FIFA and the Republic of Ireland to clarify, but it is not about individuals, it is about the principle.”

The IFA have also questioned the Republic of Ireland credentials of Manchester United's Darron Gibson and Marc Wilson of Portsmouth, while Blackburn's Tony Kane has now decided to rejoin the Northern Irish set-up after representing the Republic at U21 level.

Bruce himself says the issue is a matter for the authorities to settle and that he has not been contacted by the FAI, the Republic of Ireland's FA, over the eligibility question. The central defender is currently on standby for Steve Staunton's squad ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifiers with Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

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