On-loan pair Matt Richards and George O'Callaghan, currently with Brighton, will join the Blues in Sunday's third round FA Cup draw after the Seagulls defeated Torquay 2-0 at Plainmoor in round two on Saturday.

Brighton are keen to extend the duo's stay at the Withdean Stadium into the second half of the season, either on further loans or a permanent basis.

Richards was involved in the victory over Torquay, in which former Blue Nicky Forster netted twice, taking his goals total for the season to 11, while O'Callaghan was suspended after being sent off last week.

The Irishman would be available for FA Cup duty with Town if he returns to Portman Road as he is yet to play for Brighton in either of their ties.

Town legend Kevin Beattie will carry out this Sunday's third round draw along with Sammy Nelson, a member of the Arsenal side the Blues beat 1-0 in the final at Wembley in 1978.

The draw will be held at around 3.15pm live on BBC One after the second round tie between Harrogate Railway and Mansfield Town. Town will be ball number 20. The full list of numbers can be seen below. The ties will be played on the weekend of January 5th and 6th 2008.

Meanwhile, former Newcastle United chairman Freddie Shepherd showed an interest in making a bid for Town, according to newspaper reports in Yorkshire. Shepherd is now understood to be interested in investing in Leeds United.

Town said last week that they expect to confirm Marcus Evans's takeover soon, while Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan was recently reported to have finally made his interest to Town known after months of speculation in the national press. Town had by then signed an exclusivity agreement with Evans.

Sullivan would not in any case have been able to make any move for Town until his interest in Birmingham was significantly reduced, something which looks some way off with Carson Yeung's proposed takeover of the Midlands club looking to have collapsed.

Elsewhere, former Birmingham boss Steve Bruce's appearance in the crowd at Town's game with Southampton on Tuesday has led to his current club Wigan being linked with Blues midfielder Jon Walters.

Bruce, father of Town defender Alex, has been a regular at Town games this season with tabloid reports previously claiming he was keeping an eye on striker Danny Haynes as well as his son.

Walters will be well-known to Bruce senior as he played in the same Blackburn academy side as current Town team-mate Alex. The former Chester man is contracted to the Blues until 2010.

Third Round Draw
1 Arsenal
2 Aston Villa
3 Barnsley
4 Birmingham City
5 Blackburn Rovers
6 Blackpool
7 Bolton Wanderers
8 Bristol City
9 Burnley
10 Cardiff City
11 Charlton Athletic
12 Chelsea
13 Colchester United
14 Coventry City
15 Crystal Palace
16 Derby County
17 Everton
18 Fulham
19 Hull City
20 Ipswich Town
21 Leicester City
22 Liverpool
23 Manchester City
24 Manchester United
25 Middlesbrough
26 Newcastle United
27 Norwich City
28 Plymouth Argyle
29 Portsmouth
30 Preston North End
31 Queens Park Rangers
32 Reading
33 Scunthorpe United
34 Sheffield United
35 Sheffield Wednesday
36 Southampton
37 Stoke City
38 Sunderland
39 Tottenham Hotspur
40 Watford
41 West Bromwich Albion
42 West Ham United
43 Wigan Athletic
44 Wolverhampton Wanderers
45 Oxford United or Southend United
46 Swindon Town
47 Oldham Athletic
48 Northampton Town or Walsall
49 Cambridge United
50 Millwall
51 Peterborough United
52 Tranmere Rovers
53 Torquay United or Brighton and Hove Albion
54 Havant and Waterlooville
55 Dagenham and Redbridge
56 Port Vale or Chasetown
57 Bristol Rovers
58 Huddersfield Town
59 Burton Albion or Barnet
60 Bury
61 Luton Town or Nottingham Forest
62 Horsham or Swansea City
63 Hereford United
64 Harrogate Railway or Mansfield Town

Photo: Action Images

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