Eircom League side Galway United will spend five days at Playford Road next month as part of their pre-season programme. The Irish season runs through the summer and starts in March.

The Tribesmen will travel to Suffolk on Monday, 18th February with a friendly against the Blues, almost certainly behind closed doors, provisionally scheduled for the Wednesday.

Town played a pre-season friendly at Galway's Terryland Park in July 2006, goals from Nicky Forster and Sito giving the Blues a 2-0 victory. Boss Jim Magilton is a good friend of Galway manager Tony Cousins, the pair having been youth players at Liverpool together.

Meanwhile, Town youngster Tommy Smith has told the club site that he wants to go out on loan: "I have seen how much Jordan Rhodes has benefited from going out on loan to Oxford and, if the manager thinks that would be the next step for me, I'd love to go on loan somewhere.

"It will be down to the manager and the coaching staff to decide what they think is right for my overall development.

"The reserve league is not the best and the top end of the non-league scene is probably a better standard, so if an opportunity came up to play at that level every week, I would love to take it up."

Stevenage Borough boss Peter Taylor was close to taking the England U17 international on loan earlier in the month, but is now keener on signing Chris Casement for a short-term spell. Rushden and Diamonds assistant manager Kevin Hales watched Monday's 12-1 reserves victory over the MK Dons at Playford Road.

Town would prefer Smith to remain at Portman Road while the U18s continue their FA Youth Cup run.

Elsewhere, former Town boss George Burley is reportedly set to be offered the Scotland manager's job on Wednesday.

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