Central defender Pim Balkestein has rejoined Brentford on loan until the end of the season. The Bees and Town have also fixed a fee which would see the Dutchman move to Griffin Park permanently in the summer if the player can agree personal terms with the League One club.

Brentford boss Andy Scott said he was pleased to have finally sorted a deal: "After lengthy discussions with Ipswich Town we're delighted to see Pim back at Griffin Park.

"After the first spell it was evident what a good player he is, as I'm sure all Bees fans can bear witness. So to bring him back here is another feather in Brentford Football Club's cap."

Balkestein made eight appearances for the Griffin Park club in his previous loan spell during November and December.

The former Heerenveen man has made 26 starts and seven sub appearances for the Blues since joining from the Eredivisie side on a Bosman transfer in the summer of 2008 with the Dutch side receiving €100,000 in compensation.

Meanwhile, former Town skipper and coach Tony Mowbray has left his job as manager of Celtic in the wake of last night's 4-0 defeat to St Mirren.

Photo: Action Images

hampstead_blue added 16:14 - Mar 25 step forward Tom Eastman.
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BOjK added 16:22 - Mar 25 Eastman? What about Smith?
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Wallingford_Boy added 16:32 - Mar 25 Smith?! Not half the player Eastman is right now and with time Eastman could well become a truly top player. Smith is an average lower league defender.
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Bluetone added 16:40 - Mar 25 Town boss Roy Keane says today's emergency loan deadline will see no moves in or out of Portman Road. The Town manager says there have been no developments on Pim Balkestein's proposed move to Brentford. "Town boss Roy Keane says today's emergency loan deadline will see no moves in or out of Portman Road. The Town manager says there have been no developments on Pim Balkestein's proposed move to Brentford." RK? The man's a joke get rid NOW

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HampshireBlue added 16:46 - Mar 25 Look everyone, Bluetone has learnt to copy and paste!
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ITFCson added 16:46 - Mar 25 Tony mowbray has left celtic....He done a great job at WBA getting them into the prem...he will be ITFC boss by the summer!! You heard it here first!!!!!!!!!!!
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dobbie73 added 16:53 - Mar 25 What's your point Bluetone? At the time there probably were no developments!
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naa added 17:01 - Mar 25 Dobbie73: I guess his point is that why did RK bother to make the press statement with something that proved to be incorrect? Doesn't bother me particularly, as it's hardly a major issue, but it does show, yet again, that RK likes to talk and speaks when sometimes he shouldn't.
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jas0999 added 17:13 - Mar 25 Good god, people moaning because when Roy gave his press conference (this morning) there was no news on Pim (or as far as he was aware). Thn afterwards, things move on and Pim goes - and people still find a way of moaning! Sure, moan after Tuesday's showing - but moaning about trivial little things like this and calling Roy a joke? Moaning after a win? Pathetic. Are you sure you are an Ipswich fan? Re Pim - good luck to him. Not good enough for us though.

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naa added 17:16 - Mar 25 jas0999: hope you're not having a go at me. I'm not moaning about it. I did admittedly use it to have a wider go at RK's overly open press conferences, but on this occasion he wasn't out of order..
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corshamblue added 17:22 - Mar 25 BlueTone - come on! you've made yourself the joke not RK! Pim good luck, had high hopes like the rest of us but it wasn't to be. I'm hoping Tom Eastman and Smithy can do the business [I'm sure one of these, or even both, will have a big ITFC Future] COYB
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BlueBoots added 17:26 - Mar 25 Thanks for your efforts, Pim, and good luck in the future. Guessing RK thinks he was surplus to requirements (3rd choice behind Delaney / Smith for the Left CB spot) - wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Bruce the next one out; I don't think he has enough physical presence for a CB, or enough skill to play RB / Midfield at our level.
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Blueknight85 added 17:36 - Mar 25 Eastman is barely ready at all to even have a slightest hint of a first team spot and from the looks of his play will head towards league 1/2 you can blame who ever messed the reserve leagues up for anyone thinking otherwise.
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bluepeter added 17:56 - Mar 25 Not Mowbray.
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Bluetone added 18:10 - Mar 25 OK, OK so the cut and paste went wrong but the question remains is RK even in the loop when these decisions are made or in the offing? It does appear that he is, sometimes at least, presented with a fait accompli by the real powers that be.
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Blueknight85 added 18:16 - Mar 25 Bluetone Roy said himself the financial talk etc is left to clegg..! for all you know when Roy done his interview clegg had just told him no its not happening its all off deal wont be done then later on brentford phoned up and changed their minds.."yes ok sorry to mess you about we will agree to £x amount Your point is more blunt than James
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Bluetone added 18:37 - Mar 25 So if these decisions are not within RK's brief what is the sense in the comments he made? Please note that I do not feel obliged to resort to personal remarks.
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tom_the_blue added 18:42 - Mar 25 Bluetone- no-one made any personal remarks against you, just against the points you are raising, which I'm afraid do have no foundation. If Pim is not good enough sell him, and there is no reason for Keane to say anything about this transfer in press conferences, that is if he did know if this deal was going to go through when he made those comments regarding this deal.

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Bluetone added 18:59 - Mar 25 But Tom that is my point he is making statements in his press conferences about decisions that are not down to him. “Town boss Roy Keane says today's emergency loan deadline will see no moves in or out of Portman Road.” That‘s appears to be pretty emphatic to me and sounds as if the decisions are his to make. Subsequent events makes this seem unlikely.
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Blueknight85 added 19:45 - Mar 25 he is not saying that no players will leave and no players are coming in because i dont want them to and then clegg has gone behind his back and sold balkenstein....LOL! he is saying no deals have been done and as far as he is aware not likely to be done then brentford have must likely agreed to the fee at the last minuite..
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WadzillaBhoy added 19:56 - Mar 25 Bluetone what are you on? Seriously very few managers have 100% control of the football matters in their club. The chairman owns the club and they rarely have that much faith in some one to give them complete control. Classic example Sheepshanks! Plus it allows the manager to focus on more important aspects.
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jas0999 added 20:30 - Mar 25 naa - absolutely not you. See Bluetone's post. Moaning about what Keane said three HOURS before something actually happened. Sorry - pathetic in my book. Bluetone calls Roy a joke because of that? Idiotic.
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Tractorog added 21:05 - Mar 25 More to the point is anyone sad to see Pim go? I thought he had potential, but I'm fed up of the players we've had with potential. It must be hard being a talented young footballer to make that step up. Anyway good luck PIM hope you get the chance to develop at Griffin Park. Ideally you will do really well, so well you don't agree terms and come back to town a better player.

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PimsNumber1 added 21:55 - Mar 25 Question to phil . Are you sure pim was a free transfer because im certain we paid about 200-300k for him when he signed. Now maybe that was reported incorrectly but that was the shout at the time .
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PhilTWTD added 22:33 - Mar 25 PimsNumber1 You're right, it was a Bosman end of contract move but we had to pay compensation because of his age, which I forgot about.
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