New Town boss Paul Jewell was spotted on the first scouting mission of his time in charge of the Blues tonight, taking in Peterborough’s 2-1 victory over Brentford at London Road.

The most obvious potential targets in action were Posh duo George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith. Left midfielder Boyd has been linked with the Blues on a number of occasions over the years, most recently last summer, while striker Mackail-Smith has scored 16 goals for the League One side this season and looks likely to move back to the Championship before too much longer.

Scotland B international Boyd, 25, spent time on loan at Nottingham Forest last season before signing a new three-year deal at London Road in the summer.

Mackail-Smith, 26, joined Peterborough from Dagenham and Redbridge for £125,000 in 2007 and is contracted to Posh until 2012. Like Boyd, Mackail-Smith was born in England and qualifies to play for Scotland.

Having been unveiled at a press conference on Monday, Jewell formally begins his time in charge at Portman Road on Thursday.

Photo: Action Images

Bergholtblue added 09:37 - Jan 12 Whilst Boyd and Smith are good prospects. The lower league clubs are noi mugs and know the value of their assets. They will not come cheap. Perhaps PJ was doing a player for player deal. 21 out of contract players for those two?
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bluepeter added 09:37 - Jan 12 Spot on mark. I have always said that myself. You win some and loose some, but remember Kevin Phillips was had for 250,000 by Sunderland after we turned down the chance on a medical reason!
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bluelady added 09:37 - Jan 12 clive, but he is in league one so hopefully Jewell can uncover another little diamond like him (said with tongue in cheek)
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:38 - Jan 12 PJ is a Liverpudlian so at least has a sense of humer. I was a bit sorry we didnt get Hughton ,but i now feel hopeful of things getting back on track ,The black cloud has lifted from here and hopefully P R ,coyb
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clive_baker added 09:41 - Jan 12 Who cares if they 'got relegated', it doesn't make them bad players. Carrick got relegated in 2003, 5 years later he was lifting the Champions League trophy.
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darkroonsitfc added 09:55 - Jan 12 not sure wether PJ would like the chant "big fat pauls barmy army tbh" lol but these dont seem like the normal "hoofball" players that usually are associated with PJ, hopefully he will bring back the attacking passing football that we WERE known for and perhaps he can make this once great club, great again :D COYB, COPJ <3
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StowTractorBoy added 10:00 - Jan 12 Can't see posh letting any of their stars go and Boyd did not exactly cut it with Forest did he. Makail-Smith would be a good acquisition but Fry will ask the earth for him and I suspect Mr. Ferguson will not want his best players to go. At least Jewell is aiming lower and looking for up and coming talent rather than journeymen and failures from the Prem.
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Hunter added 10:01 - Jan 12 Why is he at that game :/ we need to aim a bit higher if we want to get anywhere :/ but he obvs knows what he is doing :) so i aint gunna judge the man but i will after the season :P 100% behind ya BIG FAT PAULS BARMY ARMY!!!!!!!
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Seasonticketsteve added 10:04 - Jan 12 I personally hope it was Boyd we were looking at, I have seen him play a few times in the centre of midfield for both Peterborough and occassionally for Nottingham Forest and it looks like he is a class act there, much better than on the wing. Am wondering if Jewell is thinking of converting Boyd to a CM from a winger a bit like he did with Kris Commons. Only problem I can see is that I think Boyd has a £1.5-£2 million pound release clause so he wouldnt be cheap and all this talk about getting both him & mackail Smith cheap would be pure fantasy, the director of Peterborough wont sell cheaply. Could it be the fact that maybe Jewell simply went down to have a word with a coach/physio etc about coming to the town and simply took in the game whilst down there????

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bluelady added 10:14 - Jan 12 seasonticketsteve maybe he went to enquire about the Posh job!!
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petermorris added 10:20 - Jan 12 I'm already impressed. Watching football matches (in any league) has got to be better than sulking and walking dogs about. JIMMY JIMMY OHHHHHH!!!.... (Undertones)
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bleedblue added 10:26 - Jan 12 would be happy with either of them two mentioned - maybe both!
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thechangingman added 10:32 - Jan 12 I live near P'boro and have watched them a bit over the past couple of years and I STILL think that we should be considering Boyd - he offers something no-one else brings at the moment, i.e. that Bobby Petta/Taricco/Reuser sense of style, skill, attack and unpredictability for defenders. I'd personally LOVE to see him here. (McClean and Smith also surpass our current striker, ahem, 'options'...) I'd also like to say that it feels GOOD to know that our manager is out there doing the business for us instead of holding embarrassing press-conferences on non-Town related issues. Maybe we really have got rid of a football 'celebrity' interested in only himself and have inherited someone who might actually care about bringing some success back to our beloved club. Is this really a sense of HOPE rising up in me? I haven't felt that for a LLLOONNNGGGGGGG time... COYB :)

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feelinblue2 added 11:11 - Jan 12 PJ, if you do ever read these comments, Pilkington and Le Fondre, quality players!
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:17 - Jan 12 I think Paul Jewell may well be the kind of manager who shows an interest in all aspects of the club,- including what the supporters think. It wouldn't shock me to learn that these pages are 'skimmed' by him!
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Lightningboy added 13:29 - Jan 12 How about getting Aarron McClean too?
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mikewright2 added 14:15 - Jan 12 What about Pilkington and Lullana please
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jas0999 added 17:18 - Jan 12 It won't hurt to search the lower league for players.Probably less wages and players wanting to play for the club.
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1980sboy added 23:44 - Jan 12 Great to see lots of positive vibes. Feel the future is bright : - ) New song ....... HE'S BIG, HE'S ROUND, HE'S SOUND AS A POUND...... PAUL JEWELL, PAUL JEWELL
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BluJu added 10:33 - Jan 15 Hmm didn't Forest send Boyd back from a very poor loan spell though? Locals say he's good when he's good, but absent for many games.
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strikalite added 22:51 - Jan 15 Boyd isn't the quickest it has to be said but is very good on the ball, I've always rated Mackail-Smith and think he would be very good for us - we haven't got anybody who can sight goal from 20+ yards or can jink past a player in the final third to open a defence up, this lad can do this, his weakness is in the air but if we could possibly get him for £1.5m then I think he'd be a really good addition to our squad...don't anybody tell me that there are no gems in the lower leagues...Peterborough find them, they take a punt for little money..

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