Town boss Paul Jewell says loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard will be given every chance to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Leeds. With Bullard having a hamstring injury, skipper David Norris suspended and Colin Healy out with a stomach problem the Blues manager has looked to the loan market, but so far without success.

Jewell said: “I don’t know whether Jimmy’s going to be fit. We’ll give him every opportunity, but we have to leave that decision with Jimmy because with hamstrings only the player knows whether he can play.

“On Tuesday Jimmy had a fitness test and was very positive until he started trying to sprint and he could feel it.”

While the Blues boss could look to youngsters such as Luke Hyam, he believes his side needs more experience: “We are very stretched and we’ve made a couple of enquiries trying to get some players in on loan but unfortunately we’ve not been successful at the moment.

“We’ve made a couple of enquiries for Premier League players but a couple of them have been knocked back by their managers because they’re in their 25 and they want to save them until after this weekend with a couple of cup matches going on and stuff like that. We could do with a couple in though.”

Healy will be assessed at training this morning having missed the last few games with a torn stomach muscle. The former Cork City man and full-back Mark Kennedy (hamstring) are unlikely to be involved.

Captain Norris is unavailable for the next two matches having picked up his 10th booking of the season in Tuesday’s defeat to Reading.

Photo: Action Images

BlueMoolay added 16:48 - Mar 10 Totally agree with everyone who has said "give our youngsters a chance, at this stage of the season and where we are sitting, whats the point of bloody loanees". Play the youngsters, let em show us what they have, give em the chance to shine.
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Daleyitfc added 17:12 - Mar 10 This comes back to the basic fact that most of the players in our squad are not good enough : when Jewell took over I felt he needed to have a total clear-out, but since then a couple of players have surprised me and may be good enough to be part of a promotion winning team (McAuley ; Delaney ; Martin). I still feel the rest are mid-table players at best, and should be allowed to leave, for a fee if possible but free if not. Forget Bullard : if he overcomes this injury and plays the rest of the season, he will be with a Premiership team next year ; if not, then this will prove that he's finished as a player and no use to us. Also forget Wickham : he is the 'bright young thing' at this level, but not good enough for a higher level, ever ; our best bet is some stupid Premiership team paying us £5m+ for him this summer, before he gets found out. That would be enough money to buy 10-20 decent players at this level, allowing us to ship the rest of the rubbish out.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 17:37 - Mar 10 pay peanuts you get monkey's
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jas0999 added 17:47 - Mar 10 Let's be honest - we all know Clegg failed to land the targets identified by Roy Keane. I have absoltely no faith that anything will change under Jewell.
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reuser90 added 19:26 - Mar 10 i think that PJ is taking stock of what he has,what he wants and who he doesn't want. lets be honest here, Bullard, Drury and a 'new look' Martin aside, this is still RK's team, ithink we have seen an improvement in aproach attitude and team spirit. write this season off, judge PJ when he has built HIS OWN TEAM! not what he does with RK's!! over to you ME!! COYB!
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bluelady added 20:14 - Mar 10 Nugent looks like he maybe leaving Portsmouth, villen to hero here maybe??
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legoman added 20:20 - Mar 10 Bring troy Brown back Paul. He can play anywhere.
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choprawontcome added 20:53 - Mar 10 1 defeat and all the moaners creep back out of the woodwork. Jewell is NOT Keane FFS you lot are so very,very sad,the same ones that never sing at any home games and just
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choprawontcome added 20:53 - Mar 10 ......MOAN
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Tractorog added 21:02 - Mar 10 I quite liked the print typo... forget cat vs printer... Bullard vs Printer now that I'd like to see. Making a call for loan players is fair play. I'd like to see the youngsters play, but havinfg a look at a few loan players now makes sense. As for players out of contract .... what happens to the rest of the players motivation if PJ gives a contract to any one of them. If they really are happy then they will stay.

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bluebare added 21:12 - Mar 10 norris being out is a blessing he is just too slow and not up to the job. thats why he gets booked so often. civelli is worth a start. also whats happened to clarke lamb etc? lets try some squad players out we wont go down and wont go up. jewel can weed out those he done want.
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alfromcol added 21:47 - Mar 10 Daleyitfc Did you see the goal from Wickham Tuesday night, if you did you will realise what, given careful handling, what a talent he is. A goal as good as Rooney's volley of a few weeks ago.
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AlexanderFields added 21:55 - Mar 10 TractorRoyNo1. If you've got monkeys you pay peanuts.
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carsey added 22:54 - Mar 10 Get the youngsters in. I would much rather watch someone who wants to be there and tries. Scotland is knackered after 30 mins and Priskin just jogs around and doesn't even break into a sweat.
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taylor15 added 22:55 - Mar 10 Basil .. STFU!
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WeWereZombies added 07:43 - Mar 11 Parrots eat peanuts too
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DiamondGezzer added 07:47 - Mar 11 Just an observation. I wonder how many of the ' play the youngsters ' would be up in arms should we do exactly that, and go on a real losing run ? As I posted previously, I believe in playing what you have, but at the same time I think you have to be careful what you wish for. Also PJ hasn't been here very long, and I believe he is still trying to get the best out of those already playing in the first team, I suppose proving his ability and worth really, and seeing ALL of the players on a daily bases, he above all knows their capabilities and wether a loan player is needed. Rome wasn't built in a day.

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itfc4eva added 09:47 - Mar 11 we need a striker. kevin phillips could be an option i think. in terms of midfielders, healy back in a week, norris out for 2 games bullard hopefully back. we need a 4-4-2 formation, if these players are to be out. hyam possibly play???
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DiamondGezzer added 10:31 - Mar 11 itfc4eva:- Couldn't agree more !
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