Boss Paul Jewell says not too much ought to be read into his recent attendance at two Barnet matches with the Blues keeping a watching brief on around 20 games every Saturday. The Town manager watched the Bees’ Johnstone’s Paint Trophy victory at Colchester a fortnight ago and was spotted at Underhill the following Saturday taking in their 0-0 League Two draw with Accrington Stanley.

Winger Mark Marshall, a recent target of Charlton and a player watched by Millwall, Crystal Palace and Notts County, was the likely target, although Jewell was coy when the name was put to him: “Who?”

The Blues boss says the scouting side of management is something he relishes: “I go to lots of games. Other than by wearing a balaclava, you can’t help but be seen.

“A part of the job I really enjoy is going to games. I find it more difficult here because of the geography.

“When I was at Derby and Wigan, I could be anywhere within a couple of hours. Here, two hours later, I’m still in Suffolk!”

He says he attempts to take in as much football as he can: “I like to try and get to as many games as possible and we probably had about 20 games covered last Saturday, like we do every Saturday.

“Every time there’s a game, we’re looking for the next player that’s going to come from the lower leagues.

“I think it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of the players who are coming through the lower leagues, or even below.”

Over the summer Town brought in left-back Aaron Cresswell from League One Tranmere, while Jewell’s first Town signing, midfielder Andy Drury, was recruited from Blue Square Bet Premier Luton.

The Liverpudlian says the players he is running the rule over at aren’t just viewed as immediate targets but potential signings later on down the line: “I’m talking about the future really. I’m talking about trying to get players beyond this season as well.

“We all know football and that everything’s short-term, but I think it’s important that we try and get some young, hungry players to add to our squad.

“I was watching a DVD the other night in which Alex Ferguson was talking about not letting a team grow old together.

“We’ve got some experienced players here, and experience is a key factor, but I think we do need an influx in the future of young, strong, athletic type players who’ve got that desire to go with the experience.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Jimmy Bullard’s lawyers are reported to have engaged barrister Nick De Marco, a sports law specialist and one-time QPR director, to help fight the appeal against the 32-year-old’s Hull City sacking.

Photo: Action Images

pmason added 15:12 - Sep 13 i wish people would stop berating keane for Jewells mess ... its a pathetic excuse. Remember he has had the squad for 9 months and they are most definitly worse than anything keane ever fielded. How many times have we conceeded that many goals in 5 games ? ANSWER = NEVER. So please blame the man in charge because he is the man in charge !!
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johnhazlebum added 15:16 - Sep 13 Is Paul Jewell beginning to sound like Mike Bassett?
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blueherts added 15:47 - Sep 13 Trust me Top 6 by December - He has addressed the defence ( bar RB) which is a MUST I have faith it will turn around - West ham and Boro are gonna be toughies MUST BEAT COV - The two longest serving Championship clubs 10 and 11 years respectively - If he ditches Bowyer and Leadboots and starts with Carson and Edwards wide , Ainsley in defence at RB and JET up front we have a chance .

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HARRY10 added 16:09 - Sep 13 "chuck some rocks " rocks ! this is suffolk not the gobi desert (I think you mean stones)
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WorcesterBlue added 16:33 - Sep 13 In between the insults and childishness on this site there are some good points made. On the negative side one of the things: 1. I was most looking forward to when he arrived was some astute signings from all his watching of matches while out of work....and other than the known quantities we only get Cresswell which is a real dissapointment. If we were in for Lansbury then JET is clearly our next choice and frankly not a good one imo. 2. Still playing round pegs in square holes just like under Keane - why sign Bullard if we have to have two other CMs to play alongside him? Murphy?! You are having a laugh! 3. Aimless long ball rubbish...say no more. 4. Certain players just written off without a chance - O'Connor, Hyam, Peters, Brown etc 5. One up front. 6. Harping on about Suffolk and difficulty getting players - utter rubbish! On a positive note, we have signed some quality (about 50% of the signings), ME has backed him and if we start trying to play football on the ground and give attacking players a chance, there is hope. And Jewell has encouraged attacking football in the past. Erm, not much more really. On the positive

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WorcesterBlue added 16:37 - Sep 13 Sorry - a bit of a waffle above. Just really really worrying and as many people have said, it's time for him to stop joking and pontificating about this and that and start managing. No more excuses - get 'em playing PJ!
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Surco72 added 16:49 - Sep 13 pmason... it doesnt matter how many you let in its how many points you get and how many wins ,check your facts before making ridiculous comments .Keane couldnt get a win for 15 games and took 12 games to get us to 6 points so Jewell has 6 more games to better that already . And of goals conceded what about Keanes marvellous run of conceding 10 goals in 3 games against Doncaster , Sheff Utd and a 4-0 home hammering by Newcastle ? And if you think Keanes selection of ALB , Rosenoir,Bruce,Balkenstein,Delaney Edwards,Leadbitter, Colback,Quinn,Healy Priskin With Bruce as captain !! is better than the players we have now then you are more stupid than you sound , have a good evening

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dirtydingusmagee added 17:09 - Sep 13 KEANE OUT ! sorry pmason .
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Bleedingblue added 17:16 - Sep 13 Don't know what you're on about Surco,that team looks a beast on paper;) Don't let em drag you down! I reckon with a bit of patience things will come good. We have a good team on paper, as our core players become fitter we'll be up near the play offs come May. Calm down and keep the faith people
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jas0999 added 17:28 - Sep 13 Agree with some other posts - time to get on with it now - stick with what we have. No more loans please. It doesn't work (if have too many - and four is over a third of a team). Onwards and upwards. Looking forward to an exciting entertaining game on Monday.
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h32 added 18:29 - Sep 13 pmason - we all know that Keane was definately not the answer, and was never going to be - but the idiots who continue to blame him for everything, will forever continue to do so. He had much to answer for - but this team now is one Mr Jewell's, and it's not shaping up at all well. But, of course, excuse after excuse will continue to be made - where Jewell gets his popularity from I just do not know - NOT for sure from his previous clubs as we all know.

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fourth added 18:38 - Sep 13 Mark. Yes, good But let us not allow our good PJ to deal in escapism. He clearly needs reminders to take responsibility and start working on improved performance
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WarkyWonderLand added 18:42 - Sep 13 Surco 72. He could have also chosen from the following signings he made of Brian Murphy, zuiverloon, townsend, livermore, stern john, fallon, healy et al. No arguments at all that we have better quality and now its time for it take shape. I was prepared to give rk a chance and PJ deserves that too as keane would have taken us down. If people put in as much time to supporting the team as they do moan then we would have hell of a following! Coyb

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TractorBeezer added 18:50 - Sep 13 johnhazlebum added 12:43 - Sep 13 Goodbye Ipswich Town. I'm off to enjoy myself away from this car crash of a season. See you in January when PJ and Chris "worst defence record in the whole Football League" Hutchings are gone. Hope you're enjoying your investment, ME. Excellent news hazelbum. Take your time.
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Mark added 21:26 - Sep 13 I think Jewell works very hard at Ipswich, it seems to me he is a workaholic! We CAN go on blaming Keane as he wasted the millions, and under him players were put on contracts that are tying Jewell's hands now. If Jewell were given the millions Keane had I suspect he would not be brining in 30+ year-old players and loanees.
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BlueBadger added 21:28 - Sep 13 Still in Suffolk after two hours? Is he travelling on foot?
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RegencyBlue added 21:46 - Sep 13 Really am getting fed up with this 'geography' arguement. First Keane and now Jewell is using it to. We are in Suffolk, not Outer Mongolia for Gods sake!!!
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h32 added 21:58 - Sep 13 Mr Jewell is clever in the use of words - and it works with some people - shame he's not so good at sorting 'his' team - and getting some decent results. Actions will always speak louder than Words.
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manualthetisfanclub added 22:40 - Sep 13 Got loads of faith in pj's scouting,its how he signed bowyer,jet,ellington,drury,ingimarsson as a result.plenty of young fit hungry players here hey! My arse!! Should have signed these types instead of these wasters who are well past it(apart from jet,just aint done anything worthwhile yet!)
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Fatboy added 23:33 - Sep 13 Well I didn't spot him at Underhill tonight. Maybe he got lost in Suffolk on the way down!
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blue_jim added 04:48 - Sep 14 does PJ and staff try out existing players in different positions when training? eg Jaime Peters at RB and Carlos at RW, plus Shane OConnor LW. Perhaps we already have excellent line up without spending anymore
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Pessimistic added 07:32 - Sep 14 Well said Dizbon. I agree with you entirely and let's be done with these fair-weather supporters.
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Keaneish added 07:35 - Sep 14 Add O'connor and Ainsley into that side at left midfield and right back and put Carson and Hyam on the bench and maybe give Priskin/Murray another look up front with Chopra and you've got your blend of youth and experience.
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Surco72 added 07:57 - Sep 14 Victory ..Yeovil are not doing well at all and it is a standing joke in the town about fans scouts and the names they put forward for the board to sign , i know i work in Yeovil everyday at the moment at the majority believe they will go down . The only good thing that would come out of signing the fans scouted players is that then they wouldnt be able to blame the manager then every time we lose a game . And yes i would certainly choose watching Ipswich over Ghent,Copenhagen ,or Melbourne if i go to other games it is to watch the premiership or Barcelona or the mighty Magpies of Dorchester !!

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hogster1970 added 08:38 - Sep 14 i think the trouble with modern management is the look at players commitment to the training pitch to much, who puts in the hard works ect, which is good in theory but unforchantly that doesnt bring you points on a sat afternoon does it, its a bit like how good you are in free practice and qualifying in F1, no good been top on the time sheets for fri and sat just to bin it on the first corner of ever race, as i feel players like carson can change a game and should always start on the right and with andrews and bullard in the middle with martin on the left when he comes back in, i feel thats the most balanced midfield we have with plenty of pace and both carson and martin can find the net and put in some half decent crosses, this then should help relieve the defence, what our best 2 up front is i dont no, chopra and scotland havnt had a run out yet from the start, i recon even tamas along side chopra will be good as tamas has good ball skills well better than scotland and holds the ball up well, but still unless PJ starts using that midfield we will struggle because we dont creat enough for the strikers and thats has to come from midfield, and leadboots and bower aint the awnswer

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