New signing Alex McCarthy has revealed that he consulted with former Blue Connor Wickham before deciding to join Town on his three-month loan, which was confirmed this morning. The Reading goalkeeper, who will wear the number 32 shirt while at Portman Road, is set to make his debut at Birmingham on Wednesday.

McCarthy, whose move will officially go through on Tuesday, told the club site: "When I knew Ipswich were interested I had a little chat with Connor, who was obviously here, and he told me about how great the club is and how much I would enjoy it here.

"I know him through our time together with the England U21s and he just told me to get down to Ipswich because there are some great lads here and I would really enjoy it.

"Obviously I've come here to get some game time, but the main priority is to play my part in helping Ipswich move up the table."

The keeper tweeted that he had a very busy first day in Suffolk: "Haven't stopped all day, looking forward to a chilled evening!"

The 22-year-old, who has agreed a new contract with Reading until June 2015, is with the Blues until April 11th.

The Royals will have a 24-hour emergency recall option after the first month, as is usual with short-term loans.

Photos: Action Images, ITFC

Photo: Action Images

AndyStannard added 09:34 - Jan 10 well isnt that intrersting! he had to ask wickham if it was a good club!!! hes only here for 3 months its not gunna kill him! well actually picking the ball out of the net 3 times a game could give him back pain i supose! PJ out NW in!
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bobble added 09:34 - Jan 10 obviously wickham should have been kept on as player manager
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ITFCOYB added 10:08 - Jan 10 Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Welcome to the club young man and best of luck to you. I doubt that Jewell is under any illusion that this is not a long-term fix, and nor do i expect that he has stopped looking for a keeper. It's not as easy to buy players as on Champ, fellas. All this says to me is that ALB and RW are not medium or long term answers in PJ's mind, and he is trying to get the best 11 he can out on the pitch for the next game. That shouldn't be news or disappointment to any of us. Now to weigh in on the PJ out issue. I'm not an 'outer'. I wasn't for Keane, either. I don't call for the heads of the managers- i'm old school Ipswich. We all want success and stability, yet most people on here seem to think that we'll get it by changing managers every season. We won't. If we did get rid of PJ, i'll give the new man and club my support as always- until then, i am PJ, i am Clegg, i am ME. Because i am Ipswich. COYB.

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AndyStannard added 11:55 - Jan 10 you might have a point there itfcoyb but jewell said he'll get us up next season as its a long term project so when hes getting all these players on loan for a few months what are we gunna have at the end of this year! he'll have to bring in more new players and start again!! Where is the stability in That????
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ITFCOYB added 12:02 - Jan 10 The stability in that is limited, Andy, as you rightly point out, but assuming a percentage of Jewell's purchases work out (think Cresswell), he is slowly building a team- a couple of buys per year + a youth system in the image of the club and style of the management producing players for the team- maybe just another one or two a year, and in four years you have a squad that has eliminated most of the journeymen and is much more sustainable- has players that have created a club identity, style, feel and dressing room. This is what, realistically, a longer term strategy looks like. Ironically, if we were less set on trying to stay in this league we could lose players from the wage bill by dropping a division, lower expectations and get some younger players (who can't cope at Champ level yet) playing with confidence and belief and follow the Norwich model adding one or two players a season to help add experience apt for the level.

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