Town boss Paul Jewell says he’s heard nothing from Middlesbrough regarding striker Jason Scotland since the summer, despite tabloid claims at the weekend. However, the Blues manager has confirmed that there is a clause in the 32-year-old’s contract which would see him secure an additional year on his current wages once he has made 19 league starts this season, as reported by TWTD on Sunday.

Jewell said: “Middlesbrough were interested in the last window, but I haven’t had any contact with Tony Mowbray regarding Jason Scotland in this window.”

The Town boss confirmed the clause in Scotland’s contract, the Trinidadian having made 13 league starts so far this campaign, but says that won’t make a difference when it comes to picking his team: “There is clause after 19 league starts. I’m not going to not play him because he’s got a clause. There are a few players who have got clauses in their contracts at this club and other clubs.

“It can sometimes cause problems, I think it caused a problem at Portsmouth with Michael Brown, but I don’t envisage it causing us a problem.

“It’s not something where the owner has said make sure you don’t play him. He’s in the team we’re playing at Birmingham and I’ll pick a team on what I think is best. We’re not exactly in a situation to be picky and choosy, we have to pick what we think is the best team.”

Jewell doesn’t entirely rule out Scotland moving on during the window but says the clause doesn’t make his exit any more likely: “If an offer comes in for any player, whoever that player is, if we think it’s an acceptable offer and the player wants to go, that’s football. Otherwise everyone would stay at the same club for the rest of their lives.

“I’m not thinking of moving Jason Scotland out at the moment but I could get back to the office and get a phone call from a club that wants to buy him, so that might change. But as I sit here, clauses in people’s contracts don’t come into my thinking, the only thinking I’m doing is about trying to get a result.

“It’s very early in the window,” he continued. “I’m more interested in getting people in than getting people out.”

Jewell says there’s been no significant progress regarding Keith Andrews’s return to Portman Road, the midfielder’s loan having ended at the weekend: “I spoke to Keith’s agent on Friday. He’s got a lot of interest from Premier League sides and the problem is that because it’s so early in the window, they probably don’t want to dive into the first thing on offer.

“You’ve seen it before, in the last few days of the window some stuff comes out of left field. We’d like to bring Keith Andrews here, we really would. Keith did really well and he knows that we like him.”

The Blues boss appears to less hopeful that Danny Collins will return: “I spoke to [Stoke boss] Tony Pulis last week and I think Danny’s looking for something local to where he is. His wife’s just had a baby and he’s settled in that area, so I think his family situation is dictating that. But again, that could change later in the window.”

Jewell, who ruled out changes to his coaching staff, says there’s been little progress regarding new contracts for the likes of Grant Leadbitter and Josh Carson: “They’re ongoing. I think all parties are a little bit embarrassed to be holding contract discussions [at the moment].

“I said to the players on Sunday that I understand there’s a lot of uncertainty around the place because there are a lot of contracts up and we’ve had a lot of loan players, and there’s a lot of talk around the place.

“Let’s just try and focus on trying to getting some results. Let’s try to group together as one. Everyone’s battering us at the minute, let’s try and use a bit of a siege mentality.”

Photo: Action Images

suffolkpoker added 08:54 - Jan 11 why is he talking about the clause, if its no big deal? doesnt make sense to me! Been our best striker this year, he deserves another year imo
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Karlosfandangal added 08:58 - Jan 11 I would be the same, I would want to know if the club was going to offer me a new contract. I would knock on the bosses door and ask and if the boss did not say yes then i would be looking to my future too. If the players dont know about their contracts they must be think do I look for another club or just sit and wait
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footballfriend added 08:59 - Jan 11 def worth 1 more year, especially as we will be in league 1 if jewell stays!! WARNOCK IN!!
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HighgateBlue added 09:00 - Jan 11 Yep, give him another year. Scotland that is, not Jewell...
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righty added 09:06 - Jan 11 Best player by a mile recently JEWELL OUT NOW
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planetblue_2011 added 09:12 - Jan 11 Yes we need to keep Scotland he is our best striker at the moment. I hope he gets the winner tonight :-)
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irishtim added 09:16 - Jan 11 He is worth keeping for one more year.
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brittaniaman added 09:18 - Jan 11 I do not think any other championship could afford his wages ?????? That is where Marcus Evans money is going on the wage bill ??????
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Legend added 09:18 - Jan 11 Scotland has been head and shoulders above the rest this season!! JEWELL OUT!
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CornardBlue added 09:27 - Jan 11 Jason always gives 100%, him and Carson are the only ones i would give new contracts to. The only way for this club to move on is to have a good clear out of players who are good enough.
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sotd78 added 09:41 - Jan 11 Jewell in!
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itfc1981 added 10:04 - Jan 11 Nice work Simon Clegg, another stupid contract.
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broomfield123 added 10:12 - Jan 11 To be honest at the moment Scotland is 1 of the very few players to be anywhere near a positive this season and 1 of the very few who would desearve a new contract
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Infineteregress added 10:18 - Jan 11 Give him another year, has consistenly given 100% this season and scored some good goals despite our overall poor performances.
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campowasgod added 10:21 - Jan 11 Easy , start him for the next six games - problem solved !!!!
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SouperJim added 10:22 - Jan 11 suffolkpoker: because he was asked?
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Surco72 added 10:23 - Jan 11 Scotland has had a few good games ,lets not get carried away ,he has only scored 4 league goals and has a worse strike rate per game than Chopra .The fact he is trying so hard is probably due to the fact we are paying him so much and he realises he will not get this anywhere else . Saying that i think he has performed very well this season and Jewell has certainly got a lot more out of him than Keane could and if his partnership with Chopra hadnt been so stop start i think they both could have benefitted more ,hopefully this will happen from now on .

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tractorboybig added 10:34 - Jan 11 Has been good recently but what strange contracts have been made. You all go on about jewell having a team of old men but this is the same as edwards contract. Would appear the future for this club over a number of years has been to fill it with old men.
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shaunminx added 10:35 - Jan 11 Our best player this season. Warnock in.
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WorcesterBlue added 11:11 - Jan 11 Blah, blah, blah - yet more indecisive dithering nonsense from our alleged Manager to follow the oh so humorous anecdotes from the A12 Service Station we had to endure on national TV yesterday. Stop waffling and: 1/ Tell us what this long term plan is (you know, the one ME is so impressed with but none of us are aware of) 2/ Sign some decent young defenders (from abroad if needed) 3/ Decide whether or not you want Scotland, Carson, Drury and Leadbitter, tell them which it is and then tell Clegg or Evans to make it happen. For what its is worth I'd have the first three and sell Leadbetter before he leaves on a free. Oh yes and 4/ Sort Bullard out!!

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planetblue_2011 added 11:16 - Jan 11 Yes we need to keep Scotland he is our best striker at the moment. I hope he gets the winner tonight :-)
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Tractamatt added 11:16 - Jan 11 And what of St Leger
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planetblue_2011 added 11:17 - Jan 11 Yes we need to keep Scotland he is our best striker at the moment. I hope he gets the winner tonight :-)
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algarvefan added 11:35 - Jan 11 Can't believe we are saying 'give him another year' on these comments, shows how low our ambitions and expectations have fallen :(
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BrookzieITFC added 11:52 - Jan 11 Sort Bullard out?! he's ill for goodness sake..
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