TWTD understands that goalkeeper Stephen Henderson is the third player the Blues are trying to sign from crisis club Portsmouth. Last week we revealed that Town were chasing defensive duo Jason Pearce and Joel Ward, who manager Paul Jewell is continuing to pursue.

Republic of Ireland U21 international keeper Henderson joined Pompey from Bristol City in the summer having failed to usurp ex-England international David James at Ashton Gate.

The 23-year-old, who stands 6ft 4in tall, has previously spent time on loan at York, Weymouth, Aldershot and Yeovil, winning the Glovers’ Player of the Year award last season.

Henderson, who is contracted until 2014, started this season on the Fratton Park bench but has been the regular first choice since October and was recently reported to have been watched by Newcastle United.

The Dubliner comes from a goalkeeping dynasty. Grandfather Paddy played for Shamrock Rovers in the 1960s, his father, also named Stephen, played, managed and coached at various sides in the League of Ireland.

His uncle Dave also played in the League of Ireland, for amongst others Shamrock Rovers, and another uncle, Wayne, currently plays for Preston and the Republic of Ireland.

Town are understood to have offered Portsmouth £2 million for the trio with talks continuing and with Pompey still to accept any bids for any of their players since news of their current financial problems became public.

Despite recently signing Reading’s Alex McCarthy on loan, Blues boss Paul Jewell has been looking for a keeper for the longer term since David Stockdale was at Portman Road on a similar spell from Fulham.

Jewell previously intimated that he might wait until the summer before looking for a new number one but McCarthy’s unsteady start to his 93-day loan — he misses Town’s game against West Ham after being sent off at Leeds — and Henderson’s possible availability at a bargain fee looks to have hastened the search.

In addition, Blues third-choice keeper Richard Wright, on a short-term deal to the end of the season, has been on trial with US side Dallas FC this week and is understood to be looking for a club where he can play first team football more regularly.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton says Jewell is the only manager who has spoken to him expressing interest in his cash-strapped club’s players, despite claims of Leicester and other sides making moves: “I keep hearing that [we’ve received bids] but I’ve only had one conversation with one manager, so that’s quite pleasing from my point of view.

“I keep hearing that they’ve had a bid for this and a bid for that but the only person I’ve spoken to is Paul Jewell, and that was about 10 days ago.”

While the Blues and other clubs are understood to be talking to the off-field management at Fratton Park, Appleton feels other bosses ought to be contacting him: “I’ve not spoken to any other manager, so if people are putting bids in they’re obviously telling the wrong people or doing it in the wrong areas.

“From our point of view, if one of the players does interest one of the other clubs, I’d expect a phone call from the manager and do it in the right and proper fashion.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

Michael11 added 01:12 - Jan 27 They rejected £1.6m for the two players so why the hell would they accept £2m for three players, pull your finger out Jewell and get these lads in before someone gazumps us AGAIN.
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zebra added 01:15 - Jan 27 Do you remember how it felt when we went into administration? Clubs circling like vultures, knowing we had to sell? Let's offer Portsmouth a decent price for their players [and spare a thought for them too, by the way]. Do the decent thing Clegg, the Ipswich thing, and make them an offer they can't refuse. Bring on the Hammers - we're ready for them [if we get these players that is]. Mind you, having said that, don't we often perversely win against superior opposition?

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Guthrum added 02:00 - Jan 27 Nice to hear that Ipswich are still a club doing things in a proper manner, with all due courtesy (the last four paragraphs).
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WorcesterBlue added 06:22 - Jan 27 Something a bit tacky about this opportunism with Pompey but what do we expect with the wide boys in charge. Worse than that smacks of a lack of imagination, however good these three are. Foriegn market anyone? Good lower league players? Our own players?? May be wrong but get the feeling that our Management isnt that clever in both senses of the word!
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august10 added 07:06 - Jan 27 Please can we just wait until we have signed somebody all this talk is not good for my blood pressure! I hope these claims are genuine or is it more spin to have the fans believe we are going for these to targets to appease, what a sad demise of a once great club! RIP
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irishtim added 07:25 - Jan 27 Would be a great signing but reckon it will take at leasr 3 million 4 all 3 players.
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wrightyblue added 07:32 - Jan 27 We will end up with no 1.
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bluelady added 07:44 - Jan 27 Tractordmage jewell is not the one contacting the club, he is not the one who has the purse in his hands, cleggs contacting now, jewell had done the decent thing and spoken to his fellow manager about the impending bids the club are placin CLEGG IS Going higher than the manager who clearly of things don't change will also be put of a job soon,. I also suspect other clubs are making but Appleton kept I'm the dark as really he and the club have no choice.

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bizman added 08:00 - Jan 27 Great Goalkeeper. 3 great players. Pity we havent signed them already. I fear the longer it goes on the less chance we have of pulling off the deal... Lets get a cheeky signing in today
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lawshallgirls added 08:13 - Jan 27 Tractordamage I think it's £2million for the duo And they will throw an extra one in for free Come on, offer them £2.5mil rising to £3mil with add ons £1million a player Is good they brought pearce for 300,000 in the summer so that should do it
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bigfish added 08:16 - Jan 27 Clegg go in at 2.6 a goalkeeper that knows 2 of his back 4 allready priceless the right other defenders with them will stop all these stupid school boy goals. Or tactis cleg don't buy they and hope pompey go in to administration and get docked 10 points moving us that little bit safer !
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Surco72 added 08:34 - Jan 27 Lets spend the money to get them £3 million plus and the deal is done for all three , we have only been outscored by 5 or 6 teams in the league so if we cut out the schoolboy defending with three defenders who are defenders and know each other we will turn these games which we are leading until the last 10 minutes into 3 points every week
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Surco72 added 08:37 - Jan 27 Also Mr Jewell how about a deal for Upson already unhappy at Stoke ?
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NORFOLK_BLUE added 08:38 - Jan 27 saw him at yeovil a few times last year...was outstanding. We need to go and get all three. COYB!!
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Keaneish added 08:49 - Jan 27 Who's the fifth player? Henderson, Pearce, Ward, Wallace... Seem to be linked with strikers but I'd rather an experienced centre back.
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brittaniaman added 08:54 - Jan 27 Do not raise your hopes fans,,,, because at the back of our minds we already know we are not going to get these players,, to many stumbling blocks,, especially after reading the Evening Star today.. Bids are Bids, but until players are down here having medicals, we can then start to show enthusiasm !!!!!!!!!! who wants to come here to fight a relegation battle anyway ??????????????? I can still see us playing West Ham on Tues. with what we have got already here. I HOPE I AM WRONG ???? COYB !!!!!!!!

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Bigbigg added 08:58 - Jan 27 Isn't this basically an admittal that Jewell's screwed up over McCarthy?
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:08 - Jan 27 good keeper,but its all the usual speculation .It worries me a bit that Jewell seems to be diving in for these players at Portsmouth,because they need the cash, would they have been part of his plans otherwise ?.
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Lightningboy added 09:11 - Jan 27 Are we trying to set a record for the most gk's used in 1 season? Seriously,if I was looking for a goalie,i'd be trying to get DeVries from Wolves.
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SomershamBlue added 09:11 - Jan 27 Well, if we don't improve our defense through new players, then it would seem that ME has accepted relegation this season.
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Bergholtblue added 09:21 - Jan 27 So Appleton says he has one phone call from Jewell and that was 10 days ago. Yet previous articles here suggest we have had one bid turned down and have made a second. All in one phone call ??????? Don't get excited people. You cannot believe all thats published. To paraphrase Benjamin Disraeli 1804—1881) "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and spin coming out of Portman Road" We will get someone on emergency loan when the transfer window closes.

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Infineteregress added 09:23 - Jan 27 Another keeper? No disrespect to Henderson, who I'm sure is a great prospect in his own right, but surely another centre half is a greater priority for our team right now? Irregardless, I just hope we can just get the deals done. COYBs!
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Bigbigg added 09:39 - Jan 27 De Vries from Wolves is a VERY good shout Lightningboy
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yorksblue added 09:41 - Jan 27 By the time we get our fingers out, we'd have lost another 3 points and, no doubt, a bagful of goals too.
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walberswick added 09:49 - Jan 27 The biggest priority is to sack Chris HUtchings and Sean "Truro" McCathy.
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