TWTD understands that Jimmy Bullard will be leaving the Blues before the start of the season. The 33-year-old midfielder has been on the periphery all pre-season and has been left out of the squad for the last two friendlies against West Ham and Colchester, while reports over the weekend indicated that the Blues were looking to offload the one-time England call-up.

Speaking after last night's 2-1 victory at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, manager Paul Jewell said: "At the moment, he's not in the squad, it's as simple as that.

"There are no untoward reasons, I just don't see the point of him sitting on a bench and getting 10-15 minutes."

He added: "Jimmy wants to play football, he works ever so hard in training - at the moment it's just not happening for him."

However, it's our understanding that the midfielder's Town exit is now only a matter of time.

Bullard, understood to be the club's highest earner on wages believed to be more than £15,000-a-week, rejoined the Blues on a permanent basis just under a year ago having had his Hull City contract terminated.

The one-time Peterborough, Wigan and Fulham man had previously enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell during the second half of the 2010/11 season in which he won the Supporters' Club's Player of the Year award.

Photo: Action Images

IpswichFan26 added 14:08 - Aug 9 Disappointing really. Jimmy is one of our most talented players but, if you don't perform (even if he was put in a different role in midfield), the manager has every right to drop you and maybe sell you (especially with his wages!), so I don't understand people who'll blame PJ for this! Also I don't see Jimmy fitting in in our 4231 formation. Shame really, but best of luck if JB does leave, if he stays, he needs to justify his wages with performing like he did on loan!

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ChrisMakin2012 added 14:10 - Aug 9 Jimmy's a better player than Ryan Stevenson in my opinion
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Sindre94 added 14:12 - Aug 9 Let him go, its right for all parties.
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daniel9624 added 14:14 - Aug 9 Wow all so aggressive!! Some really strong views here in both camps, but he just hasn't delivered, sad because I had high hopes for him. However you view it though, 15K is alot of money and hopefully it will give us chance to get in two or three players.
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Blue041273 added 14:27 - Aug 9 It's all very well saying that 'moving him on' will free up his wages but it would be a huge surprise if JB just calls it quits and walks away. He will want value from the remaining year of his contract and whether he goes on loan or moves on a permanent transfer it will cost us dearly as there are no clubs out there who will offer anything like 15k per week.
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JimmyBlue added 14:31 - Aug 9 We should be converting Jimmy to a coach!! He could have a big impact. He is undoubtly a good footballer - just a shame it did not work out over last season. Good luck!! His free kicks and corners have been the best we have had for years, but his legs cannot hold for 90 minutes.
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Surco72 added 14:34 - Aug 9 Very poor decision Mr Jewell if true , Bullard is a match winner and for me our most creative player ,any injury to Martin and we are in big trouble . From player of the year to having a bad season all be it 12 games started, to not wanted . As others have said if we are losing and needing a goal or some magic i would choose him above any of our central midfielders . Rate this poor decision up there with that of Rhodes and Garvan by Keane

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Jimmys_Law added 14:35 - Aug 9 I suppose this was to be expected seeing how last season went. However I still hoped that he would come good this year and push for a spot in the first team. I know he hasn't shown the quality we saw when he was on loan but 'form is temporary, class is permanent' and I think he can still be that player we wanted him to be. I sincerely hope this story is not true, but if it is I wish him the best of luck for the future, wherever that may be. (plus what am I supposed to do about my profile name now? Pffft)

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Karlosfandangal added 14:39 - Aug 9 Great player help keep us in the division when on loan. However he has been a great let down since he has signed. The games he has played for us he was and so were we rubbish, We were warned by Hull fans but we still wanted him. Let him go and use the money on other targets. Vital football are saying that Crystal Palace are in for Bullard and Ellington, but really can see this

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bluey123 added 14:43 - Aug 9 What a waste of money another jewell failure
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runningout added 14:49 - Aug 9 I will keep an eye on his remaining and hope he does well wherever he goes.. doesnt deserve negative remarks from us
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muhrensleftfoot added 14:58 - Aug 9 Very strange. Must be stuff we don't know about. Can't imagine Jimmy will just leave when he's got another 12 mths contract at £15k, so no doubt the club will come to an "agreement" to terminate his contract. What a very expensive mistake. No other club's going to pay him anything like this as he now has history with Hull & us. The guy must have a bad attitude or something, because we know that he has talent more than most at Championship level.

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SuperReuser added 14:59 - Aug 9 Jewell cannot win can he: bluey123 added 14:43 - Aug 9 What a waste of money another jewell failure homer_123 added 13:33 - Aug 9 Unbelievable - a player of that quality being let go. He's worth having just for the 'crack' and 'bants'. PJ OUT! I get the impression we only signed him because of fan pressure on Jewell to do so too. Poor ol' Paul
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MattinLondon added 14:59 - Aug 9 Daleyitfc added 13:52 - Aug 9 Signing the old clapped-out guys has really worked well. That applies to managers too ... ..does that apply to tired old cynical posters like you Daley?
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StanwayBlue added 15:00 - Aug 9 ChrisMakin how do you know that someone who hasn't played a league game yet is dross? The bottom line is that Bullard has under-achieved and is costing us money. We don't know his domestic life, his habits or his fitness but he is not, currently and for some while previously, been good enough to play. He is our top earner and not justifying it. This is not fantasy football - he is an expensive flop!

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blues1 added 15:10 - Aug 9 cant believe anyone on here is criticising this decision. yes, he was player of the season 2 years ago whiloe on loan. i was definitely for signing him permamnently as most were, despite his problems at hull. what i didnt foresee was that once he did sign his form would desert him, that the troubles for which he was sacked by hull(unfairly in his eyes), would again rear their ugly head here, & that frankly a player that was soon idolised by our fans could turn out to be one of the most expensive flops we've ever signed. why i think that? simple, regardless of what position he was played in he simply couldnt even pass the ball last season(ok he not the only one), and that was supposed to be his big strength, in short, i loved the entertainment he gave us all while on loan but he clearly not the same player once he signed. why people think hes suddenly gonna find that form again i really dont know, as theres been no sign of it in preseason. played the 1st half at luton game, substituted at half time as he totally innocuous. its a shame its gone this way but if we wanna sign other players i feel this decision had to be made for the good of itfc. and trust me, this club has let better players than jb go in the past, for the benefit of the team as a whole

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Michael11 added 15:12 - Aug 9 I would have given him the chance to prove himself this season, but we only see what we read on here, none of us know the in's and out's he could be a nightmare to manage. It'd be good to free up that much wages (Wickham on loan hint hint)
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irishtim added 15:14 - Aug 9 Think the time is right for a parting of the ways. Thanks Jimmy for some great performances when on loan. But in fairness he has done sweet FA since imo. Hopefully it will free up some cash to bring in 2 or 3 new faces.
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brian_a_mul added 15:26 - Aug 9 Yep, its definitely a case of bean counting. He is training hard and seems to be fit. I had high hopes for him this season. The club are moving forward with a youthful approach, unfortunately Jimmy wage and age are against him. What ever happens, Im sure the club will make the right decision thats best for Ipswich. Thanks Jimmy for keeping us in this division, without you we may be slugging it out in League 1!

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Keaneish added 15:26 - Aug 9 Whether on form or off, i'd still have him than not. Now what are we left with!? Hyam, Drury, Luongo, Stephenson and Kourouma... How many Championship games between them!? We need a leader with experience someone 28+, a vet otherwise we're in trouble...
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BoredWithThisNow added 15:27 - Aug 9 Played out of his skin to get a contract Couldn't be arsed to play when he got it Quite simply one of the biggest conman in the modern game. When you see what some players will do to earn a tenth of what he (supposedly) gets and yet still some of you simpletons would rather we carry on paying him. Get real and get rid.
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bluey123 added 15:34 - Aug 9 Poor Jewell what load of Cr-P the mans useless I would have thought after nearly 2 yrs here you lot could see what the mans like Man management poor tactics useless and costly signing not just 1 or 2 but 13 since hes been here and you idiots feel sorry for him get rid now JEWELL OUT
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Jimmys_Law added 15:49 - Aug 9 I don't see how us parting ways with Bullard will do any good?! Surely if he can't be loaned out or sold (which he most likely won't happen), then we'll end up paying up his contract just like we did with Priskin and Healy. If we pay up his remaining contract then we'll still be paying him for the year, but we won't see any benefits of having him at the club. Also, that wouldn't necessarily result in having more wages or money for Jewell to use. However, In Jewell we trust.

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ChrisMakin2012 added 15:51 - Aug 9 Kouroma or whatever the hell his name is has been woeful in his preseason friendlies. So we want him but let jimmy go? Keep Jimmy
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Armine6 added 15:52 - Aug 9 Hand up...Yes I wanted him here, and gutted he has not embraced a good opportunity and set of fans that gave him a clean slate. I really thought he had a dip in form last season, and would repay the club this year and reignite his career in the final years. So sad..So disappointed for the chap, no doubt more going on than we will ever know about. I no longer want curly hair …

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