Town have confirmed that midfielder Jimmy Bullard has left the club by mutual consent with the remaining year left on his contract having been terminated.

Manager Paul Jewell says that at 33 Bullard needs to be playing week-in, week-out, something which wasn't going to happen at Town: “I’ve known Jimmy for a long time. He’s a top lad but he wants to play regular first-team football and I can’t guarantee him that here.

“We sat down and had a straightforward chat and I explained to him that I’ve got to look to the future and that he was down the pecking order in terms of a starting place.

“Jimmy loves playing football and at his age, he needs to be playing so all parties agreed that it was best if he moved on.

“He’s a great character to have around the place and I’m sure there will be plenty of interest in him. We wish him all the best for the future.”

Bullard added: “I want to thank Paul Jewell for giving me the opportunity to play for such a fantastic football club as Ipswich Town.

“I didn’t play as much football as I would have liked last season and I need to be out there on the park on a Saturday afternoon, not sitting in the stands.

“I feel as fit as I’ve ever done and knowing that my opportunities were going to be limited at Ipswich, it’s best that I move on.

“I’ll miss the lads in the dressing-room. They are a great bunch and I was lucky enough to enjoy a great relationship with the supporters at Ipswich as well, which meant a lot to me. I wish the club the best of luck.”

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.

Last season he made 12 starts - the last at Burnley in November - and nine substitute appearances, scoring just the once.

Photo: Action Images

fussysnake added 11:13 - Aug 13 If he ment all that stuff about our club then good. Im glad he didnt disrespect it that much. I will miss the lad. A great guy but unfortunatly not worked out here. All the best Jim. Does this mean we can now fund new players (ie Davies, Edu, Wilson)?
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brockleyblueboy added 11:16 - Aug 13 Also gutted as I thought he may have kicked on this season but at the same time he needs to have a look in the mirror and realise he made some mistakes last season. Good luck Jimmy and try and keep your nose clean (if you know what I mean)
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algarvefan added 11:57 - Aug 13 Hope this now frees up some money for some much needed signings. Bye bye Jimmy, if we'd needed a comedian and not a midfielder you'd have been brilliant :-)
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bigolconnor added 12:02 - Aug 13 waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! (sobbing)
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Lightningboy added 12:08 - Aug 13 Shame it didn't work out..always going to be a gamble,sadly it didn't pay off. Thanks Jimmy but time for us both to move on.
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yun added 12:18 - Aug 13 Diplomatically done. Both Jimmy's reputation and Town's bank balance still intact, everyone's happy. Good luck Jimmy - time to make some memories somewhere else!
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kerryblue added 12:35 - Aug 13 Good luck Jimmy,something went very wrong when you got a contract,same at Hull,perhaps any future employers should give you a pay as you play and not a pay as you booze contract
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Tractastic added 13:02 - Aug 13 Such a shame for a great talent both probably best for both parties. Looks like the days when Jimmy could demand a lucrative contract have now run out so someone could potentially get a very good albeit risky buy here. Just maybe this could also be a wake up call for Jimmy? I hope so as not many are blessed with his undoubted ability and ts a shame to see it go to waste. Great new website by the way.

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alfromcol added 13:13 - Aug 13 Sad to see you go Jimmy, still thought he could do a job, but he obviously wanted regular match time.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:27 - Aug 13 Jimmy has certainly done well out of football financially. I wonder how much we had to fork out to terminate his latest contract. While there have been mitigating circumstances (injury etc.), I feel Jimmy could have done quite a bit more to justify his wages and convince us that it really was "all about wanting to play." Agree it's a shame it didn't work out better, but this outcome is for the best. In with some new and younger talent and move on!

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bigolconnor added 13:28 - Aug 13 I understand where Jewell is trying to go with this. I can only assume that it means we will have the imminent article revealing the signature of Edu. Probably more suited to playing alongside the extremely talented Luongo. Jimmy was a gifted player, massively underplayed last season. However, he obviously didn't put the work in, otherwise there isn't a chance in hell that we'd let him drift away. God bless you Jimmy Bullard. And please take a look at yourself in that mirror that you have thrown your career away bending over.

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dirtydingusmagee added 13:33 - Aug 13 shame really, Jimmy was an oasis in the desert that turned out to be a mirage, it could have been so different . Oh well we move on .
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foot_kick_ball_goal added 13:42 - Aug 13 Was hoping that it was going to turn out that he wasn't leaving the club. Thought he did brilliantly on loan and again for the winning streak when we were playing the diamond (until it went a bit downhill). I think things may have turned out different had he been played as an attacking midfielder rather than in a more defensive position. Saying that, 15,000 a week is a little excessive and if we can get in a couple of decent players as a result of freeing up that cash it will a bonus in the long run. If not this will be a very disappointing turn of events. Here's hoping that it could make the funds available to make a move for signing that Luongo fella on a permanent basis if he turns out to have a cracking season.

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DiamondGezzer added 13:43 - Aug 13 PeekFreans :- Thanks ! As for Jimmy, it could've been oh so different. Shame. Youth passes so quickly, wake up Jim before its all gone.
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jocasaja added 14:16 - Aug 13 Glad to see the back of him - overated- over paid and took the p*** out of the club and the fans - I reckon he is finished in football at this level
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BYRNE_16 added 14:26 - Aug 13 we dont just play saturdays we play tuesdays as well
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Tractorog added 14:55 - Aug 13 Getting rid of Jimmy protects Chops who on current form is a real asset.
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MickMillsTash added 15:36 - Aug 13 I remember seeing him first when we played Wigan away in a night game and he ran the show -but since he has been at Town could not see how a balanced midfield could exist if he was in the side- either the game has moved on too much or he has regressed too much. At 33 it could be the end of his career- not sure anyone will give him a good deal now and it seems like he is a crock. Ipswich should never have signed him on anything other than pay as you play but good work now in getting rid.

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runningout added 16:02 - Aug 13 dont agree.. irreplaceable.. watch him do well now on.. best wishes Jimmy Bullard
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Warkystache added 16:47 - Aug 13 If only he'd been the same when he was on loan for us as now, we'd alll be chuffed with life at PR at the moment. Can understand why we let him go, but it is hurtful when a decent player doesn't quite do it for you. Still, we always do things the hardest way...
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Taricco_Fan added 18:48 - Aug 13 Good. Now move on and put the freed-up wages to better use. We didn't need an expensive passenger with questionable professionalism and motivation at the club. Not sure where Bullard can go from here.
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harlingblue added 19:59 - Aug 13 Good when on loan, lost it during the last season, opposition found out how to nullify him, tackle quick and hard...that left a shell of a player that he was.
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Garv added 18:58 - Aug 14 Absolutely gutted. Farewell Jimmy. We'll miss you.
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