Former Wimbledon, West Ham, Aston Villa and Bolton midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has signed a three-month deal with the Blues. The 28-year-old has been a free agent since leaving the Trotters at the end of last season.

Reo-Coker told the club site: “Ipswich is a sleeping giant in the Championship. It’s a massive club with a great history and tradition. The facilities are first class and there is a terrific fanbase. It’s the right club at the right time for me and everything has just fallen into place.

“I had a good conversation with the manager. He’s highly respected in the game for what he has achieved and I know what he’s trying to do at the club.

“Ipswich may be at the wrong end of the table at the moment but it’s still early in the season and I’m sure with the manager and players the club have, it’s only a matter of time before things turn around.”

Former England U21 international Reo-Coker is with the Blues until January 12th and says he is open to where things might progress from there: “I’ve no plans after that. I’m here for three months and am looking forward to it.

“I want to do the best I can for Ipswich in that time and we will see where it goes after that.”

Describing Town as having a "fantastic club, very well structured", Reo-Coker wasn't put off by the Blues' current lowly position: "We're on the same page. So it all fell into place and I just need to get some games under my belt.

"I don't think you can look at the table after 10 games and think that's how it's going to be. About the same time last year Reading were in the relegation zone and they got promoted."

He says long-term he hasn't given up on playing at a much higher level having been on standby for the 2006 England squad: "I believe I still have the quality to be an international player."

Blues boss Paul Jewell says he's delighted to add Reo-Coker to his squad: “There were a few clubs after Nigel so we are delighted to have him here.

“He’s played a lot of football in the Premier League and has a wealth of experience, even though he’s only 28.

“He will give us a lot of drive and energy in midfield. I think we have lacked that player to go and win the ball back for us and Nigel will do that.

“He has leadership qualities and has skippered teams wherever he has played. He’s also a strong character and that is what we need at the moment.”

Photo: Action Images

Kesgraveblue57 added 11:26 - Oct 14 Reo-Coker he is good for the Town and PJ is going nowhere so get use to him being the Manager
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Bergholtblue added 11:33 - Oct 14 Potentially a very good signing but I posted the same when we got in Bullard and Bowyer. I want to see him play before praising or slating anyone. It does leave us with an embarasment of riches in midfield.. Good job Hyam signed an extension it means that ww will be able to command a fee when he asks for a transfer because he is not playing enough. Poissibly time for him to go on loan to a good League 1 outfit to get matches under his belt.

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levington added 11:39 - Oct 14 Another dud.
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wrighty_blue97 added 11:44 - Oct 14 Don't get me wrong good player and all, premier league quality BUT another loan player and another CM when is Jewell going to realise we now have 8 loan players and two of these are CM's with reo-coker we now have 3 loan CM's and to be honest we have a decent center midfileld as it is (hyam and drury) but surely jewell must now what he is doing? COYB!
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Keaneish added 12:19 - Oct 14 So this is probably our best starting 11 give or take... Loach Edwards Higginbottom Chambers Cresswell Taylor Reo-Coker Wellens Martin Murphy Chopra Whichever way you spin it, whether you bring in Hyam, Drury, Scotland, Moshni, JET, Smith, Ainsley... That's a starting 11 worthy of a top 6 finish! 5 games for these lot to Gel tops otherwise it's good by Jewell.
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StuartBrett8 added 12:31 - Oct 14 It "isn't" a loan deal .... it's a permanent short term deal, he is a town player until the 12th of January... please read the full story before commenting, also he's not just another centre midfielder, he's quality :)
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levington added 12:32 - Oct 14 If ME, Clegg and Jewell are dterminsed to stay and see out this debacle, then everyone else needs to f*ck off.
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martleshamitfc added 12:36 - Oct 14 keanish - what about dj campbell?
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Chicago_Blue added 12:38 - Oct 14 He has been without a club since the end of last season, so it's going to take him a while to get match fit isn't it. That was my concern with Wellens too - not played games.
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TimmyH added 12:46 - Oct 14 I'd like to be positive about this but I'm really not sure - yes he HAS been a good player and as we all know moving down from the Premiership to the Championship is another matter and I'm not sure he possesses that much quality now, let's face it he was playing in a relegated Bolton team. Was he out of contract or did he leave by mutual consent? What concerns me even more is the amount of players PJ has brought in all at once, so many players in that midfield area - it makes me laugh how we're all saying N'Daws ITFC days are over, he's only played a couple of games reasonably and gets booted out by a one month loan Wellens and throws a strop, no wonder! - As I see it Jewell is panic buying to save his skin short term with no long term plan. Why has Reo-Coker signed for 3 months if he is a free agent???

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banburyblue12 added 12:48 - Oct 14 good signing. hopefully gets a longer contract but not breaking the bank. the most important thing for us at this point is completing another long term contract for lee martin. he and JET are the creative ones and we need him in behind the striker.
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runningout added 12:51 - Oct 14 has had a few spats with past team mates, not a bad trait I suppose.. obviously hope he does well, but I'm down, grumpy and full of doom for us right now : /
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ITFC4daprem added 12:53 - Oct 14 Good player who should add some competition
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TimmyH added 12:54 - Oct 14 If you stand back and take stock of what's going on at the moment in respect to results, our position in the table (the worst for over 50 years) and all these panic buying short term loans which are hopeful solutions we are a club right in the clack!
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Shicks added 13:03 - Oct 14 where has hyam gone. One of our best young players.
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TimmyH added 13:07 - Oct 14 Hyam's about 3rd or 4th in line for starting - behind Luongo, N'Daw, Drury (probably with now Wellens and Reo-Coker starting at Hull), 2 out of 6 contratced - says it all!
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Michael11 added 13:21 - Oct 14 Very happy with this! Just a shame its not for the whole season or longer. Almost certain he'll leave in january if he does well!
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levington added 13:28 - Oct 14 it's Derby all over again, may not get another point all season
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casanovacrow added 13:30 - Oct 14 give me strength, yeh he's a capable player but much like Wellens ..WHY?? we have so many central midfielders already who are capable at doing the same job (Hyam, N'daw and Wellens the main ones). Anyone who actually watches a game can see the weak spot defensively isn't in the middle of the park it's out wide where the crosses don't get stopped. Jewell putting more chips on the roulette table, nothing more. Shame its going to cost us a fortune to get rid of him if the Keane situation cost us 1.9m.

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Edmunds5 added 13:38 - Oct 14 Well chuffed with this signing, sometimes we have to just be pleased that we have a classy player now on our books instead of criticising how long we have him for, It is not often teams in the Championship will sign a player of Reo-Coker's stature so lets enjoy it. N'Daw and Luongo still have parts to play, they're here for the season and if Reo-Coker is here for three months then other players will have a big responsibility if he moves on. Well done to all in getting him here and it does show that Jewell can get players to this club, and also shows Evans wants us out of this position as soon as possible and understands that we the squad needs strengthening and has been willing to raise money to help Pj do that. Personally I'm not as concerned for the defence, players like N'Daw, Hyam and Reo-Coker wil give us more steel to keep pushing us forward and protect our defence, I felt our midfield at the start of the season was to lightweight and weren't as capable of doing this. Welcome on board Nige.

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Warkys_Tash added 13:40 - Oct 14 Good signing IMO, well done Cleggy, Jewell & Evans. Let us hope Reo can give the the spark we need. Welcome onboard the Titannic, son ;o)
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levington added 13:42 - Oct 14 Hopes had been high of an immediate return, especially after manager Paul Jewell's summer reconstruction of the squad seeing 16 players come in and 12 leave. However, things did not go to plan and the club spent the majority of the season in the lower reaches of the table.
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Tractamatt added 13:54 - Oct 14 I posted twice yesterday along the lines this would not happen.I WAS WRONG.I eat my words happily. Now Iwould suggest that 3 months is as much a trial for the team as it is Reo and personaly I welcome any player who helps us out of the mire we are in at the moment ,loan or otherwise. Also well done PJ for keeping this one well under wraps till it happened.I think the future might just have brightened up a touch. COYB

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BigAlsMate added 14:51 - Oct 14 Perhaps we are hoping to enter the record books as the first club ever to field a complete side of loanees/very short contract players? Someone get that clown Jewell out before it's too late!!
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warbeat78 added 15:31 - Oct 14 Timmy h He walked out of bolton after acitivating a relegation clause in contract
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