Former Charlton and West Ham boss Alan Curbishley is understood to be the man the Blues are looking to bring to Portman Road if and when Paul Jewell’s time at the club comes to an end.

The incumbent manager currently still has the backing of owner Marcus Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg, but with Town 23rd in the Championship and having picked up only one league win so far this season, that situation could quickly change.

Over the weekend, Jewell said he would consider his Town future but is set to remain in charge for Tuesday’s game against his former club Derby County.

Curbishley has long been a manager admired by club owner Evans with the 54-year-old understood to have been on the short-list of candidates to succeed Roy Keane before Jewell’s appointment.

Former midfielder Curbishley played for West Ham, Birmingham, Aston Villa, Charlton (twice), Brighton and Hove Albion and the England U21s in a career which ran from 1975 until 1993.

In 1991, while he was still playing, he and Steve Gritt were appointed joint-managers at the Valley, Forest Gate-born Curbishley taking lone charge in 1995.

In 1997/98, having beaten Town in the semi-final, the Addicks reached the Premier League after defeating Sunderland 7-6 on penalties after a 4-4- draw in the play-off final at Wembley.

They were relegated in their first season back in the top flight, but returned after just one season as winners of the First Division. Curbishley subsequently signed several members of George Burley’s Town side — Matt Holland, Hermann Hreidarsson, Darren Bent, Darren Ambrose and Marcus Bent.

Having been linked with plenty of bigger jobs during his time at Charlton, Curbishley eventually left the Valley at the end of the 2005/06 campaign.

He took over at West Ham, his boyhood club, in December 2006 and in his first season saved their Premier League status on the final day via a 1-0 win at Manchester United.

Having fallen out with the Hammers’ directors after Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney were sold without his say-so, he resigned in September 2008, winning a case for constructive dismissal in November of the following year.

More recently Curbishley, who is based in Abridge near Chelmsford, was reported to have rejected approaches from Wolves and Bolton.

Given the Blues’ current position, it would be a surprise if owner Evans hadn’t sounded out Curbishley and other potential new managers, Roy Keane having been lined up prior to Jim Magilton’s sacking and Jewell’s appointment coming only a couple of days after Keane’s exit.

Photo: Action Images

steed added 08:08 - Oct 22 Can the club sink any lower sorry been out of the game to long just shows that the club been run by Evans and clegg haven't got a clue. If curb does join that's two Season tickets returned . He isn't even doing media work so what Idea would he have . For me put mills in charge till end of season any one who who listens to home is very tactual aware . Have him in charge till end of season then move him to director of football and a young manager underneath .

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Keaneish added 08:14 - Oct 22 Before The dark lord took over I plumped for Curbs...now I'm not so sure. This is a great time to choose a new manager, plenty out there. Harry is a pipe dream and even if he did come, how long would he stay!? Everyone would love to see an Ipswich Reunion: butcher, burley...mills but realistically, there's probably better. Billy Davies gets my vote. Love to see Butcher here though! As per some of the other posts I have no confidence in 3rd time lucky from Evans and Clegg!!

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WarkyWonderLand added 08:15 - Oct 22 What is this thing about Mick mills? Club legend and one of my all time favourites. He makes sense on the radio but that is it. He tried management a long long time ago and failed. This is a huge job now and for this season we have to stay up. Then we need to compete in this league again. Whoever it is and whenever it is every one needs to pull together in the same direction. If its curbs and he brings in Mervyn day with him they will sort the goalkeeping and defence out. To bring Herman or Matty Holland with them would be huge. Would still prefer Billy Davies or a young up and coming manager but don't think its the right time.

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Plums added 08:17 - Oct 22 Graham Taylor's free...
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StuartBrett8 added 08:18 - Oct 22 Graham Taylor.... "Do I not like that" ;)
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Blue_Dwarf added 08:20 - Oct 22 Curbs is far better than what we have got currently
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Edmunds5 added 08:24 - Oct 22 Whilst I would like to see a up and coming manager with a modern take on the game, I dont think how long someone has been out of the game is an issue neither. If somebody has a good knowledge and is compotent at organising a team and knowing how to manage the basics then he can put his own stamp on the team, Jewell hasn't done badly because of previously being out of the game for so long, he is failing because he is proving incompotent at the things that make a good manager, i.e tactically, organisation, motivation, man-management, and having no struture

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Stato added 08:26 - Oct 22 From the old boys camp nobody seems to be doing better than Frank Yallop.
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Grimsbyblue added 08:27 - Oct 22 I have very mixed feelings on this one. I agree with most on here that he has been out of the game for a loooong time. That said he did very well with Charlton, who are a similar sized family club taking them back to the Valley and building a successful team. Yes he is quietly spoken but remember he sat the team down in the center circle and gave them a public bollocking after a particularly bad performance! So he can deal with that side of things as well. My gut says give him a go at building the club up again if Jewell goes

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Bluewelshman added 08:32 - Oct 22 Someone like Harry Rednapp on a temp position to steady the ship and save us from relegation, then look for an up and coming manager in the lower leagues with ambition. Anyway, PJ may still stay with full backing from ME & Clegg.
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Stato added 08:32 - Oct 22 I guess Harry Redknapp will have a big say in the next manager and that might point to Tim Sherwood if Tottenham can be persuaded to let him go.
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Chop_Chop added 08:33 - Oct 22 Pathetic choice if true , is there any chance of a young hungry guy coming here and given 4 years to sort it out with the backing of the owner. A sad sad state of affairs , other than administration this is the clubs lowest ever ebb.
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gibbo added 08:33 - Oct 22 That's just a side step, we need a young hungry boss who knows the modern game.
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NickITFC added 08:38 - Oct 22 I do rate him as a manager BUT been out the game far too long and will be out of touch, much like our "current" manager. Owen Coyle is the way forward long term, yes it hasn't worked for him at Bolton but, with Burnley he took a team who couldn't pass a ball for toffee and go them playing some of the best football in the division and won promotion and league cup semi finals all with the smallest squad and least players used in the division.

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levington added 08:41 - Oct 22 another armchair dud
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reusersfreekicks added 08:46 - Oct 22 I give up
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sheepdags added 08:46 - Oct 22 Curbs would be a good choice but better still with Matt Holland alongside him.
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ghostofescobar added 08:52 - Oct 22 If this is true, then we are as doomed as with PJ at the helm. Another "has been", not very youthful manager, who has been out of the game for even longer than Jewell was. We really are screwed if this story has any merit.
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TR11BLU added 08:54 - Oct 22 Please no. Yet another has been out of the game too long. Maybe 5 years ago but not now. Learb from your last two disaster appointments ME.
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denhambluegirl added 08:56 - Oct 22 out of the game for too long, is this our only choice?
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levington added 08:58 - Oct 22 mcarthy or davies
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Bananaman added 09:03 - Oct 22 Can somebody please give some examples of "young, hungry managers" that they have in mind for us? I think people are taking this saying too far and are not really thinking about it. Roy Keane was a "young, hungry" manager and look what happened there. I am not saying that Curbs is the right man or not but lets not all jump on the bandwagon.
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JimmyBlue added 09:10 - Oct 22 NOT a good choice for Ipswich. Been out of the game a while (same as Paul Jewell) - was a 'steady' manager but never really thrilled. I think there are other candidates that could do a better job.
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brian_a_mul added 09:12 - Oct 22 Mick McCarthy is the way for us to go. Builds teams on solid defense, instills passion and fight in the squad and is proven man manager. He is a legendary man for rallying the troops. Thats what this club need at the moment. Plus he hasnt been out of work too long. The flipside is that players like JET (talented but lacking a high work ethic) may be surplus to requirements. I worry that Curbs & Harry would be looking for a cushy number and a good wage. Not sure if they still have the drive and motivation..

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Edmunds5 added 09:12 - Oct 22 Curbs also signed a few of Ipswich's younger players for Charlton so clearly he respected the youth system of Ipswich, its an area Jewell has struggled with and maybe Curbishley has more knowledge of how to bring the likes of Hyam, Smith, Carson and JET through
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